Make your own restaurant-style shredded Chicken Tacos at home. They are easy to make, perfectly crunchy, and SO delicious!
Chicken Tacos have become one of our go-to Mexican recipes. It’s definitely our #1 taco recipe, followed closely by Steak Tacos and Pork Tacos. But, who are we kidding?! All tacos are our favorite!
restaurant-style Chicken Tacos
One of the main dishes we have at all of our Mexican family get-togethers is Fried Chicken Tacos.
Each of us makes it a little differently, but it’s something we always have and expect when we are having Mexican food at a Luna event, along with our famous Empanadas and Enchiladas.
Fortunately, these shredded Chicken Tacos are easy and yummy!
I like to cook all my Shredded Chicken in advance, divide it, and put it into freezer bags. Then I just pull out a bag in the morning, let it thaw throughout the day, and have it ready to cook in time for dinner.
These are the BEST Chicken Tacos, loved by the entire family. They taste just like the Chicken Tacos found at your local Mexican Restaurants – crunchy and delicious!
How to make chicken tacos
Making these easy Chicken Tacos is beyond simple.
FILLING. Prep the chicken by adding Shredded Chicken, green chiles, cheese, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Mix.
FRY. Add vegetable oil to your pan and turn to LOW/MEDIUM heat. Add some chicken to the middle of your corn tortilla. Then grab with your tongs.
Rock back and forth when the oil is ready until the taco can lay down without opening up.
ENJOY! Take the taco out when both sides are cooked. Lay it on a plate lined with a paper towel to help drain the oil. Add any toppings such as shredded lettuce and tomatoes and/or extra cheese.
*Flash frying tip. If your corn tortillas are cracking easily, flash fry them in the oil for a second or two on each side, then fill and re-fry. We like to use Kroger brand corn tortillas which don’t crack easily and don’t require flash frying first.
Recipe Tips
Rubbery chicken. There are a few factors that create rubbery chicken including overcooking, undercooking, not enough moisture, and poor chicken quality (“white striping” which are white fatty strips that run parallel to the muscle fibers).
Chicken. Cook up a boneless skinless chicken breast or use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Another idea is to purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred it.
Instant pot shredded chicken. I love my crock pot, but sometimes I need something quicker. Enter the instant pot. Cook chicken from a thawed or frozen state in just minutes.
- Add 2-3 pounds of chicken to the pot, sprinkle on your seasonings of choice, and top with 1 cup of chicken broth (or water).
- Seal the lid. Set “Pressure Cook” to HIGH and set the timer for 10 minutes (12 minutes if the chicken is frozen). Allow it to naturally release for about 5 minutes then quickly release the valve and remove the lid.
- Shred with a fork and the chicken will be ready to use in the tacos. Any extra can be frozen for another meal.
Taco Variations
Soft tacos. For soft Chicken Tacos with this same chicken mixture, heat up the chicken, salt and pepper, and green chiles in the microwave. Add the cheese before filling the soft flour tortillas.
Rolled tacos. Roll these tacos instead of making them in a taco shape. When they are rolled, we call them Flautas. They taste great and are also perfect for serving as an appetizer at parties.
Flavors variations. Change up the flavor of these tacos, by adding different spices and cheeses. My mom likes to make them with just shredded chicken, salt, pepper, oregano, and cheese.
Other possibilities include cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, or cayenne pepper.
Topping Ideas + SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Our favorite fried Chicken Taco toppings include shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, extra cheese, and green onion slices. You could also add:
- fresh cilantro or sliced avocado
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- freshly squeezed lime juice
- Pico de Gallo
- Homemade Salsa
We have so many favorite recipes that we like to serve with this shredded chicken taco recipe, but here are some of our favorites:
Storing Tips
STORE. Keep Chicken Tacos in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat. The best way I have found to reheat chicken tacos is in an air fryer. If you don’t have one, I suggest broiling them in the oven on both sides.
For more taco recipes, check out:
Chicken Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 4 oz can green chiles
- salt and pepper to taste
- vegetable oil
- 8 6 inch corn tortillas
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cheese, green chiles, salt and pepper, and mix.
- Fill a large saucepan with about ¾ inch oil. Heat over medium heat to 375 degrees F.
- Add ¼ cup of chicken mixture to the middle of a corn tortilla, then fold like a taco and grab with your tongs. Rock the taco back and forth in the oil until it can lay down without opening, then place into the oil on its side.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side. When both sides are cooked, remove from oil and place on a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Add your desired toppings to fill the tacos before serving.
Video
Notes
- Soft Tacos: Combine the chicken, chiles, salt and pepper and heat in the microwave, then add the cheese. Serve with toppings in soft flour tortillas.
- Rolled Tacos: You can roll these instead of making them in a taco shape—when rolled, they are called flautas.
- Meat: Switch up the chicken for other meats like shredded beef (the same as our Pot Roast recipe) or pork (the same as our Kalua pork recipe).
So yummy looking!!! I’ll have to try this! My oldest is 4 and loves ketchup on anything. I am equally as weird because I love PEAS on my tacos!!! I make chorizo tacos and I LOVE them with peas! haha!!
Thanks for the recipe!
XOXO, Mallory @ Classy Clutter
Those look great!
MM the chicken tacos look delicious. And I love how tacos can meet so many peoples dinner requirements by adding a little of this for me and a little of that for you! You like ketchup- I like sour cream!
These look delicious. When you cook your chicken in the crock-pot do you add any specific seasonings? I laughed when you said your family will put Ketchup on their tacos. My family likes to do that too, but, I only let them put it on a specialty taco I call Cheeseburger tacos. Other wise, I think, It is just wrong and gross! 😉
I do not put any seasonings on when the chicken is cooking, but my mom drizzles on some olive oil and a little garlic pepper. She also puts in crushed Oregano instead of the diced green chiles that I use. 🙂
All nice recipes. Thanks so much.
I don’t understand. When you put the tortilla in the oil, doesn’t the chicken get all oily?
It does get a little oily, but that’s what makes these so good. I do let the oil drip out and also place them on a plate with a paper towel to let drain when done. 😉
Thank you for clearing this up.
No problem. 🙂
that is why in Mexico, these tacos are rolled and not folded. Furthermore, in mexico we add sour cream, cheese and green sauce on the top, we also add tomato, lettuce and avocado.
TACOS ARE NEXT. I KNOW THEY WILL BE GREAT.
DO YOU HAVE A BEEF TACO RECIPE.WOULD LOVE IT.
I MADE THE RED ENCHILADAS…THEY WERE WONGERFUL.
THANK YOU FOR GREAT RECIPES.
You can use a good grade of ground beef or chuck roast (cooked in crock pot) and shred it like you would the chicken or pork. I use Pork Butt (in crock pot), that is all to it. Hope this answers your question.. GOD BLESS
Marie Czarnecki and her furry SHELTIE’S
This is the way Mama made beef tacos when we were kids, they were the best ever! Your recipe brought back fond memories, I’ve never tried fixing them, but I will now, thanks.
Oh, thank you!! I’m glad this recipe could bring back good memories!!
I love all of your recipes, they look delish, and will make all of them and thinking they are inexpensive. I always use chicken, good grade of ground beef, and for pork I buy a pork butt and shred.. Thank you so much for you passing on “GREAT STUFF”…
Marie and her furry four legged SHELTIES.. 🙂
Thank you Marie!! I like to share when I try and find new recipes 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!
Hi Love your recipes. There awesome and I so want to get really good at making Mexican Food. I have learned to make and Can Green Sausa Verda so as to have it year round. I so want to learn to make Fajata’s and Burritoes. Thank You for your Lovely Recipes. Please Keep them Coming.
Thank you so much!! That’s great that you can salsa verde. I love that stuff. I hope you find some recipes to try & like.
These tacos were so easy and tasted great. I was a little afraid of frying the shells, but that turned out to be simple and to be honest, that’s what put this dish over the top.
Yay! I am so glad you liked them 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Can you please make a video foe these chicken tacos. They look so good and i loVe resta chicken tacos but im doing something wrong. I think its my frying technique. The first one fell apart and the next one was Super greasy and heavY. Please!
I am sorry they weren’t working out. I’m not sure what you are doing, but it doesn’t take long for them to fry & I don’t put too much oil in the pan. Is your temp low-med?
I always keep chicken in my frezzer. One of my go to meals is chicken tacos. I love the added green chilies to the chicken and you just cant go wrong with this meal.
These are my family’s favorite! when I’m in a pinch, I always have shredded chicken on hand & tortillas, so they are my go-to! Always gone in minutes..love paring it with your Spanish rice.
These tacos are the best. Love chicken tAcos!
Love a good, easy taco recipe. Looks fantastic!
Made these for dinner again this week, my kids just love it!
I want these for lunch every day now!
Can’t wait to try these! MY family always loves taco night!
we love Mexican Food at our house. The taste for this recipe is a home run for the whole family! YUMMY
These loOk tasty. Cant wait to make. WoUld you RECOMMEND any veggieS for us VEGETARIANS out here -as a SUBSTITUTE to your chicken.
Thank you!! I really think any would be great. It’s all a personal preference, but I’d say any of your favorites!
We love potato cheese Tacos.! I just microwave washed aNd scrubbed yukon gold potatoes 1 1/2-2 potat Per person ( with or without skins), pierce each potato several times on all sides. Wrap each one in a moist paper towel. Microwave 5-6/mins. Let them cool slightly like 5-10 mins. Mash the potato In a large bowl and season (use whatever seasonings you like, i usually use lawry’s seasoned salt. I Microwave whatever amount of corn tortillas you plan to eat e.g. 6-10 for 45 seconds. Be careful they are sTEaming hot. Get your frying pan ready by heating enough oil anywhere from 1/8-1/4 inch in frying pan on medium heat. When you feel its hot enough, we do not want it smoking but hot enough to start frying place 2=spoonfuls of potatoes mashing it in equal portions throughout taco, fry until golden crispy on each side. I like to paper towel line a COLANDER with about 6-8 paper towels. Stand the tacos upright. This is where you can drain oil off the tacos.. now Top your tacos with favorite toppings: cheese, guacamole, tomato, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc. HOpe that was helpful.
ELIZABETH- Great recipe for potato tacos! I would never have thought of it. My sis-in-law is vegetarian. I think I will make these for her.
kristyn- thank you for your tips on frying the tacos. I always have fried the taco shells empty and then when I try to fill them the taco shell breaks or when I filled them with meat and then fried them, the filling would fall out.. I hate to make the shells because it is so frustrating. I will try them your way. It sounds so simple AND EASY. I never have had chicken tacos before-but I will now. tHANK YOU.
Thank you! I’d love to know what you think! They are my favorite taco!! Hope the tips help!
These are my go to tacos. My older ones like them with the LETTUCE and tomato, but my YOUNGER kids like them plain. Either way i always serve them with yOur spanish rIce recipe.
Hi 🙂
Can i use flour tortillas instead?
You sure could 😉 Enjoy!!
I’ve followed you for two years and your blog always has best recipes in many blog I read. Now, i just follow you. Thank you for great dishes you’ve posted.
You are so welcome!! Thank you for following 🙂
These look delish!!!! Has anyone tried them in the air fryer? I know pArt of the magic and deliciousness is frying in oil bur WONDERING if the aie fryer Would be an option.
Thank you! I personally have not, but that’s a good option!
Hello.
These LoOk amazing and i want to tRy and make them. Any idea if they would turn out okay using canned chIcken? LaSt minute meal idea and i do not have Any chicken thawed and ready to cook so thought maybe canned chicken would be okay to use? Thanks
Using canned chicken is a great option!! I totally would do the same, if it was last minute & I didn’t have chicken on hand. Sure hope you like them as much as we do!
we love Mexican Food at our house. The taste for this recipe is a home run for the whole family! YUMMY
Thank you so much for saying that! We love Mexican food at our house, too! Glad they were a hit!
Thanks for the recipe! I can’t wait to make them tonight with your enchilada recipe. It’s really hard to watch any of the recipe Videos you have on your page with all the adds that interrupt in the middle of them.
You are welcome! Love them with the enchiladas. Thanks!
Our favorite Chicken Taco recipe!! Oh so good!!!
Crunchy tacos for life! So yummy!
My 6 year old is a picky eater and she ate THREE of these tacos!!! That says something!!! My whole family devoured them and they are now in our rotation of dinners. Easy and so yummy! She has the best recipes for Mexican food!
Obviously nothing too complicated here but a few pointers did give me the courage to fry up tacos for dinner and now we make them all the time!
If I could give 10 stars I would! I make these for big family gatherings. They are my absolute favorite. I crave them. Such a game changer from taco shells you buy in the store. Such a simple recipe but so amazing!
Thanks for saying that!!
I usually try a new recipe for tacos every Tuesday, but after we had these my whole family asked that these be the tacos we have every week instead. Second time making them tonight and I woke up this morning and my first thought was TACOS!!!! They are SO good!!! Better than any restaurant taco. Definitely add the green chilies. Thank you for the recipe!!!!
Oh that makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad your family enjoys the tacos! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Wow such simply and easy ingredients to pull together. Monday might come again before week is out.
Haha! Yes! We’re all about simple, quick and delicious. No one will be mad if Monday comes around twice in a week, right? 😉
Made your salsa, then used that instead of the tomato sauce to make your Spanish/Mexican rice. Used my deep fryer the kids were so interested in the tacos and toppings (Guac, Sour cream, lettuce, tomato and more salsa) that I forgot about the rice. 🙁
Oh I have done that a time or two… forgotten about a dish cooking! I feel you there. That’s a fun change to swap the salsa for the tomato sauce. I’m sure it would have tasted delicious! Hope the chicken tacos turned out yummy too.
This was a big hit with my kids, and me. Very easy to make.
Yay!! So happy to hear that. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
These were so good! They were even good the next day heated in the air fryer (minus lettuce and tomato of course)
These are really good! We loved them fried!
Making the tender flavorful moist chicken can be the hardest part. You don’t tell the secret of that.
Here is how I make the shredded chicken: https://lilluna.com/shredded-chicken/
So sorry they cracked. Thank you for giving them a try.