Crispy Chicken Tacos

No ratings yet

These crispy chicken tacos start with honey-lime chicken seared until deeply golden, folded into a cheese-sealed tortilla, and pan-fried in a little avocado oil until the shell crisps enough to crunch and shatter. Serve with smoky chipotle mayo for a taco night that you’ll make again and again.

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Servings: servings

Author: Molly Thompson

INGREDIENTS

Crispy Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast cut into very small pieces
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 Tablespoon lime juice about 1/2 a lime
12 corn tortillas
2-3 cups chihuahua cheese or Mexican blend cheese
Avocado oil for pan frying
Toppings for serving: pico de gallo, guacamole, white onion, cilantro

Chipotle Mayo

1 cup high quality mayo
2 chipotle peppers in adobo plus 1 tbsp of sauce (start with 1 pepper if you want it mild)
2 Tablespoons lime juice about 1 lime
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

Season the chicken: Add the chicken breast to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with spices, honey, and lime juice.
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika, 3 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, Pinch of cayenne, 2 Tablespoons honey, 1/2 Tablespoon lime juice
Sear the chicken: Heat a large cast iron skillet or non stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking it up to keep small pieces, until crispy and deeply golden. Transfer to a clean plate or bowl and wipe down the pan with a paper towel to remove excess fat and spices so you can pan fry the tacos.
Warm and fill the tortillas: Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, until pliable. Lay the tortillas flat and sprinkle cheese on one half of each tortilla. Divide the chicken between each then top with a little more shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and press down firmly.
12 corn tortillas, 2-3 cups chihuahua cheese
Pan-fry until crispy: Drizzle avocado oil in the pan until it’s just covering the bottom and heat it over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot and sizzling, place 3-4 tacso in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and crispy, then flip and crisp the other side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a serving tray or plate and repeat with the remaining tacos, adding a drizzle more avocado oil as needed.
Avocado oil
Make the chipotle mayo: Before serving, blend together the chipotle mayo ingredients and prep any taco toppings. Open the cheese crispy tacos and add any toppings and the chipotle mayo sauce, or serve it on top of the crispy shell.
1 cup high quality mayo, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Notes

Lower calorie: go light on the cheese and use Greek yogurt instead of mayo in the Chipotle Mayo recipe.

Add fiber: Fill the tacos with black beans and avocado as toppings.

Storage: Store the chicken filling and cooled tacos separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days. The chipotle mayo will keep in the fridge for up to five days.

Reheat: skip the microwave because it turns the shell soft instead of crispy. I like to reheat the tacos in a dry skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes per side, or in a 375°F oven for about 8 minutes, until they're hot and crispy again.

Ground chicken: I've used this same fold and pan fry method on ground chicken taco meat and it's delicious. You won't get the same crispy bits of chicken, but it's still good!

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_mollymade or tag #WhatMollyMade so I can see it and feature you!