Migratory dendritic cells carrying CD103 are the targets for mucosal vaccines. These belong to either of two lineage restricted subsets, cDC1 or cDC2 cells, which have been linked to priming of functionally distinct CD4 T cells. However, recent studies have identified plasticity in cDC2 cells with overlapping functions with cDC1 cells, while the converse has not been reported. We genetically engineered a vaccine adjuvant platform that targeted the cholera toxin A1 (CTA1) ADP-ribosylating enzyme to CD103+ cDC1 and cDC2 cells using a single chain antibody (scFv) to CD103. Unexpectedly, intranasal immunization with the CTA1-svFcCD103 adjuvant modified cDC1 cells to effectively prime Th17 cells, a function normally restricted to cDC2 cells. In fact, cDC2 cells were dispensible. Single cell RNAseq analysis revealed upregulation of Th17-promoting gene signatures in sorted cDC1 cells. Our finding represents a major shift of paradigm as we have documented functional plasticity in cDC1 cells.