These air fryer chicken tacos are juicy, flavorful, and quick and easy to make! I used the Ninja Foodi but you can use any air fryer. Delicious tender chicken with cheese, avocado, shredded lettuce tomatoes and sour cream wrapped in your favorite tortilla, these are an instant hit! After marinating, they can be made in under 30 minutes.
Why This Recipe is the Best
These air fryer chicken tacos are the best because the chicken comes out juicy and flavorful with a perfectly crisp outside, all in a fraction of the time it takes to cook on the stove or grill. They're an easy, healthier way to enjoy tacos any night of the week without sacrificing flavor or texture.
Try it with our Avocado Crema, avocado lime ranch dressing, and Mango Habanero Salsa.
Jump to:
Key Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients needed for this recipe. Follow our tips on each ingredient for the best results.
- Tortillas of choice - we usually use corn for these. If you go with flour, we cannot recommend enough using fresh, raw tortillas.
- Your Favorite Taco Toppings
- Lime juice - fresh squeezed will always taste the best, but lime juice concentrate is a great alternative
- Homemade Taco Seasoning-We tested this recipe over and over again to get the right amounts of each ingredient to make it the best flavor. Or try our Chicken Taco Seasoning.
How to Make Air Fryer Tacos
Learn how to mix Christmas Brownies with these easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions.
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces, coat with lime juice and taco seasoning, and stir until evenly coated. For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate for 2-24 hours before cooking.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F and lightly brush the basket with vegetable or avocado oil (avoid olive oil-it smokes too easily). Spread the marinated chicken in a single layer, cooking in two batches if needed.
- Cook the chicken for 6 minutes, flip or stir, then cook another 6 minutes (or until the thickest pieces reach 165°F), adding 2-3 more minutes if needed.
- Spread the meat on the tortilla, top with veggies, sour cream, and cheese, then fold into a taco.
- See the air fryer taco method to see our favorite way to eat these delicious tacos.
Air Fryer Taco Method
Place the meat and cheese on half the taco. Air fry at 400°F* for 30 seconds.
Fold the taco so that the meat and cheese are inside the shell, but on the upper half. This will weigh down the tortilla and keep it folded. Air fry for 2 minutes, flip, and air fry for 90 seconds.
Remove from the air fryer and peel apart the taco, and put toppings on. Serve immediately. This was our favorite way to eat them. They are crunchy and melty and flavorful and just absolutely delicious! Not as pretty as the normal assembly, but so tasty!
Top tip
Marinating takes time. The longer the chicken can marinate, the better. Start marinating it in the morning before work, or the evening before, or even 2 hours earlier if possible.
Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 pounds raw chicken breasts or thighs **See Notes for Rotisserie option
- ⅓ cup lime juice
- tortillas of choice. I used white corn tortillas
For the taco seasoning:
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- *1 ½ packets of taco seasoning may be used instead but in our opinion doesn't taste quite as good*
Topping of choice:
- shredded cheese
- shredded lettuce
- tomatoes
- sour cream
- guacamole
- cilantro
- lime wedges
- avocado or vegetable oil for brushing air fryer basket
Instructions
- Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks and place in a bowl. Pour lime juice on chicken and stir to combine. Combine taco seasoning ingredients in a small bowl then pour on chicken and stir to combine. Allow to marinate 2-24 hours.
- Preheat air fryer to 375* F.
- Lightly brush avocado or vegetable oil on the air fryer basket. Spread marinaded chicken across the bottom of the basket in a single layer.
- Cook for 6 minutes then flip and stir the chicken. Cook an additional 6 minutes then check for doneness. The internal temperature should reach 165*F. Check the thickest pieces for doneness. Cook until done, checking every 1 minute so it doesn't overcook and get tough.
2 options for serving:
- 1- Assemble like a normal taco! Place chicken, cheese and desired toppings then fold the tortilla around the filling and eat!
- 2- Air fry the entire taco-
- Turn air fryer up to 400*F. Place chicken and cheese on one side of the tortilla and air fry for 30 seconds.
- Fold the tortilla with the chicken and cheese inside on the top side. Their weight will hold down the taco and keep it where it should be. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 90 seconds. See photos above for a great visual.
- Remove from air fryer and peel apart the taco and put toppings on. Serve immediately. This was our favorite way to eat them. They are crunchy and melty and and flavorful and just absolutely delicious!
Notes
Nutrition
Variations and Substitutions
- Spicy - add jalapenos or serranos, or our favorite hot sauce.
- Deluxe - add guacamole, refried beans and/or pico de gallo for a deluxe and delicious version.
- Ground Beef - use ground beef cooked and seasoned with the taco seasoning and replace the chicken with it for a beefy taco.
- Hard Taco Shells- Learn how to make hard taco shells, with this quick and easy recipe.
- Rotisserie Chicken- Instead of raw chicken feel free to use a shredded rotisserie chicken. Marinade as directed above. Air fry at 375 for 3 minutes or until hot, turning the meat at minute 2. Do everything else as directed above.
- Taco or other seasoning- while we highly recommend the homemade taco seasoning for the optimal flavor, 1 ½ packets of taco seasoning or other flavored seasoning such as Fajita will work too.
Helpful Hints
Make to preference - for best results, make these how YOU enjoy tacos! These are easily personalized to meet the likes of everyone enjoying them.
Flip the chicken taco on top of itself- when flipping it, flip the meat and cheese so that it's on top of the side without meat and cheese. This will weigh it down, keeping it closed. With all of the air blowing around an air fryer, the taco will not remained closed unless you do this.
Make sure to coat the air fryer basket in cooking oil before air frying. The first time I made tacos in the air fryer I didn't and I ended up with a huge mess. It's a small thing that makes a huge difference.
You'll love topping these with our Chipotle Fajita Veggies.
Storing Air Fryer Tacos
Store ingredients unassembled and separately in air tight containers in the refirgerator for up to 5 days. Reheat meat and assemble as desired.
Meat can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
JC says
We love these air fryer chicken tacos. The meat was perfect and it was such a great use of our Ninja! Quick and easy for a weeknight meal. Will make again.
Kathryn says
We loved every bite of these chicken tacos! I loved them in the air fryer. So much flavor and so easy to make for dinner! This is such a great recipe, thank you!!