Name: Air-Fryer Shredded Chicken Tacos
Total time: 52 min
Yield: Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon chili powder; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; Salt and pepper; Pinch cayenne pepper; 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed; 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 1 tomato, cored and chopped; 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion; 2 teaspoons minced jalapeño chile; 1½ teaspoons lime juice; 6–12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed; 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce; 3 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (¾ cup)

Why This Recipe Works

Sometimes weeknight chicken tacos can mean wet, oversimmered chicken and tired ingredients. The air fryer gave us something better: crispier, more deeply seasoned chicken, and extra downtime to prepare lively, fresh toppings. Our first step was to skip past the expected boneless chicken breasts in favor of boneless thighs, which are equally convenient but richer and more deeply flavored. Rubbed with just a teaspoon of oil and sprinkled with a robust blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne, they went into the air fryer to cook while we prepared a fresh pico de gallo from chopped tomato, red onion, minced jalapeño, and lime juice. Letting the cooked chicken rest for a few minutes before shredding it ensured the juices remained in the meat and didn't wind up all over the cutting board.

Before You Begin

Crisp iceberg lettuce and shredded cheddar gave that familiar taco bar feel.

Instructions

Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, rub with oil, and sprinkle evenly with spice mixture. Place chicken in air-fryer basket. Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until chicken registers 175 degrees, 12 to 16 minutes, flipping and rotating chicken halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, combine tomato, onion, jalapeño, and lime juice in bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside until ready to serve.

Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks. Serve chicken on warm tortillas, topped with salsa, lettuce, and cheddar.