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Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe

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4.1 from 52 reviews

These Baked Chicken Tacos are a flavorful and easy-to-make dinner option featuring shredded chicken seasoned with classic taco spices, combined with tomatoes and green chiles, all baked inside crisp hard taco shells loaded with refried beans and melted Mexican cheese. Topped with your favorite fresh garnishes, this recipe combines convenience with a tasty homemade feel that’s perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ pound shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken suggested)
  • 1 ounce taco seasoning
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, fully drained (1 can)
  • 4.5 ounces diced green chiles, fully drained (1 can)

Taco Assembly

  • 10 hard taco shells (Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff recommended)
  • 8 ounces refried beans (½ can)
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Optional Toppings

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

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray to prepare for baking the tacos.
  2. Sauté Onions: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, then add the diced onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until they become translucent and fragrant.
  3. Cook Chicken Filling: Stir in the shredded chicken, taco seasoning, fully drained diced tomatoes, and fully drained diced green chiles. Mix well to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  4. Prepare Taco Shells: Stand the taco shells upright in the prepared baking dish. Fits about 10 shells comfortably with some arranged on the sides.
  5. Crisp Shells: Bake the empty taco shells for 5 minutes to crisp them up, then remove from the oven.
  6. Assemble Tacos: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of refried beans into the bottom of each taco shell, then top generously with the warm chicken mixture nearly to the top of the shells.
  7. Add Cheese: Sprinkle each taco evenly and generously with shredded Mexican blend cheese.
  8. Bake Tacos: Return the filled tacos to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the edges of the shells begin to brown.
  9. Serve and Garnish: Remove from the oven and immediately top with your choice of optional toppings such as sliced jalapeños, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, and chopped fresh cilantro.

Notes

  • The spice level of these baked chicken tacos comes from the taco seasoning, diced green chiles, and optional jalapeños. For a milder version, omit jalapeños and consider skipping the green chiles.
  • You can use leftover rotisserie chicken or any cooked shredded chicken for convenience.
  • Make sure to fully drain canned tomatoes and green chiles to avoid soggy taco shells.
  • Refried beans help keep the filling moist and add a creamy texture at the base of each taco.
  • Use a sturdy baking dish to stand the taco shells upright to prevent them from tipping during baking.

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