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Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe

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4 from 70 reviews

This Baked Chicken Tacos recipe offers a flavorful and easy-to-make twist on classic tacos by baking the assembled tacos for a deliciously crispy shell and melted cheese topping. Made with shredded rotisserie chicken, seasoned with taco spices, and layered with refried beans, tomatoes, onions, and green chiles, these tacos are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or casual gathering. Garnish with jalapeños, sour cream, salsa, lettuce, and fresh cilantro for the full experience.

Ingredients

Chicken Filling

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ lb shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie recommended)
  • 1 oz taco seasoning
  • ½ cup diced onion (any variety)
  • 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, fully drained (1 can)
  • 4.5 oz diced green chiles, fully drained (1 can)

Taco Assembly

  • 10 hard taco shells (Old El Paso Stand 'N Stuff suggested)
  • 8 oz refried beans (½ can)
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (or any cheese)

Garnishes

  • Sliced jalapeños
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray to prepare for the tacos.
  2. Prepare Chicken: Shred the cooked chicken, preferably rotisserie, or any cooked chicken of your choice.
  3. Heat Oil: In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil to sauté the aromatics for the filling.
  4. Sauté Onion: Add diced onion to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
  5. Combine Ingredients: Stir in the shredded chicken, taco seasoning, fully drained diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Mix everything thoroughly, then reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes to meld flavors.
  6. Arrange Taco Shells: Stand the taco shells upright in the prepared baking dish; fit 10 shells by placing some along the sides as needed.
  7. Pre-Bake Shells: Bake the empty taco shells for 5 minutes to crisp them up, then remove from the oven.
  8. Fill Shells: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of refried beans into the bottom of each taco shell. Next, fill with the seasoned chicken mixture, piling almost to the top.
  9. Add Cheese: Generously sprinkle shredded cheese over each filled taco shell.
  10. Bake Tacos: Return the assembled tacos to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and the edges of the taco shells are browned and crisp.
  11. Garnish and Serve: Remove the tacos from the oven and top with your choice of sliced jalapeños, sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped cilantro, and salsa to enhance flavor and texture.

Notes

  • You can substitute rotisserie chicken with cooked chicken breast or thighs shredded by hand or with a fork.
  • Make sure to fully drain the diced tomatoes and green chiles to prevent soggy tacos.
  • If you prefer softer taco shells, skip the initial 5-minute pre-bake step for crispness.
  • Leftover baked chicken taco mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated.
  • For a spicier version, increase the amount of green chiles or add hot sauce to the filling mixture.

Find it online: https://recipethrive.com/baked-chicken-tacos-recipe/