• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
I'm Hungry For That
  • Home
  • Breakfast Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • All Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Breakfast Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • All Recipes
    • Instagram
  • ×

    Fried Tacos Recipe | The Best Way To Make Tacos

    by Brendan Cunningham 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    These fried tacos are stuffed with seasoned shredded chicken and cheddar cheese, then fried to crispy golden perfection. They're such a delicious change-up from classic tacos with a plain soft shell, and they’re sure to be a hit with anyone who tries them.

    Part of an oval plate with a bunch of fried tacos overlapping one another on it. The front taco is vertical and has a bite out of the front of it. There are red onions and avocado next to it.

    Table of Contents

    • The Best Fried Tacos
      • Ingredients
      • How to Make Fried Tacos
        • Step 1: Making The Base
        • Step 2: Assembling & Frying
        • Step 3: Serving
      • Preparing The Tacos Ahead
      • Wrapping It All Up
    • Easy Recipes
    • Fried Tacos Recipe | The Best Way To Make Tacos
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition
      • Did you make this recipe?

    The Best Fried Tacos

    Fried tacos are surprisingly hard to come by at restaurants. Typically, just the usual taco on a soft tortilla shell is offered, which can get old after a while. 

    Well, these fried avocado tacos will change your weeknight dinners for the better, and you can make them right at home! They're super easy to make with all fresh ingredients, and it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare 12 tacos.

    And the result is delicious golden fried tacos that are crispy and crunchy, filled with shredded chicken, savory toppings, and a whole lot of flavor. 

    Since this recipe makes a decent amount of tacos, it's perfect for a big family dinner! And everyone can add on any toppings they want to customize their taco, so you know the whole family will be happy.

    After you give these deep fried tacos a try, you'll find it hard to eat tacos any other way again! But don't take my word for it, try them yourself next taco night, and you'll see what I mean.

    Oh, and to go along with these tacos, you have to make this sweet corn cake!

    A fried taco with a bite out of it with some sauce on top. The taco is leaning against two more fried tacos all on a plate.

    Ingredients

    So, for this fried taco recipe, you'll need just a few common ingredients that you can find in your local grocery store. In fact, you might even have most if not everything you need in your kitchen already!

    Here's what you'll need to make them:

    • ¾ lb (2 cups) Shredded Chicken (or Ground Beef)
    • 1 cup Onion, chopped
    • 2 tbsp. Taco Seasoning
    • 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
    • 12 Corn or Wheat Tortillas
    • 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
    • Vegetable oil for frying

    And to top the tacos off (optional):

    • Avocado
    • Green Onions, sliced
    • Ciboulette
    • Red Onions, sliced

    Now, you can use shredded chicken or ground beef for the taco meat. Either will create totally delicious fried tacos, and you could even use both! And if you like chicken and beef, you have to give these Chicken Empanadas and Beef Empanadas a try next.

    As you may have noticed, I listed a couple of optional toppings to complete the tacos, but they are just to give you some ideas. You can use anything of your favorite taco toppings and they'll be delicious!

    Then for the tortillas, I like wheat or flour tortillas, but a corn tortilla will work excellently too.

    Oh, and for the taco filling, you can get creative and also add anything you want in your tacos!

    A small bowl of taco seasoning, a glass bowl of shredded chicken, and a small ramekin with onions.

    How to Make Fried Tacos

    If you've ever made homemade tacos before, you'll find this recipe to be just as easy, if not easier, than the ones you've made before. 

    And even if it's your first time making tacos, just follow the step-by-step instructions below, and they'll turn out perfectly crispy, crunchy, and delicious.

    Now let's make some tacos!

    A plate with an open taco shell that has shredded chicken and cheddar cheese on top.

    Step 1: Making The Base

    First, we'll cook the chicken to make the taco meat for the base of the tacos. Put a large skillet over medium heat, add some olive oil to cover the surface, and put in the chicken breasts.

    Then cook the chicken for 5 minutes, flip it over, add a little water or chicken broth to the pan, and cover it with a lid. Cook for an additional 7-10 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165°F.

    When the chicken is cooking, put a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cover the surface with olive oil. Then add the chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes. 

    Once the chicken is cooked, shred it with two forks, put it in a bowl, and set it aside. 

    After the onions cook, add the taco seasoning, and mix until it's all soaked. Then add the shredded chicken and mix until it's coated in the taco seasoning.

    A skillet on a burner with shredded chicken and onions.

    Step 2: Assembling & Frying

    Now it's time to assemble the tacos! Start by adding a thin layer of shredded cheese to each taco shell, then cover it with the chicken and top it with more cheese. Make sure you do not overfill the tortillas with the taco filling.

    Next, fold the flour - or corn tortilla - in half and close them with a toothpick. After you've assembled them, heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat to 350°F (180ºC). 

    Then when it's hot, deep fry each taco for 2 minutes per side - or until golden brown. You should be able to fry tacos 2-4 at a time, depending on the size of your pan, just don't overcrowd it. 

    Tongs with a fried taco between them in a frying pan filled with oil. Another fried taco is next to it i the same pan.

    Step 3: Serving

    Once the cooked tacos are all fried to crispy taco golden perfection, transfer them to a paper towel lined plate to soak up the excess oil.

     Then serve the fried tacos with any taco filling you want like avocado, green onions, ciboulette, red onions, or any toppings you want! Enjoy!

    Seven fried tacos on folded paper towels on a white counter.

    Preparing The Tacos Ahead

    If you want to save time and make these crispy fried tacos in under 10 minutes, you can prep everything ahead of time! 

    To do this, make the shredded chicken following the directions above, and then you can store the remaining tacos it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

    Then when you want to make the tacos, just assemble, fry, and dig in!

    Making the chicken ahead is a big time-saver and it makes this recipe an excellent quick weeknight dinner tonight or an option for later in the week. 

    A hand holding a fried taco above a plate that is filled with fried tacos, red onion, and avocado.

    Wrapping It All Up

    That is how to make tacos fried to crispy golden perfection! Their crunch is so satisfying, and every bite is bursting with flavor.  

    You can change this recipe by using chicken, beef, or beans to make it vegetarian. And you can keep it fresh by adding different toppings to your taco. So I think it's safe to say taco night just got a whole lot better! 

    I hope you enjoy one of my favorite taco recipes. If you make it, leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts!

    Easy Recipes

    If you love tacos, Spanish, and Mexican cuisines, we have some more recipes on the blog that you have to try next!

    Check all of these out:

    • Air Fryer Quesadillas
    • Fideo Soup
    • Fried burritos
    • Walking Taco Casserole
    • Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
    • Crunchwrap Supreme
    Print

    Fried Tacos Recipe | The Best Way To Make Tacos

    Some avocado and red onion on top of several deep fried tacos overlapping one another on part of an oval plate.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 5 reviews

    These fried tacos are stuffed with seasoned shredded chicken and cheddar cheese, then fried to crispy golden perfection. They're such a delicious change-up from classic tacos with a plain soft shell, and they’re sure to be a hit with anyone who tries them.

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 4 minutes
    • Total Time: 19 minutes
    • Yield: 12 tacos 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Frying
    • Cuisine: Mexican

    Ingredients

    Scale

    ¾ lb (2 cups) Shredded Chicken (or Ground Beef)

    1 cup Onion, chopped

    2 tbsp. Taco Seasoning

    1 tbsp. Olive Oil

    12 Corn or Wheat Tortillas

    2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded

    Vegetable oil for frying

    Optional topping ideas:

    Avocado

    Green Onions, sliced

    Ciboulette

    Red Onions, sliced

    Instructions

    1. To cook the chicken, put a large skillet over medium heat, add some olive oil, and put in the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes, flip it over, add a little water or chicken broth to the pan, and cover it with a lid. Cook for an additional 7-10 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165°F.
    2. Bring a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat, add olive oil and chopped onions. Cook for 5 minutes.
    3. Add the taco seasoning to the onions and mix until it's all soaked.
    4. Add the shredded chicken to the onions and mix to fully coat it in the taco seasoning.
    5. Assemble each taco by layering cheddar cheese, shredded chicken, and more cheddar cheese. Close them with a toothpick (don't overfill the tacos).
    6. Heat the vegetable oil to 350°F (180ºC) and deep fry each taco for 2 minutes per side - or until golden brown.
    7. Serve with avocado, green onions, ciboulette, and red onions. Or any toppings you want. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 tacos
    • Calories: 401
    • Fat: 20
    • Carbohydrates: 31
    • Fiber: 4
    • Protein: 27

    Keywords: fried tacos, fried taco, fried tacos recipe, fried taco recipe, deep fried tacos, deep fried tacos recipe, crispy tacos recipe, fried chicken taco recipe, deep fried taco recipe, deep fried avocado tacos, how to make fried tacos, fried tacos with chicken,

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @ImHungryForThat — we can't wait to see what you've made!

    « Spicy Southwest Salad Recipe | The Best Southwest Chicken Salad
    An Easy Biscoff Cheesecake Recipe ANYONE Can Make »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy

      February 24, 2022 at 10:07 am

      Loved the tacos, the shell is extra delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Victoria

      February 25, 2022 at 9:54 am

      Added some beans and rice to them and they were great!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Frank

      June 25, 2022 at 9:58 am

      I used ground beef as a sub for the chicken. Will make again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Nora

      June 26, 2022 at 8:14 pm

      Best tacos in the world right here

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Pedro

      June 30, 2022 at 3:45 pm

      Incredible. Tastes like I'm back in Mexico.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey there! We're Brendan & Joe, and we love to create recipes that make you say "I'm hungry for that!" We've both... Read More…

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    A tin filled with french fries. There is text above the french fries that reads "click here to join our weekly newsletter".

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About Us

    • About

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    YouTube

    • Subscribe

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Privacy Policy Copyright © 2021 Terms & Conditions