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Cheesy Crispy Chicken Tacos

Cheesy crispy chicken tacos with golden fried chicken and stretchy melted cheese in warm corn tortillas. Fry the chicken until crisp, then briefly warm the assembled tacos to melt the cheese for a melty, crunchy bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 980
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken breasts Cut into bite-sized pieces and season.
Breading
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour Used for dredging.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder Mixed into seasoned flour.
  • 1 tsp chili powder Mixed into seasoned flour.
  • 2 eggs Beaten for dipping; use to coat chicken.
  • 2 cup vegetable oil for frying Fry at 350°F in batches.
Taco fillings
  • 8 small corn tortillas Warm before assembling and melt cheese after filling.
  • 1.5 cup shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese Place in tortillas, then add more cheese after chicken.
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce Top the finished tacos.
  • 0.5 cup diced onion Top the finished tacos.
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Top the finished tacos.
  • lime wedges Serve on the side.
  • Salt and pepper to taste Season chicken; adjust to preference.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and dredge the chicken
  1. Cut the boneless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, then season with salt and pepper.
  2. In a shallow dish, combine all-purpose flour, garlic powder, and chili powder.
  3. Dip the chicken pieces in the beaten eggs, then dredge in the seasoned flour so each piece is coated.
Fry until crisp and cook through
  1. Heat vegetable oil for frying to 350°F in a Dutch oven.
  2. Fry the breaded chicken in batches at 350°F for about 6–8 minutes total, until golden and cooked through.
  3. Drain the fried chicken on paper towels until the coating looks crisp and less oily.
Assemble and melt the cheese
  1. Warm the small corn tortillas, then place a small portion of shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese in the center of each.
  2. Add fried chicken on top, then add more shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese and fold the tortillas in half.
  3. Warm the filled tacos in a hot skillet for 1–2 minutes per side until the cheese melts and you see it stretch slightly.
  4. Top each taco with shredded lettuce, diced onion, and cilantro, then serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For the crispiest coating, keep the oil at a steady 350°F and fry in small batches so the temperature doesn’t drop. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days, but expect the tortillas to soften; for best texture, rewarm in a skillet. Freezing is not recommended for fried tacos. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the dredge.