Air Fryer Queso Chicken Tacos
Description
Shredded air fryer chicken tossed in a real three-ingredient queso, piled into warm tortillas. Ready in 25 minutes with no marinating.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs or tenders
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, or 1 packet
Queso:
- 8 ounces white American cheese, from the deli, torn into pieces
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 4 ounces diced green chiles, drained
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
For serving:
- 8 tortillas, street-size corn or flour tortillas, 6-inch
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry. Rub with olive oil, then coat all over with taco seasoning, pressing it in.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F (188°C). Cook the chicken in a single layer for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Rest 5 minutes, then shred with two forks.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, stir the American cheese and evaporated milk constantly until completely smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not boil. Stir in the green chiles and cumin.
- Add the shredded chicken to about three-quarters of the queso and stir to coat. Reserve the rest.
- Wrap the tortillas loosely in foil and warm in the air fryer at 350°F (177°C) for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Divide the queso chicken among the tortillas. Drizzle with reserved queso, top with red onion and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
Notes
- Deli-counter white American cheese is the key to a smooth sauce. Cheddar tends to break.
- Queso thickens as it cools; loosen with a splash of evaporated milk over low heat.
- Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended — the sauce separates.
- Rotisserie chicken works as a shortcut; use about 3 cups shredded and add 1 teaspoon taco seasoning to the queso.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 681kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 39gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 1711mgPotassium: 717mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 788IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 791mgIron: 6mg