Description
Spice up your dinner with Chicken Chalupa, a Mexican street-style treat that brings zesty flavors straight to your kitchen. Crispy tortillas topped with tender chicken and fresh toppings make this quick meal a total crowd-pleaser you can whip up in no time.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- 2 ¼ cups Flour
- 2 Roma Tomatoes
- ½ cup Iceberg Lettuce
- ½ cup Mexican Cheese Blend
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ounce Shortening
- 1 cup Milk
- Canola Oil (for frying)
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
Garnish and Toppings:
- ¼ cup Sour Cream
- Cilantro (for garnishing)
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients and tools from the counter, measuring each component precisely for your chalupa adventure.
- Pour 2 inches of canola oil into a large skillet, heating to exactly 350°F for perfect frying conditions.
- Mix 1 teaspoon each of paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder in a small bowl to create your spice blend.
- Generously coat both sides of 2 chicken breasts with the prepared spice mixture.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in another skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Cook chicken breasts for 5-7 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice into thin strips.
- In a large bowl, combine 2 ¼ cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Work 1 oz shortening into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour in 1 cup milk and stir until a soft dough forms.
- Dust your countertop with flour and roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness.
- Divide dough into 8 equal portions, rolling each into a 4-inch circle.
- Poke several holes in each dough circle with a fork to prevent excessive puffing.
- Carefully lower each dough circle into 350°F oil, frying 30 seconds per side until golden brown.
- Transfer fried shells to paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Dice 3 Roma tomatoes and prepare ½ cup shredded lettuce.
- Layer each chalupa shell with sliced chicken, ¼ cup sour cream, diced tomatoes, ½ cup shredded Mexican cheese.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately for maximum crunch and flavor.
Notes
- Always use a thermometer to check oil temperature for perfectly crispy chalupa shells that won’t absorb too much oil.
- Allow chicken to rest after cooking so the juices redistribute, ensuring each slice remains tender and flavorful.
- When rolling out dough, dust your surface and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking and create smooth, even circles.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and use corn tortillas instead of making chalupa shells.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 440 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg