Tacos dorados
Tacos dorados ('golden tacos') are corn tortillas wrapped around a filling and fried in oil until crisp, then dressed with fresh toppings such as lettuce, tomato, cream, cheese and salsa. They are a common home and street antojito across Mexico.
Description
A taco dorado is defined by its method: a tortilla is filled, usually rolled into a tight cylinder or folded, and fried until it is golden and brittle. The contrast between the crisp shell and the soft filling is the point of the dish. Excélsior's recipe calls for day-old or slightly cool corn tortillas, which crack less when rolled, and places each taco seam-side down in hot oil so it seals before turning. In many homes the terms taco dorado and flauta are used loosely for the same thing, and recipes published by El Diario NY and La Opinión treat them as synonyms.
Sopitas notes that tacos dorados are often linked with Sinaloa, though their precise origin is unclear, and Excélsior simply treats them as one of the pillars of the Mexican antojito.
Fillings and toppings
Shredded chicken is probably the most familiar filling. Sopitas lists a much wider range sold in Mexico City, from beef, potato, beans and cheese to carnitas, barbacoa (including lamb), al pastor, ham with cheese and rotisserie chicken. Potato, with or without chorizo, is a frequent home version.
Toppings vary by cook but usually include shredded lettuce or cabbage, sliced tomato, cream, crumbled fresh or aged cheese and a green or red salsa; some stalls add a thin tomato sauce or ranch-style cream. Avocado or guacamole is a common addition.
Health and frying
Because the tortillas absorb oil as they fry, the dish is far richer than its soft counterpart. Excélsior advises keeping the oil between about 175 and 190 °C so the tacos crisp quickly rather than soaking up fat, and draining them on paper afterward. Fillings of lean chicken, beans or vegetables, and fresh toppings, are the usual ways home cooks lighten them.
Technique at home
Home cooks use a few tricks to keep tacos dorados from unrolling or bursting. Slightly stale tortillas are easier to roll without cracking, and a brief pass over heat or through warm oil makes them pliable. A wooden toothpick through the seam holds the roll closed until the tortilla sets in the oil, after which it can be pulled out. The filling should be fairly dry and not overpacked: one or two spoonfuls of shredded chicken or potato is the usual measure in Excélsior's version. Draining on paper towels immediately after frying, and adding the cold toppings only at the table, keeps the shells crisp.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in chicken breast
- 1/2 onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 bay leaf, a few cilantro sprigs
- 12 corn tortillas, preferably a day old
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt
- Shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, Mexican crema, crumbled queso fresco and salsa for serving
- Wooden toothpicks (optional)
Steps
- Simmer the chicken with the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cilantro and salt until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Cool and shred finely.
- Warm the tortillas briefly so they are pliable.
- Place a line of chicken along one edge of each tortilla and roll tightly; pin with a toothpick if needed.
- Heat 2 cm of oil to about 180 °C.
- Fry the tacos seam-side down first, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
- Drain on paper towels, remove the toothpicks and top with lettuce, tomato, crema, cheese and salsa.
For potato tacos dorados, replace the chicken with mashed potato seasoned with salt and pepper.
Where to try it
- La Casa de la Yeya, Mexico City: Listed by Sopitas among the capital's tacos dorados spots, with branches in Del Valle, Clavería and Actipan
- El Pialadero de Guadalajara, Mexico City: Listed by Sopitas for tacos dorados
- Barbacoa Gonzalitos, Mexico City
- Birria El Jalisciense, Los Angeles, California
- Birriería Chito, Modesto, California
- Birrieria Esquivel, South Gate, California
- Birrieria Gonzalez, Los Angeles, California
- Birrieria Villalobos, Los Angeles, California
- Cabo Seafood Grill & Cantina, Oxnard, California
- Carnitas El Canelo, Richmond, California
- Chuy's Tacos Dorados, Los Angeles, California
- El Camino Real (Fullerton), Fullerton, California
- El Tío Pepe, Tijuana
- Los Dorados, Los Angeles, California
- Mariscos 4 Vientos, Los Angeles, California
- Mitla Cafe, San Bernardino, California
- Papi Tacos & Churros, Los Angeles, California
- Tacos de Barbacoa Arturo, Guadalajara
- Tacos El Gallo, Guadalajara
- Tacos El Goloso, Torrance, California
- Tacos El Güero Jr., Zapopan
- Tacos Fitos, Tijuana
- Tacos Juan, Guadalajara
- Tacos Providencia, Guadalajara
- Tortas Ahogadas El Profe Jiménez, Guadalajara
- Tortas Ahogadas Los Primos, Santa Ana, California
Reviews
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See also
References
- "Tacos de pollo dorados y súper crujientes, los tradicionales de la cocina mexicana". Excélsior. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Dónde comer los mejores tacos dorados de la CDMX". Sopitas. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "¡El auténtico sabor mexicano! Irresistibles tacos de papa con chorizo". El Diario NY. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Ricos tacos de papa para una cena rápida y llenadora". La Opinión. Retrieved 2026-10-10.