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Skip the wait and cost – whip up restaurant-quality chicken tacos at home in under 30 minutes for a satisfying crunch and explosion of flavor!
Restaurant-style Tacos
One of the main dishes we have at almost EVERY Mexican family get-togethers is our famous 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 Beef Empanadas and Red Cheese Enchiladas.
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!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Fast and Flavorful. Get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes! Chicken tacos are a lifesaver for busy weeknights.
- Customizable. Spice it up with your favorite hot sauce or keep it simple with fresh toppings like lettuce and Pico de Gallo and Salsa.
- Family-Friendly Fun. Tacos are a great way to get the whole family involved in meal prep. Let everyone customize their tacos with their favorite toppings, making dinner a fun and interactive experience.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken – Cook up a boneless skinless chicken breast or use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Or purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred it.
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese – other flavors can also be used such as Colby Jack cheese, cotija cheese, sharp cheddar, or Monterey Jack cheese.
- 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
- salt and black pepper to taste
- vegetable oil – you can also use canola oil or olive oil
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- optional toppings – Our favorite toppings include shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, extra cheese, and green onion slices. You can also add fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt, freshly squeezed lime juice, Pico de Gallo, or Homemade Salsa.
Keep Chicken On Hand
Keep shredded chicken in the freezer to make this an easy, quick meal (defrost overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours before making it). We also like using rotisserie chicken whenever we’re in a pinch
How to make chicken tacos
- FILLING. In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups shredded chicken, 1 cup cheese, 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles, salt and pepper, and mix.
- PREP. Fill a large saucepan with about ¾ inch oil. Heat over medium heat to 375°F.
- ASSEMBLE. 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. 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.
- SERVE. Add your desired toppings to fill the tacos before serving.
PRO TIP: Prevent Cracked Tortillas
Corn tortillas can tear when rolled, especially if they are old.
- To help keep this from happening place the corn tortillas in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel.
- You can also flash fry them in the oil for a second or two on each side, then fill, fold, and re-fry.
We like to use fresh Kroger brand corn tortillas which don’t crack easily and don’t require flash frying first.
Complete the Meal
- Side dishes: Spanish Rice, Canned Refried Beans, Mexican Street Corn
- Toppings: Homemade Salsa, Guacamole, Sweet Salsa Verde, Black Bean Corn Salsa, Avocado Cream Sauce
- Desserts: Arroz con Leche, Tres Leches Cake, Flan, Churro Cheesecake Bars
- More taco recipes: Steak Taco Recipe, Pork Tacos, Carnitas Tacos, Ground Beef Tacos
More collections: Mexican Dinner Ideas, Mexican Chicken Recipes, Easy Dinner Ideas
Chicken Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 1 cup Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- 1 (4-ounce) 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.
- Fill a large saucepan with about ¾ inch oil. Heat over medium heat to 375°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).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Fried. Roll the chicken mixture in a flour tortilla and fry to make Chicken Flautas. Be sure to fry them seam side down first, then flip.
Soft. Heat the chicken, salt, and pepper, and green chiles in the microwave. Add the cheese before filling the soft flour tortillas.
These tacos are best served right after being fried, however, you can make the chicken filling up to 48 hours in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Remove any added toppings and keep the 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.
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!!
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!
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!
Crunchy tacos for life! So yummy!
Our favorite Chicken Taco recipe!! Oh so good!!!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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 🙂