Crispy Fried Tortilla Tacos — The Game Changer We’re Never Going Back From
Turns Out the Difference Is Just a Skillet and a Little Oil
Crispy fried tortilla tacos are the difference between average taco night and “why are these so good?” That is a direct quote from someone at my table, and once we started frying our own corn tortillas in avocado oil, we have honestly never gone back. The shells come out golden, crackly, and somehow taste like a restaurant — for the cost of a stack of corn tortillas and a little oil. This is the recipe I make for taco night when I want to feed my whole crew and have everyone go quiet for the first bite.
🫒 This recipe is part of The Terrace, my Mediterranean diet hub — where I keep all my Mediterranean-friendly recipes, pantry staples, and the story behind why we eat this way.
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Watch the fried tortilla magic happen — or scroll down for the full printable recipe card.
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Crispy Fried Tortilla Tacos
Start CookingIngredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 packets taco seasoning
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Garlic salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 12 corn tortillas
- ½ cup avocado oil plus more as needed
Don’t Want to Plan? I Got You.Every Saturday I share a full week of dinners, sides, and a dessert — with the grocery list already done. Come grab this week’s Weekly Meal Plans!Method Start Cooking
- Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown 2 pounds of ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat. Stir in 2 packets of Taco Bell taco seasoning along with the water amount called for on the packets. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes until thickened. Keep warm.
- Cook the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips, sliced onion, and sliced red bell pepper. Season with garlic salt, pepper, and 1 packet of taco seasoning. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Keep warm.
- Heat the oil for frying. In a Dutch oven or heavy skillet, add about ½ inch of avocado oil. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F. Test with a small piece of tortilla — it should sizzle immediately and float.
- Fry the tortilla shells. Drop one corn tortilla into the hot oil flat. Fry for 10 to 15 seconds, until it starts to bubble and stiffen but is still flexible. Use tongs to fold the tortilla in half into a taco shape. Continue frying, holding the shape with tongs, for another 30 seconds per side until golden and crispy. Transfer to a taco rack to cool and set up.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas, working in batches and letting the oil come back up to temperature between each one.
- Build the tacos. Set out both proteins, the crispy shells, and all the toppings buffet-style. Let everyone build their own tacos with whichever protein they want and their favorite toppings.
Nutrition
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Notes
Four Weeks of Family-Friendly FoodWhen people gather, I cook. Four weeks of the dinners my crowd asks for — planned, tested, and shopped for. Come see what’s in the cookbook →Why Fried Corn Tortillas Are the Taco Night Game Changer
Making taco night for a big crowd and also accommodating those in our family who are on a health journey means making tacos a couple different ways. I take 2 pounds of regular ground beef and mix that with two of my family’s favorite seasoning packet, which happens to be Taco Bell brand, and brown that up. Then for my family who prefers the healthier choice, I take two chicken breasts and cut them into strips, add in sliced up onion and red bell pepper, and fry them in a skillet with avocado oil seasoned with garlic salt, pepper, and taco seasoning.
The toppings are a full spread — lettuce, quesadilla cheese, sour cream, salsa, taco sauce, pico de gallo. These are my family’s favorite toppings and everyone gets to build their own taco however they want. But the new extra thing I do to take it to the next level is frying corn tortillas up in avocado oil. This has been a game changer for us and I don’t think we’ll ever go back. With the tortillas being made of corn and fried in avocado oil, they are actually Mediterranean diet friendly, so everyone in the family can enjoy the crispy corn tortillas — including the ones working on heart-healthy eating.
A Few Things That Make Crispy Fried Tortilla Tacos Even Easier
- Use my red Lodge Dutch oven as your frying station. Cast iron holds the oil temperature steady, which is the whole secret to non-greasy fried tortillas. A regular skillet works in a pinch, but the Dutch oven is what I reach for every single time.
- Heat your avocado oil to about 350°F. Too cool and the tortillas absorb the oil and turn greasy. Too hot and they burn before they crisp. A thermometer takes the guesswork out — but if you don’t have one, drop a small piece of tortilla in. If it sizzles immediately and floats, you’re ready.
- Fry the tortilla flat first, then fold. Drop a corn tortilla in the hot oil flat for about 10 to 15 seconds, then use tongs to fold it in half into a taco shape and finish frying. This gives you a shell that’s crispy but not so brittle it shatters when you bite it.
- Stand the shells up in taco holders right out of the pan. The holders keep the shells open while they finish setting up, which means no flat shells, no broken shells, and no awkward stuffing situation when it’s time to fill them.
- Cook two proteins so everyone gets fed. Ground beef with Taco Bell seasoning is the family favorite. Seasoned chicken with onions and peppers, fried in avocado oil, is for anyone on a health journey. Putting both out means nobody is stuck with a meal they didn’t really want.
Crispy Fried Tortilla Tacos FAQ — The Questions I Get Every Time
How do you fry corn tortillas for taco shells?
Heat about ½ inch of avocado oil to 350°F in a Dutch oven or heavy skillet. Drop in one corn tortilla flat and fry for 10 to 15 seconds. Use tongs to fold the tortilla in half into a taco shape and continue frying for another 30 seconds or so per side until the shell is golden and crispy. Transfer to a taco rack to cool and set up. The shell will keep crisping as it cools.
Why use avocado oil instead of vegetable oil for frying tortillas?
Avocado oil has a high smoke point and a clean, neutral flavor — but the real reason I use it is that it makes these tacos Mediterranean diet friendly. Avocado oil is one of the heart-healthy unsaturated fats recommended in that eating pattern, so the whole family can enjoy crispy fried tortillas, including anyone working on heart-healthy goals. Vegetable or canola oil also works fine technique-wise.
Can I make these tacos for a crowd ahead of time?
The two proteins absolutely can be made ahead. Brown the ground beef and cook the chicken with peppers and onions earlier in the day, then keep them warm in covered pans on low heat or in a 200°F oven. The fried tortillas, though, are best fried right before serving — they are at their absolute crispiest and most magical in those first 15 minutes out of the oil. I usually fry shells while my crew is filing into the kitchen.
What’s the best taco seasoning for ground beef tacos?
This is going to sound silly but my family’s hands-down favorite is Taco Bell brand seasoning packets. I use two packets for two pounds of ground beef and that gives my crew the exact flavor they’re after. There are fancier options out there, but I cook for the people at my table, and this is the one they request every single time.
How do I make tacos for someone on a Mediterranean diet?
This is exactly what we do at our house. Skip the ground beef and go with the chicken-and-peppers protein cooked in avocado oil, use fried corn tortilla shells (not flour, not store-bought hard shells), and load up on the fresh toppings — lettuce, tomato, pico de gallo. Skip or go light on the cheese and sour cream. The corn tortillas + avocado oil + lean chicken + vegetables hit all the right Mediterranean notes.
What toppings go on crispy fried tortilla tacos?
My family’s favorite toppings are shredded lettuce, quesadilla cheese, sour cream, salsa, taco sauce, and pico de gallo. I put everything out in bowls so everyone can build their own taco the way they want it. The crispy fried shells hold up beautifully to all that loading — no soggy bottoms, no falling apart.
Can I do this with flour tortillas instead of corn?
You can fry flour tortillas the same way and they’ll come out puffy and crispy, but they don’t hold a taco shape the way fried corn tortillas do — they want to stay flat. If your crew prefers flour tortillas, fry them flat as tostada-style bases and pile the toppings on top. Or do what I do and offer both: fried corn tortilla tacos plus soft flour tortillas on the side for anyone who wants to wrap.
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More Crowd-Pleasing Recipes You’ll Love
- Mother’s Day Gifts for Moms Who Love to Cook — the Dutch oven, taco holders, and red apron from this recipe are all on the list.
- Chicken and Steak Fajitas for a Crowd — same two-protein, build-your-own approach for a family with mixed preferences.
- Cuban Inspired Sausage and Rice — another weeknight crowd dinner that comes together fast and feeds everyone.
- Doritos Taco Salad — my best friend Michelle’s no-cook-required taco night, ready in about ten minutes flat.
- Sheet Pan Quesadillas — another way to get that crispy tortilla, this time pressed flat between two sheet pans.
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Crispy Fried Tortilla Tacos — About Stephanie’s Recipes
Stephanie Longstreth is the home cook, mom, and storyteller behind StephanieCooksForACrowd.com. She cooks for a family of seven in Florida — five kids, two cats, and one husband who appreciates a good meal. Four of her children came home through adoption, and family stories are woven into everything she makes and shares. Find her crowd-friendly recipes, sourdough journey, and real family life on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest @stephaniecooksforacrowd.