Crispy pan fried chicken tacos are one of the easiest dinners to pull together when you want something hot and filling without a lot of prep. The chicken is breaded in panko breadcrumbs and pan fried until golden. Add fresh toppings and a simple sauce, and you've got tacos that the whole family will love!
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Crispy chicken tacos made with panko-coated chicken, pan fried until golden. Serve in warm tortillas with simple fresh toppings for an easy dinner.
Crispy Chicken Tacos for an Easy Dinner
This recipe turns crispy chicken strips into easy chicken tacos.
Pan fried chicken is topped with fresh ingredients and wrapped in warm tortillas. It's quick to make and works any night of the week.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts. cut into strips or bite-sized pieces
- Eggs
- Water
- All-purpose flour
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Small flour or corn tortillas
- Lime wedges
See recipe card below for quantities.
Fresh Taco Toppings
I use a bag of shredded coleslaw mix for the cabbage. It's already cut and saves time. You can also grab shredded iceberg lettuce from the produce section.
Keep it simple and use what you like. Add sliced jalapeños or habaneros for heat, or serve with hot sauce on the side.
- shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- diced avocado
- sliced radishes
- red onion, thinly sliced
- fresh cilantro
- diced tomatoes (optional)
- shredded cheddar or cotija cheese (optional)
Try our sour cream lime crema or pink taco sauce for a thick, creamy topping or dip.
How To Make Crispy Chicken Tacos
- Cut the chicken: Dice into 1-inch pieces or strips.
- Set up breading: In one bowl, beat eggs with water. In another, whisk together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Add panko breadcrumbs to a third bowl.
- Bread the chicken: Coat the chicken in the seasoned flour, dip in egg, then coat in panko breadcrumbs, pressing lightly so the crumbs stick.
- Heat the oil: Add about ½ inch of oil to a skillet. Heat over medium-high until hot.
- Fry in batches: Cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Don't crowd the pan.
- Drain and finish: Transfer to paper towels or a wire rack to drain. Squeeze lime juice over the hot chicken.
- Warm the tortillas: Heat tortillas in a dry pan for a few seconds until soft and warm.
- Assemble: Add fried chicken to each tortilla. Top with cabbage, avocado, radishes, red onion, tomatoes, and cheese if using.
- Finish: Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with cilantro lime sauce or pink taco sauce.
Sides For Crispy Chicken Tacos
- Spanish Rice
- Pico de Gallo
- Peach Mango Salsa
- Mango Pico de Gallo
- Tostones
- Black Beans and Rice
- Tortilla Chips
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it cool before refrigerating.
- Keep toppings separate. Cabbage, radishes, avocado, and other toppings hold better on their own and won't make the tortillas soggy.
- To reheat, warm the chicken in a skillet over medium heat with a little oil, or use the air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
- Wrap leftover tortillas and refrigerate. Warm in a dry pan or directly over a flame before serving.
Make it Gluten Free
To make this recipe gluten free, use rice flour in place of the all-purpose flour and choose gluten-free panko or breadcrumbs, which are easy to find at most supermarkets.
Use Siete almond flour tortillas to keep the whole meal gluten free.
More Crispy Chicken Recipes
FAQ
Yes. Chicken thighs work well and stay juicy. Cut them into even pieces so they all cook at the same rate.
The outside should be golden and the inside fully cooked with no pink. Cook time is about 3-4 minutes per side depending on size.
Yes. Air fry at 400°F for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway. For baking, cook at 400°F until golden and cooked through.
Use small tortillas, about 5 to 6 inches. They're easier to hold and keep the fillings from spilling out. Flour or corn both work, depending on what you prefer.
You can fry it ahead and reheat in a skillet or air fryer. It will crisp back up better than in the microwave.
Crispy Fried Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or bite-sized pieces
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
- 8 small flour tortillas or corn tortillas
- lime wedges, for serving
Fresh Taco Toppings
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 1 diced avocado
- ½ cup sliced radishes
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 -2 diced tomatoes
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or cotija cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces.
- Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. In the second bowl, beat the eggs with water. Add the panko breadcrumbs to the third bowl.
- Coat the chicken in seasoned flour, dip in egg, then press into panko.
- Add about ½ inch of oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high until hot.
- Fry the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to paper towels or a wire rack to drain. Squeeze lime juice over the hot chicken.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry pan until soft.
- Fill each tortilla with fried chicken and top with cabbage, avocado, radishes, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese if using. Serve with pink taco sauce or sour cream lime crema. Serve with pink taco sauce or sour cream lime crema, and lime wedges.
Notes
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it cool before refrigerating.
- Keep toppings separate. Cabbage, radishes, avocado, and other toppings hold better on their own and won't make the tortillas soggy.
- To reheat, warm the chicken in a skillet over medium heat with a little oil, or use the air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
- Wrap leftover tortillas and refrigerate. Warm in a dry pan or directly over a flame before serving.
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