Restaurant-Style Shredded Chicken Tacos (+VIDEO)

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Restaurant-style Chicken Tacos are filled with ingredients like shredded chicken, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, all inside a fried corn tortilla.

Chicken Tacos have become one of our go-to Mexican recipes. It’s definitly our #1 taco recipe, followed closely by Steak Tacos and Pork Tacos. Our Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos are pretty good too!

restaurant-style Chicken Tacos

One of the main dishes we have at all of our Mexican family get-togethers is Fried Chicken Tacos.

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Each of us make 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 tacos are easy and yummy! I like to cook all my shredded chicken in advance and divide it and put it into freezer bags, so I can just pull out a bag in the morning, let it thaw through out the day and have it ready to cook in time for dinner.

It also helps that they are loved by the whole fam and 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. There are different ways to make the chicken mixture, but we like to include the following in it:

Shredded chicken
Salt & Pepper to taste
Mexican Style Cheese
Diced Green chiles (optional)

My mom uses just chicken, salt, pepper and oregano in hers. The chicken filling has so many variations, so use the ingredients and spices you like most (possibilities include cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, or cayenne pepper).

CHICKEN. To make the tacos, begin by prepping your chicken so it’s exactly what you want in it. Once it’s done and all the way cooked through then take out of crockpot, shred and add the spices, cheese and chiles.

FILL & FRY. Add vegetable oil to your skillet and turn to LOW/MEDIUM heat. Add some chicken to the middle of your corn tortilla. Then grab with your tongs. I like to rock mine back and forth when the oil is ready until I can lay the taco down without opening up.

*Flash Frying Tip: If your corn tortillas are cracking easily, you can flash fry them in the oil for a second or two on each side, then fill and re-fry. We like to use the Kroger brand of corn tortillas which don’t crack easily and don’t require flash frying first.

DRAIN. Take out taco when both sides are cooked and lay on a plate with paper towel on it to help drain the oil.

Topping Ideas

Add any toppings such as shredded lettuce and tomatoes and/or extra cheese. You could also add:

Chopped onions
Fresh cilantro
Sliced avocado
Sour cream or greek yogurt
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Pico de gallo

Taco Variations

Soft Tacos: If you are wanting to make tacos with this same chicken mixture, we recommend heating up the chicken, salt and pepper and green chiles in the microwave and then adding the cheese before adding to soft flour tortillas.

Rolled Tacos: You can roll these 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.

Other flavors: You can also 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.

Rocking the filled tortilla back and forth in the oil to help it take its shape.

Additional Tips

Reheating Leftovers: We don’t think fried food reheats as well as when it’s fresh, but having said that, if we have leftover tacos, we place them on a plate covered with Saran wrap and reheat them in the oven on low or using the microwave.

What to serve with shredded chicken tacos? We have so many favorite recipes that we like to serve with this shredded chicken taco recipe, but here are some of our favorites:

A Family Fav!

These tacos are SO stinking good!! We add shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes too, along with salsa to make these a hit at dinner.

I know you can buy pre-made shells at the store, and that things are less healthy when they are fried, but these tacos are so good and will be a hit at your next Mexican Meal. 🙂

For more taco recipes, check out:

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 8 tacos

Calories 167 kcal

Author Lil’ Luna

Prep chicken by adding shredded chicken, green chiles, cheese, salt and pepper to a bowl – and mix.
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.
Take out taco when both sides are cooked and lay on a plate with paper towel on it to help drain the oil.
Add any toppings such as shredded lettuce and tomatoes and/or extra cheese.

FLASH FRY? If your corn tortillas are cracking easily, you can flash fry them in the oil for a second or two on each side, then fill and re-fry. We like to use the Kroger brand of corn tortillas which don’t crack easily and don’t require flash frying first.

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