Air Fryer Chicken Crispanada (Taco Bell Copycat)
, Updated Aug 24, 2025
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Make your own version of Taco Bell Crispanada in your Air Fryer! These delicious chicken empanadas use soft flour tortillas instead of pastry so they are quick and easy to prepare. Crisp, cheesy, and utterly impossible to resist!!
Everyone’s obsessed with Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chicken Crispanadas – but with no Taco Bell close by I went DIY, air fryer style! Using soft flour tortillas, cheesy chicken filling, and all the crispy goodness, these homemade Air Fryer Chicken Crispanadas bring that Taco Bell magic to your kitchen – fast, cheesy and totally addicting!
My kids had one each for lunch and instantly came back asking for seconds, giving a five-star review (and, let me tell you, those are rare). I think we have a new family favorite on our hands!
What’s In Taco Bell Crispanadas?
Taco Bell’s crispanada combine a crisp shell with a melty, creamy, cheesy middle. The filling is made up of three types of cheese and shredded chicken. The shell is made with phyllo instead of traditional empanada dough (at least according to Business Insider).
So how do we replicate this at home? I did consider using phyllo dough but I could not find any anywhere (can there be a shortage?). In the end I used soft corn tortillas and was thrilled with how my air fryer crispanadas turned out.
Crispanada Ingredients
Here’s what you will need to make this recipe at home. I cooked the chicken myself in the air fryer but see notes for other options.
- Chicken thighs, garlic powder, taco seasoning, sweet paprika, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, lime juice and olive oil
- Butter, flour, milk, cheddar cheese and Red Leicester cheese (see recipe notes for other options), sweet paprika
- Soft flour tortillas
- Beaten egg and olive oil
- Flour and water (to seal the empanadas)
How to Make Taco Bell Copycat Crispanada in Your Air Fryer!
MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE
- Heat the butter in a large pot. Add the flour and paprika once the butter is melted and foaming and stir with a wooden spoon to make a paste (a roux).
- Gradually add the milk, stirring to incorporate into the flour. Take the pot off the heat and add the grated cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and set the sauce aside.
PREPARE THE CHICKEN
- Place the chicken thighs in the basket of your air fryer and sprinkle with the salt and seasonings. Toss to combine and drizzle with olive oil.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes at 180°C /350°F, turning them over halfway. Sprinkle with the lime juice, rest for five minutes then shred using to forks or slice into thin strips using a sharp knife.
MAKE THE FILLING
- Combine the chicken and cheese sauce. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. This recipe makes a mild-tasting filling that’s more creamy than spicy. You can add extra cayenne pepper if you want to dial up the heat.
PREPARE THE CRISPANADAS
- Combine the flour and water to make a paste. This will act as our “glue” to seal the tortillas.
- Lay a small flour tortilla flat on a plate. Add the cheesy chicken filling to one side of the tortilla (be careful not to overfill). Brush a generous amount of the flour paste around the edge and fold the tortilla over the filling.
- Press down to seal the edge and crimp with a fork. Brush both sides of the crispanada with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little paprika and grated cheese. Continue until you have used all of the filling – you should have enough for 8-10.
AIR FRY AND SERVE!
- Place the crispanadas on the basket of your air fryer, spaced slightly apart so they can crisp up properly. A single basket air fryer will fit two whereas a double basket one can make four.
- Mist with oil and cook at 375°F (190°C) for about 10 minutes, flipping over halfway through. You want the shells to be nicely crispy but keep an eye on them so that don’t brown too much.
- Cool slightly before serving with a side of spicy ranch dip and prepare to be WOWED! Great as a snack or lunch served with a side of my Grilled corn avocado salad 🙂
Your Questions Answered
- WHAT CHEESE CAN I USE? I used cheddar and Red Leicester cheeses in my filling. You can use cheddar, mozzarella and Pepper Jack. Grating the cheese fresh is best as shredded cheese is usually coated and can make the cheese sauce a little grainy.
- CAN I USE CORN TORTILLAS? Corn tortillas tend to break and are not as flexible as soft flour tortillas. I would avoid using them in this recipe.
- DO I HAVE TO COOK THE CHICKEN FROM SCRATCH? You can use shredded rotisserie chicken if you prefer.
HAVE YOU MADE MY AIR FRYER CHICKEN CRISPANADA RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day! If you have any questions send me a message on Instagram and I will do my best to reply quickly.
Air Fryer Chicken Crispanada
Video
Ingredients
FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour plain / all purpose
- ½ tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- 1 cup (120g) grated cheese Cheddar or Red Leicester * see note 1
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 6 chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning or fajita seasoning
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil or as needed
- 1 tbsp lime juice
FOR THE CRISPANADAS
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 egg beaten
- olive oil in a spray bottle, as needed
- 8 small soft flour tortillas (or up to 10)
- 2 tbsp grated cheese (optional)
- pinch sweet paprika (optional)
TO SERVE
- spicy ranch sauce
Instructions
MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE
- Heat the butter in a large pot. Add the flour, paprika and taco seasoning once the butter is melted and foaming and stir with a wooden spoon to make a paste (a roux).2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, ½ tbsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp taco seasoning
- Gradually add the milk, stirring to incorporate into the flour. Take the pot off the heat and add the grated cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and set the sauce aside.1 cup (120g) grated cheese, 1 cup (250ml) milk
PREPARE THE CHICKEN
- Place the chicken thighs in the basket of your air fryer and sprinkle with the salt and seasonings. Toss to combine and drizzle with olive oil.6 chicken thighs, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp taco seasoning, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Cook for 25-30 minutes at 180°C /350°F, turning them over halfway. Sprinkle with the lime juice, rest for five minutes then shred using to forks or slice into thin strips using a sharp knife.1 tbsp lime juice
MAKE THE FILLING
- Combine the chicken and cheese sauce. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. This recipe makes a mild-tasting filling that’s more creamy than spicy. You can add extra cayenne pepper if you want to dial up the heat.
PREPARE THE CRISPANADAS
- Combine the flour and water to make a paste. This will act as our “glue” to seal the tortillas.2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp water
- Lay a small corn tortilla flat on a plate. Add the cheesy chicken filling to one side of the tortilla (be careful not to overfill). Brush a generous amount of the flour paste around the edge and fold the tortilla over the filling.
- Press down to seal the edge and crimp with a fork. Brush both sides of the crispanada with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little paprika and grated cheese. Continue until you have used all of the filling – you should have enough for 8-10.1 egg, 8 small soft flour tortillas, 2 tbsp grated cheese, pinch sweet paprika
AIR FRY AND SERVE!
- Place the crispanadas on the basket of your air fryer, spaced slightly apart so they can crisp up properly. A single basket air fryer will fit two whereas a double basket one can make four.
- Mist with oil and cook at 190°C / 374°F for about 10 minutes, flipping over halfway through. You want the shells to be nicely crispy but keep an eye on them so that don’t brown too much.olive oil
- Cool slightly before serving with a side of spicy ranch dip and prepare to be WOWED!spicy ranch sauce
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
