Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos are an easy win. They only take 30 minutes to make, and everyone will love dipping them in salsa, queso, and guacamole!
These tacos are perfect to make for a quick weeknight meal or as a crowd-pleasing appetizer for Cinco de Mayo.
They have simple ingredients, most of which you probably have. If you like this easy weeknight dinner, you need to check out the ground beef version.
These tacos are perfect for dunking into your favorite dips. If you haven't yet, you need to try these with a creamy avocado sauce. It has avocado, tomatillo, green onion, and garlic.
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🧀 Ingredients & Substitutions
Shredded Chicken: You can use one rotisserie chicken, 3 cups of leftover chicken, or make your own cooked chicken breast and shred it!
Spices: I used a blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder to season these crunchy tacos. You can use a packet of taco seasoning in place of the spices.
Chipotle Chili Powder: Optional for a bit of spice.
Salsa: Use your favorite red salsa or a salsa verde.
Olive Oil: You need to brush (or spray) olive oil on the tortillas so they don't stick to the pan and get crispy in the oven. Avocado oil and vegetable oil work as well.
Corn Tortillas: I think corn tortillas are best for this recipe, but you can also use flour. If you use flour, bake them for 4-6 minutes less.
Cheese: I liked using Monterey Jack with these tacos. Some other options could be a Mexican Blend, Pepper Jack, Oxacca Cheese, or cheddar cheese.
Full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below
🔪 How to Make Easy Crispy Chicken Tacos
Mix together shredded chicken, spices, and salsa.
Warm corn tortillas. Brush one side of the tortillas with olive oil, then place the tortilla oil side down onto the pan.
Add shredded cheese and top with the shredded chicken mixture and more cheese. Fold the tortilla over and press down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Bake at 450F for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole.
👩🍳Tip
You can make your shredded chicken up to 3 days ahead of time or use one rotisserie chicken.
I have two methods for cooking tasty shredded chicken. The first one is in a slow cooker; it can take 3-6 hours. The other is in a skillet on the stove and can take 30 minutes.
I would not recommend using foil; the tortillas don't get as crisp and stick to the foil.
🥗 Favorite Toppings for Crunchy Beef Tacos
- Guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Qudasilla Dipping Sauce
- Salsa
- Refried Beans
- Sour Cream
- Pickled Red Onions
- Hot Sauce
- Queso
❓ Recipe Questions
Why aren't my tortillas staying folded?
Make sure your tortillas are warm enough before filling and folding them. If they aren't, they will not stay folded.
If your tortillas refuse to remain folded, you can secure them with a toothpick.
Can I use flour tortillas?
I've tested these with flour tortillas, and they work. You'll want to cook the flour tortillas for less time than the corn tortillas, and make sure you oil them well so they don't stick to the pan.
Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups shredded chicken
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder optional, for a little spice
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 corn tortillas
- 2.5 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican cheese
- Toppings: hot sauce, guacamole, salsa, pickled onions, sour cream, lime wedge
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- In a large bowl, mix together shredded chicken, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle chili powder, and salsa.
- Wrap corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and place them on a plate. Microwave them for 30-60 seconds or until they are pliable.
- Brush one side of a tortilla with olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese to half of the tortilla, top with ¼ cup of chicken, and 2 more tablespoons of shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling*.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and arrange the tacos in a single layer on your baking sheet.
- Bake for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through. Once the tacos are golden brown, remove them from the oven and let them rest for 3 minutes.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!