Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta, cooking according to package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon as it browns, about 5-7 minutes. Once the beef is fully cooked, carefully drain off excess grease, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the beef and stir well, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the seasoning fully coats the meat. When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch.

While the pasta and beef cook, prepare all the vegetables with the proper cuts. Dice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, dice the bell pepper into small chunks, and finely dice the red onion. Shred the lettuce into 1/4-inch strips. I like to keep the tomatoes separate from the other vegetables until the very end because their juice can make the salad watery if added too early—this keeps everything crisp and fresh.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 1 with the seasoned beef from Step 1. Add the bell pepper, red onion, Mexican cheese, and lettuce from Step 2, tossing everything together gently to distribute evenly. The cool pasta will help cool down the warm beef while everything becomes evenly distributed throughout.

Pour the French dressing over the pasta mixture and toss thoroughly until all ingredients are well coated and the dressing is evenly distributed. Now gently fold in the diced tomatoes from Step 2, being careful not to crush them. I recommend adding the tomatoes right before serving rather than mixing them in earlier because this prevents the salad from becoming soggy.

Just before serving, crush the nacho cheese chips into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle them over the top of the salad along with fresh cilantro. Toss everything together at the table or serve immediately so the chips stay crispy and don't become soggy from the dressing.