These Air Fryer Chicken Tacos are crispy, cheesy, and on the table in about 20 minutes using shredded chicken you already have on hand. Pair it with our house favorite creamy cilantro lime sauce for dipping those tacos and you have the best little weeknight dinner!
Taco night happens a lot in our house, and these have quietly taken over the rotation. Chad is the one who always asks for extra cilantro lime sauce on the side, and the kids love that they get to load up their own toppings. It’s one of those dinners where everyone ends up happy and nobody is asking what else there is to eat.
My favorite way to make these is with leftover chicken from our Air Fryer Whole Chicken, but a grocery store rotisserie chicken works just as well. If you’ve made our Air Fryer Tacos with ground beef, this is the same crispy shell method with a lighter, zippier filling.
A few rounds of testing taught me some important lessons. My basket fits 5 tacos at a time, and the second batch always cooks faster because the air fryer is already hot. Now I check that batch around the 4 to 5 minute mark so nothing gets too dark. I also stopped flipping them halfway. Flipping during the last minute gives you a crisp shell on both sides without the tacos falling open.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
Crispy shells, no frying. A quick spritz of oil and 6 minutes in the air fryer gives you golden, crunchy corn tortillas without a pan of hot oil on the stove.
Leftover chicken, new life. Shredded chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning come together in one bowl. It’s the easiest way I know to turn last night’s chicken into a whole new dinner.
That cilantro lime sauce. Creamy, tangy, and just a little spicy. It takes a couple of minutes in the food processor and you’ll want it on everything.
Important Ingredient Notes
Shredded chicken – Rotisserie chicken is the shortcut here, and leftover roasted chicken is even better. You can also swap in ground chicken. Just brown it, then stir in the salsa and taco seasoning once it’s cooked through.
Salsa and taco seasoning – The salsa keeps the chicken moist so it doesn’t dry out in the air fryer. Use whatever salsa your family likes, mild, medium, or hot. Taste the filling before you build the tacos and add a little more seasoning or salt if it needs it.
Corn tortillas – Corn tortillas get the crispiest and hold their shape well. Warm them first so they fold without cracking. Flour tortillas work too, but they brown faster, so check them at the 4 minute mark.
Cheddar cheese – The cheese melts and helps hold each taco closed while it cooks. Sharp cheddar adds a little kick while mild cheddar makes the flavor of the chicken and other toppings shine more. Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a Mexican blend are all easy swaps.
Cilantro, limes, and jalapeno. These make the sauce. Remove the jalapeno seeds and membranes for a milder sauce, or leave a few in if you like some heat. Fresh lime juice makes a big difference here, so skip the bottled stuff if you can.
How to make Chicken Tacos
Season the Chicken – Stir the shredded chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning together in a bowl. Taste and adjust with more salsa, seasoning, or salt.
Fill and Fold – Microwave the tortillas to make them more pliable and then fill each with chicken and cheese and fold it closed. Spritz the air fryer basket with oil, add the tacos in a single layer, and spritz the tops generously.
Air Fry – Air fry at 400°F for 6 minutes, flipping the tacos during the last minute. They’ll keep crisping after they come out of the basket.
Repeat and Serve – Keep the first batch warm in the oven while you cook the rest, checking the second batch at 4 to 5 minutes. Stuff with your favorite toppings and serve with the cilantro lime sauce.
How to Make Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce
Blend the Sauce – Add the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, seeded jalapeno, sour cream, olive oil, salt, and onion powder to a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, then season to taste.
Storage
Refrigerator – Like most crispy fried foods, these are best eaten right away, but if you have leftovers they’ll keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, so long as you haven’t added any toppings.
Reheating – Reheat these in the air fryer to regain some of that crispiness. They’ll take 2-3 minutes to heat back up at 350 degrees. Add your favorite toppings after reheating.
Freezer – I haven’t tried freezing these, because my family devours them too quickly. However, I believe these would freeze great. I would reheat from the freezer at 330 for 5-ish minutes, checking to make sure they’re hot and crispy before serving.
More Air Fryer Mexican Dinners You’ll Love!
- Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
- Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
- Air Fryer Chicken Flautas
- Air Fryer Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Copycat Chipotle Chicken
Air Fryer Chicken Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken
- ¼ cup salsa
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
For the tacos:
- 10 corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- Toppings such as lettuce, diced tomato, onion, cilantro
For the cilantro lime sauce:
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 2 limes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small jalapeno more or less to taste
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
To prepare the chicken:
- Add the shredded chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Taste and add additional salsa, taco seasoning, or salt to taste.
To make the tacos:
- Place 5 tortillas on a microwave safe plate and top with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 20 seconds.
- Fill each tortilla with shredded chicken and cheese and fold to close.
- Spritz your air fryer basket with oil spray and place tacos in the basket in a single layer. We’re able to fit 5 tacos in our basket at a time, but it will depend on the size of your air fryer. Spritz the tacos liberally with oil spray.
- Air fry at 400 for 6 minutes. Flip the tacos during the last minute of cooking. Tortillas will crisp further after they are removed from the air fryer.
- Repeat the steps for remaining tacos, keeping cooked tacos warm in a 200 degree oven while you cook the remaining batches. Keep in mind that your 2nd batch will cook faster than your 1st because the air fryer is hot. Check at the 4-5 minute mark for doneness.
- Stuff each taco with the toppings of your choice and serve with the cilantro lime sauce either drizzled in each taco or on the side for dipping.
To make the sauce:
- Cut the stems from the cilantro and discard. Add the leaves to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
- Juice the limes over the cilantro. Add the garlic cloves to the food processor.
- Cut the jalapeno in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Add the pepper to the food processor.
- Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
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