Take your taco game to the next level with these easy and delicious air fryer chicken tacos. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, these tacos are a perfect weeknight meal option for busy families.
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AIR FRYER CHICKEN TACOS
We all love Chicken Souvlaki in our house, but these Air Fryer Chicken Tacos come a very, very close second. They’re so quick, so easy to make and so tasty, they’re a guaranteed winner for the whole family.
Kids love a good taco night and now any day can be Taco Tuesday with this easy recipe! Why not make weeknight dinners more exciting by pulling together some of these delicious soft tacos full of flavorful chicken?
CHICKEN TACO INGREDIENTS
- THE CHICKEN I prefer using chicken thighs over chicken breasts as they are so tender and juicy.
- SPICE, HERBS & SEASONINGS You can use ready-made taco seasoning for ease but this homemade taco mix works a treat. I like to use sweet paprika, cumin, mild chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, brown sugar and a little salt.
- AND THE REST A mild red salsa, diced red onion and peppers.
TO SERVE
- CORN TORTILLAS or flour tortillas if preferred. You can soften the tortillas in the air fryer and then either shape them by draping over an air fryer toast rack or crisp them up until irresistibly crunchy! The smaller tortillas (4-6 inches) are ideal for these air fryer tacos.
- TOPPINGS load your tacos with the crispy-juicy chicken then add cheese, pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole, lime juice, sour cream and hot sauce (or whatever floats your taco boat!)
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN TACOS
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
NOTE: My air fryer has a removable rack so I add everything in the air fryer basket. If your model is different you can add the ingredients into a collapsible silicone liner or any dish that fits in the basket.
PREPARE THE CHICKEN
Drizzle olive oil into the air fryer basket, and add the skinless and boneless chicken thighs. Add the spices and seasoning and mix well to make sure each piece of chicken is evenly coated with the mixture.
Add the red onion and peppers. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and stir in the salsa. Spread everything into a single layer so that the chicken can cook evenly.
Air fry on 180°C (360°F) for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Check the internal temperature of the chicken using a meat thermometer to make sure it’s ready – it should register 75°C (167°F).
Shred the chicken using two forks then air fry for another five minutes if you like crispy chicken taco meat.
PREPARE THE TORTILLAS
Clean the basket. Place the tortillas in the air fryer basket and air fry for around one minute on 180°C (360°F), or just long enough to soften them.
Remove the warm tortillas from the air fryer and fold each one in half, draping them over a toast rack, so they retain the taco shell shape.
Fill each of the taco shells with the shredded chicken, as well as your favorite taco toppings, such as chopped coriander, pico de gallo on, avocado and grated cheddar cheese. Top with sour cream, hot sauce and maybe a squirt of lime juice.
AIR FRYER CHICKEN TACOS TIPS & FAQS
STORING LEFTOVERS If there is any leftover chicken mixture, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and reheated before serving. We recommend making the taco shells fresh for each batch.
Do I have to use chicken thighs? Not at all, you can also use chicken breast or mini chicken fillets, but the thighs are better suited for shredding.
Does it matter which kind of tortilla I use in this recipe? We found corn tortillas and flour tortillas to be equally delicious for this taco recipe. Just make sure not to air fry them for too long, you just want to warm them up so they will fold easily and hold the taco shape when they cool down. You can do this in a pan or the air fryer.
Can I use store-bought taco seasoning mix? Of course, but we prefer homemade taco seasoning so we can adjust the intensity – some may want it a bit more spicy than others!
RELATED RECIPES
If you’re looking for some new ways to make chicken for the whole family, here are a few new options to tempt you:
• Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma
• Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Meatballs With Gnocchi
• Avgolemono Soup Recipe (Greek Chicken and Rice Soup)
• Crock Pot Chicken Pie
HAVE YOU MADE MY AIR FRYER CHICKEN TACO RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram with @supergolden88 and the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Easy And Delicious Air Fryer Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 600 g (21oz) chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or Sukrin Gold
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mild chili powder (or use cayenne pepper if you prefer a bit of spice)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 red onion , finely diced
- 1 red pepper , finely sliced
- 1 green or yellow pepper , finely sliced
- 250 g (1 cup) red salsa , we used mild
- small bunch fresh coriander , (cilantro) chopped
- lime juice , to taste
TO SERVE
- Flour tortillas (or corn tortillas, if preferred)
- avocados , or guacamole
- sour cream
- hot sauce
- cheese
PICO DE GALLO
- 4 small tomatoes , de-seeded and finely chopped
- 1 small green chili , finely chopped
- 1 small red onion , finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove , minced
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- Pinch ancho chili powder
Instructions
- Drizzle half of the olive oil into the air fryer basket, and add the chicken thighs.2 tbsp olive oil, 600 g (21oz) chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- Add the spices and seasoning and mix well to make sure each piece of chicken is evenly coated with the mixture.1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp sweet paprika, ½ tbsp ground cumin, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp mild chili powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Add the red onion followed by the red and yellow peppers. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and stir in the salsa. Spread everything into a single layer so that the chicken can cook evenly.1 red onion, 1 red pepper, 1 green or yellow pepper, 250 g (1 cup) red salsa
- Air fry on 180°C (360°F) for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Check the internal temperature of the chicken using a meat thermometer to make sure it’s ready – it should register 75°C (167°F).
- Shred the chicken using two forks then air fry for another five minutes if you like crispy chicken taco meat. Drizzle with lime juice and stir in the coriander.small bunch fresh coriander, lime juice
- Clean the air fryer basket if you have cooked directly in it. Place the tortillas in the air fryer basket and air fry for around one minute on 180°C (360°F). Cooking time will vary here depending on your air fryer, you want to leave them in just long enough to soften them.Flour tortillas
- Remove the warm tortillas from the air fryer and fold each one in half, draping them over a toast rack, so they retain the taco shell shape.
- Prepare the pico de gallo by mixing everything together in a bowl and season with salt and the chili powder.4 small tomatoes, 1 small green chili, 1 small red onion, 1 small garlic clove, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp fresh coriander, Pinch ancho chili powder
- Fill each of the tacos with the shredded chicken, as well as your favorite taco toppings, such as chopped coriander, pico de gallo on, avocado and grated cheddar cheese. Top with sour cream, hot sauce and maybe a squirt of lime juice.avocados, sour cream, hot sauce, cheese
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