Baked Chicken Tacos
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Baked Chicken Tacos are a total game-changer for busy nights or weekends! Like my Crispy Baked Beef Tacos, these will soon be a family staple.
Made with shredded rotisserie chicken for convenience (or leftover shredded chicken you may have), taco seasoning, diced green chiles, and Colby Jack cheese. The chicken cheesy mixture gets tucked away in yellow corn tortillas and baked until crispy right on a sheet pan.
They’re a 30-minute dinner favorite – I love a quick, easy, irresistibly delicious meal like this! Okay, now someone pass me a margarita, too!
More tacos and Mexican favorites: these slow-cooker Shredded Beef Tacos are a popular reader favorite recipe, Spicy Shrimp Tacos, Homemade Crunchwrap Supremes, Sheet Pan Quesadillas, and Baked Bean and Cheese Taquitos.
Table Talk with Tawnie
As a mom of 2, and soon to be mom of 3, I’ve quickly come to realize I need to make dinners for my family that not only everyone will eat, but are speedy and minimal prep. That’s where recipes like these tacos come in handy! My girls will usually pick the tomatoes out, but other than that, they love them just as much as I love putting them on the menu for the week. I usually buy a rotisserie chicken from Costco for the week, so having it on hand to make this meal is convenient. And if you want something to use up that ground beef in your freezer, you’ll have to try my Baked Beef Tacos next!
- Rotisserie Chicken: dontcha love a good rotisserie chicken? It’s a huge time-saver and adds incredible flavor from the built-in seasoning. It shreds easily and holds up well during baking. But any shredded chicken will do! When I have the time, I make my roast chicken, and shred the chicken from that for this recipe and soups!
- Taco seasoning: use your favorite taco seasoning packet for a quick and flavorful option. You can also substitute with a homemade blend.
- Diced green chiles: they add gentle heat and a touch of smokiness without overwhelming the flavor. No need to drain them—add the whole 4 oz can!
- Yellow corn tortillas: the 6-inch size is perfect for these tacos! Be sure to warm them, wrapped in a damp paper towel, in the microwave prior to adding the chicken mixture so the tortillas don’t break.
Step-by-Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Make the chicken filling
It comes together easily with pantry staples and shredded chicken!
Assemble
Add the chicken mixture to a warmed tortilla, brush lightly with oil and repeat with tortillas and filling.
Bake!
Bake until hot and crispy. Careful not to overfill the tortillas because the filling can ooze out too much, or may make the tortilla break.
Serve!
Serve them up with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Prep Your Tortillas: Don’t skip this step! Warm the corn tortillas slightly before assembling the tacos. This makes them more pliable and prevents them from cracking when folded. I like to warm them easily in the microwave, wrapped in a damp paper towel.
- Add a Layer of Cheese: Sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese on top of the filling before baking. This adds flavor and helps seal the baked chicken tacos and prevent them from opening up during baking.
- Don’t Overfill: Avoid overfilling the baked chicken tacos, as this can make them difficult to handle and prone to falling apart. Aim for a moderate filling that allows the tacos to be folded easily.
- Monitor Baking Time: Watch the tacos while baking to prevent them from becoming too crispy or burning. Baking times may vary depending on your oven and the size of your tacos, so check them periodically.
- Add Toppings After Baking: After the tacos are baked, add fresh toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, salsa, and sour cream. This preserves the freshness and texture of the toppings and allows you to customize each taco to your liking.
What sheet pan should I use?
I have a lot of sheet pan favorites, but this one, the Great Jones sheet pan, or the Caraway sheet pan, are 3 I reach for often these days!
Variations
- Buffalo Chicken Tacos: Toss the shredded chicken in buffalo sauce, then bake with Monterey Jack cheese. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing!
- BBQ Chicken Tacos: Swap the taco seasoning for BBQ sauce and top with shredded cheddar and pickled red onions.
- Veggie-Loaded Chicken Tacos: Mix in sautéed bell peppers, corn, or black beans with the chicken for extra flavor.
Storage / Freezing
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, if they last that long!
- Reheat in the oven or toaster oven for 10 minutes or so, or in the microwave for about 1 minute.
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Baked Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- oil (canola or vegetable)
- 1/2 small white onion, very small dice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups shredded chicken (I use rotisserie)
- 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning (use the packet for convenience)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1, 4 oz. can diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup petite diced tomatoes, liquid drained
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 oz. colby jack cheese, shredded, divided (not bagged pre-shredded cheese)
- 14, (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas (I use the Mission ‘super soft’ tortillas
- toppings: hot sauce, salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce, limes, pico de gallo, etc.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil 2 baking sheets. I use a standard half-sheet pan, 18×13 inches. Set aside.
- Sauté onion: Heat a little oil in a large sauté pan. Sauté the onion over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until softened and fragrant. Add the garlic, and stir for about 30 seconds.oil (canola or vegetable), 1/2 small white onion, very small dice, 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Add all the goodies: Add the shredded chicken, taco seasoning, water, lime juice, diced green chiles, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for just a couple minutes until everything is heated through.4 cups shredded chicken (I use rotisserie), 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning (use the packet for convenience), 3/4 cup water, 1 lime, juiced, 1, 4 oz. can diced green chiles, 1/2 cup petite diced tomatoes, liquid drained, salt and pepper, to taste
- Make it cheesy: add 1 cup of the cheese and stir until melted and combined. At this point, try not to eat all the chicken filling before assembling the tacos – it’s SO GOOD! 😉8 oz. colby jack cheese, shredded, divided
- Microwave tortillas: Wrap the tortillas in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 45-60 seconds, flipping them halfway through. This step helps prevent the tortillas from breaking and makes them more pliable and easier to fold. If the tortillas don’t feel pliable or are still breaking, microwave tortillas again for about 10 seconds.14, (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas (I use the Mission ‘super soft’ tortillas
- Assemble: (I do this directly on the prepared baking sheet) Working on one half of the tortilla, spread about 3 Tbsp. of the chicken mixture down on the tortilla. Top the chicken with a little more Colby Jack cheese. Fold the tortilla over to seal and lightly brush the top of the tortilla with a little more oil. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.
- Bake: bake for ~12-15 minutes or until hot and crispy. No need to flip! Keep in mind if the filling is oozing out too much, you may have added too much. If the tortillas are breaking, you may have needed to warm them a little longer in the microwave.
- Serve: serve them with your favorite taco toppings (hot sauce, salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce, limes, pico de gallo, etc.).toppings: hot sauce, salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce, limes, pico de gallo, etc.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
