These crispy fried tacos are stuffed with savory ground beef or creamy chicken filling. Wrapped in a flour or corn tortilla and served with all your favorite toppings.
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How To Make Deep Fried Tacos
Fried Tacos is such a versatile recipe, it’s similar to authentic Mexican chimichangas, flautas, empanadas, and quesadilla fritas.
They fry up golden and crispy with a savory and cheesy filling. There are 2 ways to fry these tacos, deep or pan fried.
Check out these delicious recipes- Viral TikTok Rotel Tacos, Elote Corn Dip and TikTok White Queso!!!
Tortilla Options
Deep fried tacos can be easily fried with uncooked flour or corn tortilla dough. Make a basic corn tortilla dough with masa flour or purchase store bought uncooked flour tortillas. I like Tortilla Land brand of flour tortillas.
Pan Fried
Pan fried is best method when using your favorite tortilla that is fully cooked, corn or flour are popular choices. You can also use low carb, wheat, or a mixture of corn and flour tortillas.
How To Make Pan Fried Tacos
- In a fry pan on low-medium heat place a thin layer of oil about ¼ inch.
- Add a warm tortilla (Place in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds).
- Top half of it with fully cooked seasoned taco meat and shredded cheese.
- Fold over the empty half onto the side with the meat and cheese.
- Flip and cook for about 30 seconds too crisp up. Ready to serve.
You’ll have a crispy exterior and a melty cheesy meaty filling. Yum.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Tortilla - Fully cooked flour or corn tortillas. I prefer uncooked flour or to make a quick and easy corn tortilla dough with masa flour.
Meat - I recommend 85/15 ground beef, but any ground meat would be delicious, turkey or chicken. For the chicken taco filing, I chopped boneless chicken thighs into small chunks, but chicken tenders or breast would be delicious.
Taco Seasoning - Choose your favorite blend or packet. You can also substitute with an easy homemade taco blend that has salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder.
Onion & Garlic- Fresh chopped garlic and onion adds so much flavor but onion and garlic powder can be substituted.
Cheese - Shredded four cheese Mexican blend, yellow cheddar, American, Oaxaca, or quesadilla cheese. Cream Cheese for the chicken filling, if preferred.
Oil - For deep frying a neutral oil like vegetable or sunflower and pan frying avocado is my favorite but any oil with be great.
Fillings
There are 2 delicious fillings to stuff the tacos with, savory ground beef and cream cheese chicken. Both are seasoned with taco seasoning and topped with shredded cheese.
Substitute the meat for black beans, refried pinto beans, roasted peppers and onions, chopped mushrooms, potatoes, corn, or seasoned rice.
Flour and Corn Tortillas
Two popular tortilla wraps are corn and flour. Cooked corn and flour tortillas can be easily found at many grocery stores. Uncooked are not easily found but can be easily made with pantry staple ingredients.
Corn tortillas dough with instant masa can be made in 10 minutes, I’ll show you step by step below. You’ll also need a tortilla press or a rolling pin with a gallon plastic zipper bag.
Try these gluten-free and vegan 1-ingredient Cassava Tortillas or Plantain Tortillas recipes!!!
Tips and Suggestions
When deep frying makes sure the oil is hot to prevent too much oil from absorbing into the tortilla.
If not using lean ground beef, don’t forget to drain or use a paper towel to soak up the excess grease.
This recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken or chuck roast.
Try street tacos if pan frying, they are the perfect mini appetizer or for kid lunches.
Pan fried tacos are perfect for the Blackstone flat top or griddle at a family backyard bbq.
Try this amazing Smash Burger Tacos with Big Mac Sauce that went viral on social media.
How To Serve
To pull of any amazing Mexican dinner or Taco Tuesday serve the tacos with lots of toppings and sides.
Toppings - Sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, limes, pico de gallo, guacamole, queso dip, jalapeños, radishes, corn, red salsa and verde.
Sides - Refried beans, black beans topped with queso fresco, Mexican rice, whole fire roasted corn, oven roasted potatoes and vegetables.
Try these delicious Tres Leches Cake recipes for dessert Strawberry Crunch Tres Leches Cake, Traditional Tres Leches Cake, and Pumpkin Spice Tres Leches Cake.
Leftovers and Storage
If there are any leftovers, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and easily reheated in the microwave.
Step By Step Photos and Directions
Corn Tortilla Dough
- Grab masa corn flour, salt, and water.
- Refer to the package directions. Sometimes the instructions can be different.
3. To a mixing bowl add the masa flour, salt, and water. Mix ingredients with your hands to form a dough.
4. Knead for about 3-5 minutes. You want a nice smooth ball of dough. Add additional water if the dough seems dry.
5. Cover the masa dough ball with a damp paper towel and let rest for 5 minutes.
6. Cut a gallon size on the zipper side and the two vertical sides to make one rectangular plastic sheet.
7. Portion dough into 8 pieces and roll in between your hand to form a small ball of dough.
8. Place plastic sheet onto the tortilla press and one of the masa dough ball in the middle of the press. Grab one side of the plastic sheet to sandwich the dough ball.
9. Grab one side of the plastic sheet to sandwich the dough ball. Press the tortilla press to flatten the dough. Try not to press to hard to over flatten the dough or make it too thin.
10. Carefully pull back the plastic and the corn tortilla dough is ready to be filled.
Beef Taco with Corn Tortilla
- Grab the ingredients and prep them.
2. In a fry pan on medium high heat cook the ground beef until brown. Drain or use paper towels to remove excess grease if necessary.
3. Reduce to medium add onion, garlic, and taco seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add ½ cup water and cook for about 5 minutes. The taco beef should be fully cook through with a light sauce. Set aside and let cool.
5. Add about 1-2 heaping tablespoons of cooked meat and shredded cheese onto one side of the corn tortilla.
6. Cover the filling with empty end of the corn tortilla to make a half moon.
7. Seal the edges for frying. This prevents oil from getting into the filling.
8. It's ready to fry.
9. In a fry pan or skillet add about ¼ thin layer of oil for pan frying and about 1 ½ inches of oil deep frying. Keep the flame on medium-high these taco cook and fry really fast.
10. Carefully place the sealed taco into the oil and cook about 45 seconds - 1 minute on each side until golden brown.
11. Place on a metal tray or plate line paper towel to drain. Let cool and it's ready to serve.
12. Serve with your favorite topping and sides. Enjoy.
Fried Chicken Taco with Flour Tortilla
- Grab all the ingredients and prep them.
2. In a fry pan on medium high heat add oil and the small cubed chicken. Saute and fully cook the chicken.
3. Reduce to medium add onion, garlic, and taco seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add ½ cup water and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the softened cream cheese if preferred.
5. Cook about 2 minutes more, let cool, and set aside.
6. Add about 1-2 heaping tablespoons of cooked meat and shredded cheese onto one side of the uncooked flour tortilla.
7. Cover the filling with empty end of the flour tortilla to make a half moon.
8. Seal the edges with a fork for frying. This prevents oil from getting into the filling.
9. In a fry pan or skillet add about ¼ thin layer of oil for pan frying and about 1 ½ inches of oil deep frying. Keep the flame on medium-high these taco cook and fry really fast.
10. Carefully place the sealed taco into the oil and cook about 45 seconds - 1 minute on each side until golden brown.
11. Place on a metal tray or plate line paper towel to drain. Let cool and it's ready to serve.
12. Serve with your favorite topping and sides. Enjoy.
Crispy Fried Tacos
Equipment
- Fry Pan or Cast Iron Skillet
- Cutting Board and Knife
- Paper Towels
- Fork and Tongs
- Cooking Spoon
- Plate or Metal Tray
- Mixing Bowl
- Tortilla Press or Rolling Pin
- Gallon Zip Bag and Scissors
Ingredients
- 8 Taco Size Flour Tortillas (Store Bought or Uncooked)
- 8-16 Corn Tortillas (16 Store Bought or 8 Taco Size Masa Dough)
- 1 cup Shredded Cheese (Mexican Blend or Cheese of Choice)
- Neutral Oil For Frying (Deep or Pan Fry)
Ground Beef Taco Filling
- 1 lb. Ground Beef (85/15) or Meat of Choice
- ½ cup Onion (Chopped)
- 3 cloves Garlic (Chopped)
- 3 tablespoon Taco Seasoning or Packet
- ½ cup Water
Chicken Taco Filing
- 1-1 ½ lb Chicken Thighs (Chopped into Small Pieces)
- ½ cup Onion (Chopped)
- 3 cloves Garlic (Chopped)
- 3 tablespoon Taco Seasoning or Packet
- 4 oz Cream Cheese, softened optional
- ½ cup Water
- Oil For Sautéing
Corn Tortilla (Masa Dough)
- 2 cups Masa Flour (Corn)
- 1 ½ cups Lukewarm Water (extra if needed)
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
Make Ground Beef Taco Filling
- In a fry pan on medium high heat cook the ground beef until brown. Drain or use paper towels to remove excess grease if necessary.
- Reduce to medium add onion, garlic, and taco seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup water and cook for about 5 minutes. The taco beef should be fully cook through with a light sauce. Set aside and let cool.
Make Chicken Taco Filing
- In a fry pan on medium high heat add oil and the small cubed chicken. Saute and fully cook the chicken.
- Reduce to medium add onion, garlic, and taco seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup water and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the softened cream cheese if preferred. Cook about 2 minutes more, let cool, and set aside.
Corn Tortilla (Masa Dough)
- Refer to the package directions. Sometimes the instructions can be different.
- To a mixing bowl add the masa flour, salt, and water. Mix ingredients with your hands to form a dough.
- Knead for about 3-5 minutes. You want a nice smooth ball of dough. Add additional water if the dough seems dry.
- Cover the masa dough ball with a damp paper towel and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut a gallon size on the zipper side and the two vertical sides to make one rectangular plastic sheet.
- Portion dough into 8 pieces and roll in between your hand to form a small ball of dough. Keep the dough ball covered with the damp paper towel.
- Place plastic sheet onto the tortilla press and one of the masa dough ball in the middle of the press.
- Grab one side of the plastic sheet to sandwich the dough ball. Press the tortilla press to flatten the dough. Try not to press to hard to over flatten the dough or make it too thin. Carefully pull back the plastic and the corn tortilla dough is ready to be filled.
- If you do not have a tortilla press you can use a rolling pin with the plastic sheet to easily roll out the masa dough into a round tortilla.
Filling
- Add about 1-2 heaping tablespoons of cooked meat and shredded cheese onto one side of the tortilla.
- Cover the filling with empty end of the tortilla to make a half moon.
- Seal the edges with a fork for frying. This prevents oil from getting into the filling.
Frying
- In a fry pan or skillet add about ¼ thin layer of oil for pan frying and about 1 ½ inches of oil deep frying. Keep the flame on medium-high these taco cook and fry really fast.
- Carefully place the sealed taco into the oil and cook about 45 seconds - 1 minute on each side until golden brown.
- Place on a metal tray or plate line paper towel to drain. Let cool and it's ready to serve.
- Serve with your favorite topping and sides. Enjoy.
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