Mini Chicken Tacos
on Jul 21, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These easy mini chicken tacos made with leftover chicken are perfect for quick dinners or kid-friendly lunches. They’re ready in just 20 minutes and are a simple and delicious way to use up leftover chicken!
Got some leftover chicken in the fridge? These mini chicken tacos are the perfect way to turn it into something fresh and fun. Whether you’re whipping up a quick family dinner, or packing a kid-friendly lunch, these tacos are an easy go-to. You only need a few simple ingredients and about 20 minutes to get them on the table!
Have more leftover chicken on your hands? Use it to make these easy leftover chicken fritters, BBQ chicken naan pizzas, or easy mini chicken pot pies!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these mini chicken tacos:
- Corn Street Tortillas: Street tacos make the perfect-sized mini tacos for little ones.
- Shredded Chicken: I like to use leftover rotisserie chicken breast, but any type of leftover chicken will work.
- Shredded Cheese: I love using either freshly grated colby jack cheese or a mexican cheese blend, but any type of cheese will work.
- Diced Tomatoes: Use a can of petite diced tomatoes for added moisture and flavor to these tacos. Make sure not to drain them from the can to get all of those juices!
- Garlic: Freshly grated for added flavor.
- Taco Seasoning: For that classic taco flavor. You can make your own homemade taco seasoning or use some from your favorite packet.
- Oil: Used to pan-fry the tacos
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Corn Tortillas: You can swap corn tortillas for street-sized flour tortillas.
- Chicken Breast: Feel free to swap leftover chicken with leftover steak or leftover shrimp for mini steak or shrimp tacos.
- Shredded Cheese: For a dairy-free option, you can swap for dairy-free shreds.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large frying pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 1 minute. (Images 1 & 2).
STEP 2: Add the shredded chicken, petite diced tomatoes, and the taco seasoning to the pan. Mix it until everything is combined and incorporated (about 2 minutes). (Images 3 & 4).
STEP 3: Add the cheese and mix it in until it is fully melted and incorporated into the chicken mixture (Images 5 & 6). Set the mixture aside on a plate.
STEP 4: Add an extra tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Once it heats up, add 4 or 5 street corn tortillas to the pan, making sure that they do not overlap (Image 7). Add about 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla and lightly spread it to coat the tortilla (Image 8).
STEP 5: Sprinkle some extra cheese on top of the chicken mixture on each tortilla (this will serve as a binder to keep the tacos closed while cooking) (Image 9).
STEP 6: Use a spatula to fold over each tortilla into a taco shape and press down on the tortilla to seal it closed. Cook the tacos on both sides until crispy and golden, about 2 minutes per side (Image 10). Transfer the tacos to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool and repeat for the remaining tacos.
Storage Instructions
Once cooled, store leftover mini tacos in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You may also freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat them in a frying pan over medium-low heat until heated through, or in the air fryer at the reheat setting for 5 to 6 minutes.
Tips For Success
- Make sure to heat the corn tortillas in the pan for a few minutes before folding them over. This makes them more flexible to prevent cracking.
- You can make your own taco seasoning, but I love using this premade taco seasoning packet for a quick option!
- Make sure not to overfill the tacos so that they don’t fall apart. Also, make sure that the chicken is finely shredded so that there aren’t too many large chunks in the mini tacos.
Recipe FAQs
I love using leftover rotisserie chicken, but leftover cooked chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or chicken cutlets work great too!
Guacamole, pico de gallo, or sour cream go really well with these tacos. I also love sprinkling some chopped cilantro on top of them for added flavor.
Yes! Just note that this filling will make fewer larger-sized tacos instead of 12 mini ones.
Other Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Homemade Dino Nuggets
BBQ Chicken Naan Pizza
Easy Crispy Panko Chicken
Mini Chicken Pot Pies With Pie Crust
If you tried these Mini Chicken Tacos, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
Mini Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tightly packed cup shredded leftover chicken, 6 oz in weight
- ½ cup shredded cheese, colby jack or mexican cheese blend are great options
- ½ cup petite diced tomatoes, don't drain the juices from the can, measure out ½ cup of both combined
- 2 tsp taco seasoning
- 12 street corn tortillas
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large frying pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 1 minute.
- Add the shredded chicken, petite diced tomatoes, and the taco seasoning to the pan. Mix it until everything is combined and incorporated (about 2 minutes).
- Add the cheese and mix it in until it is fully melted and incorporated into the chicken mixture. Set the mixture aside on a plate.
- Add an extra tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Once it heats up, add 4 or 5 street corn tortillas to the pan making sure that they do not overlap. Add about 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla and lightly spread it to coat the tortilla .
- Sprinkle some extra cheese on top of the chicken mixture on each tortilla (this will serve as a binder to keep the tacos closed while cooking).
- Use a spatula to fold over each tortilla into a taco shape and press down on the tortilla to seal it closed. Cook the tacos on both sides until crispy and golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the tacos to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool and repeat for the remaining tacos.
Notes
- Make sure to heat the corn tortillas in the pan for a few minutes before folding them over. This makes them more flexible to prevent cracking.
- You can make your own taco seasoning, but I love using this premade taco seasoning packet for a quick option!
- Make sure not to overfill the tacos so that they don’t fall apart. Also, make sure that the chicken is finely shredded so that there aren’t too many large chunks in the mini tacos.
