Air Fryer Tacos Dorado

5 from 119 votes

Air fryer tacos dorado are a crispy and delicious twist on traditional tacos. Using an air fryer instead of deep-frying makes them lower calorie without sacrificing the golden brown texture and satisfying crunch. Piled high with delicious toppings makes them a favorite.

Prep Time15

Cook Time23

Total Time38

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie

Servings: tacos

Calories: 94kcal

Author: Toni Dash

Equipment

air fryer

Ingredients

¼ medium red onion peeled
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
14 medium corn tortillas around 5-inches diameter. They can be yellow corn or white corn tortillas. The tortillas should be around 50 calories per tortilla.
Cumin taco seasoning or Mexican seasoning. These optional ingredients can be stirred into the shredded chicken for more flavor before rolling the chicken tacos.

Topping ideas

shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
grated cheese such as queso fresco (366 calories per cup) or shredded reduced-fat cheddar or Mexican blend (360 per cup)
salsa
guacamole or sliced avocado
light sour cream
chopped red onions
fresh cilantro chopped or torn

Instructions

Cooking the chicken (2 options)

Stove Top: In a medium saucepan, combine the onion and water (enough to submerge the chicken). Bring to a boil water to boil on medium-high heat.
Add the chicken breasts and cook for 12-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees measured with an instant read thermometer. Do not overcook to avoid the chicken becoming tough.
¼ medium red onion, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instant Pot: Combine 1 cup water (for a 6 quart Instant Pot; 1 ½ cups for an 8 quart), onion and chicken breasts in the Instant Pot.
Close the lid, set the valve to SEALING. Select MANUAL HIGH PRESSURE and adjust the time to 10 minutes.
After the cooking completes, allow a Natural Release for 10 minutes or until the pressure is released (it may be shorter than 10 minutes).

Shred the chicken (2 method options)

Method 1 (our favorite method): add the cooked chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Process for 30 seconds or until chicken is shredded (do not shred it to be overly fine consistency).
Method 2: use two forks to shred the chicken. This method is best done after allowing the chicken to cool slightly.
Optional seasoning: Add some salt, black pepper, cumin, taco seasoning, or Mexican seasoning to the shredded chicken. Stir to fully combine.
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.
Place the tortillas between two damp paper towels and heat them in the microwave for 2 minutes (photo ). NOTE: this allows the corn tortillas to be rolled without breaking them.
14 medium corn tortillas
Place about 2 tablespoons of the shredded chicken on one side of each tortilla leaving a space at the edge of the tortilla so the chicken doesn't squeeze out. Roll tightly.
Gently place the rolled chicken tacos seam side facing down, in the air fryer basket in a single layer with some space in between. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook in batches.
Spray all the rolled tacos with olive oil spray or nonstick cooking spray and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until golden brown. Repeat for remaining tacos.
Serve golden tacos with desired toppings!
shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, salsa, guacamole or sliced avocado, light sour cream, chopped red onions, fresh cilantro

Notes

Nutrition facts do not include toppings as those are optional.

Nutrition