Baked Chicken Tacos

Gather round, these oven baked chicken tacos are an easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will LOVE! It has a saucy chicken filling and is topped with melty cheese, these crispy tacos are the BEST! Not to mention, no cooking is required – simply add everything to the taco shells and bake. You’ll have a delicious meal in 15 minutes flat!

For more taco recipes, try these Cajun Shrimp Tacos and Shredded Beef Tacos!

Whenever taco tuesday comes around, my family always asks me to make this meal. To say that it’s a family favorite is an understatement. It’s easy, super flavorful, and best of all – quick!

Save these easy baked chicken tacos for busy weeknights, cinco de mayo, or just whenever you want some tacos without having to do too much cooking.

Ingredients

Shredded Chicken – you can use rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken you may have on hand. I simply used a pound of chicken breast and made this recipe for shredded chicken, it took about 15 minutes and was super simple.

Taco Shells – I opted for the stand and stuff hard taco shells because they’re easy to use! However, you’d like to use flour tortillas or corn tortillas, you can use these as well! If using tortillas, rub them with a little olive oil and bake them for 5 minutes just as you would the taco shells for best results.

Chicken Taco Seasoning – use my homemade taco seasoning for the best flavor (use 1 1/2 tbsps)! It’s simple and easy and stores for up to 6 months. You can also use the store bought taco seasoning mix packets too, one packet will suffice.

Mexican Cheese Blend – for topping and making this tacos super tasty! It’s a shredded cheese blend of cheddar cheese, monterey jack (sometimes pepper jack), queso, and asadero cheese. As the cheese melts, it makes these tacos taste even better. What’s a taco without gooey cheese?!

Refried Beans – these add so much flavor and texture to the tacos!

Taco Sauce – Old El Paso taco sauce is my favorite. I use the mild flavor because I’ve got little ones eating this dish, however, if you want spicy chicken tacos, go for the medium or hot versions!

Toppings – get creative with what to add on top of your tacos! My favorite way to serve toppings is to make a mini taco bar by adding sour cream, chopped lettuce, guacamole, diced red onions, black beans, green chiles, and pineapple salsa into their own little bowls. I also like to squeeze a little lime juice on top! Add your favorite toppings on top and make it your own!

Tips for the Best Tacos

• Be sure to bake the shells prior to adding the filling. This ensure crispy taco shells and prevent them from becoming soggy in the oven.
• Add refried beans to the bottoms of the taco shells prior to adding in the chicken mixture. This is also a great way to prevent the shells from softening.
• If the chicken mixture seems saucy, try to drain as much excess liquid off before adding to the taco shells.

How to make Baked Chicken Tacos

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

• Place taco shells into a 9×13 baking pan. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes to get the shells nice and crispy. (Image #1)

• Make the taco filling. Toss shredded chicken in taco sauce, and taco seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Image #2)

• Spoon refried beans into the bottom of the taco shells then add shredded cheese and the chicken mixture on top. Sprinkle each taco with more shredded cheese. (Image #3)

• Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges of the shells have browned. (Image #4)

More Easy Dinner Recipes

• Mexican Spaghetti
• Taco Stuffed Shells
• Baja Shrimp Tacos
• Easy Cheese Quesadillas
• Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
• Chicken Tortilla Soup