20-Minute Mini Chicken Tacos

Here is my go-to mini chicken tacos recipe, with tender seasoned chicken, warm corn tortillas, and all your favorite toppings packed into bite-sized portions that are perfect for parties or weeknight dinners.

These mini tacos are always the first thing to disappear at our family gatherings. I usually make a double batch because everyone goes back for seconds and thirds. There’s something about tiny food that just makes everything taste better, don’t you think?

What Kind of Flour Tortillas Should I Use?

For mini chicken tacos, you’ll want to look for smaller flour tortillas, typically called “street taco” or “fajita size” tortillas that are around 6 inches in diameter. These smaller tortillas are perfect for creating bite-sized tacos that are easy to handle and eat. If you can only find regular burrito-size tortillas, you can cut them down or just make fewer, larger tacos instead. Fresh tortillas from the refrigerated section usually taste better than shelf-stable ones, but either will work fine for this recipe. Just make sure to warm them up before filling so they’re pliable and won’t crack when you fold them.

Options for Substitutions

These mini tacos are super easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Flour tortillas: Corn tortillas work great too and give you that authentic taco flavor. You can also use small street taco tortillas if you want even smaller bites.
• Rotisserie chicken: No rotisserie chicken? Cook up some chicken breasts or thighs and shred them, or even use leftover turkey. Ground chicken or beef seasoned with taco spices works well too.
• Salsa: Any salsa works here – mild, medium, hot, or even salsa verde if you want to switch things up. You can also use diced tomatoes with some lime juice and cilantro.
• Mexican blend cheese: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even pepper jack cheese will do the trick. If you’re out of shredded cheese, just grate whatever cheese you have on hand.
• Sour cream: Greek yogurt makes a great substitute and adds extra protein. You can also use crema or even skip it entirely if you prefer.
• Guacamole: Store-bought is fine, but you can also just slice up some avocado and add a squeeze of lime. If avocados aren’t available, these tacos are still tasty without them.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making mini chicken tacos is using tortillas straight from the package, which can crack and break when you try to shape them – always warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or on a dry skillet to make them pliable.

Another common error is overfilling the tortillas, which leads to messy tacos that fall apart when you bite into them, so stick to about 2-3 tablespoons of filling per mini taco.

Don’t skip brushing the tortillas with melted butter before baking, as this step gives you that golden, crispy texture that makes these tacos special, and make sure to press the tortillas firmly into your muffin tin so they hold their shape.

Finally, avoid adding wet toppings like sour cream and guacamole before baking – save these for serving time to prevent soggy bottoms and keep everything fresh and creamy.

What to Serve With Mini Chicken Tacos?

These mini chicken tacos are perfect for parties or casual dinners, and they pair really well with classic Mexican sides. I love serving them with a big bowl of Mexican rice and some refried beans or black beans on the side – it makes the meal feel more complete. A fresh side salad with lime vinaigrette or some elote (Mexican street corn) adds a nice contrast to all the rich flavors. Don’t forget to put out extra toppings like diced onions, jalapeños, and hot sauce so everyone can customize their tacos just the way they like them.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: These mini chicken tacos are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the taco shells and filling separate in airtight containers to prevent the tortillas from getting soggy. The shredded chicken mixture actually tastes even better the next day after all those flavors have time to meld together!

Make Ahead: You can definitely prep the chicken filling a day or two ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just warm it up when you’re ready to assemble your tacos. I like to keep all the toppings prepped in separate containers so everyone can build their own perfect little taco.

Warm Up: To enjoy leftover tacos, warm the chicken filling in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through. You can crisp up the tortilla shells in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds on each side, or just warm them in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 15-20 seconds.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	5-8 minutes
Total Time	15-23 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 100-120 g
• Fat: 100-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 150-170 g

Ingredients

For the mini taco shells:

• 7 flour tortillas
• 2 tbsp melted butter

For the filling and toppings:

• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups salsa
• Mexican cheese blend
• Sour cream
• Guacamole

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 375˚F (190˚C) to prepare it for baking the mini taco shells.

Starting with a properly preheated oven will ensure your tortillas bake evenly and get crispy.

Step 2: Prepare and Shape the Tortilla Shells

• 7 flour tortillas
• 2 tbsp melted butter

Brush both sides of the flour tortillas generously with the melted butter.

Using a circular cookie cutter or a mason jar lid, cut the tortillas into small circles.

Flip a 12-cup muffin tin upside down and position each tortilla circle in the space between two muffin cups to form a mini taco shape.

Step 3: Bake the Mini Taco Shells

• tortilla circles from Step 2

Transfer the muffin tin with the shaped tortilla circles to the oven.

Bake for 5-8 minutes, watching closely, until the tortillas are just turning golden brown and crisp.

Check every couple of minutes to avoid burning.

I like to take them out right after they start getting golden on the edges for the perfect crunch.

Step 4: Prepare the Chicken Filling

• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups salsa

While the tortilla shells are baking, shred the rotisserie chicken, making sure to remove all bones and skin.

Place the shredded chicken in a large pan over medium-high heat, add the salsa, and stir well to combine.

Cook until the mixture is heated through and the flavors meld.

Step 5: Assemble and Serve the Mini Tacos

• baked mini taco shells from Step 3
• chicken and salsa mixture from Step 4
• mexican cheese blend
• sour cream
• guacamole

Once the shells are crisp and the chicken filling is ready, spoon the warm chicken and salsa mixture into each mini taco shell.

Top with Mexican cheese blend, a dollop of sour cream, and guacamole as desired.

For extra flavor, I love to sprinkle a little extra cheese right when the chicken filling is hot so it melts slightly.