Description
These Baked Chicken Tacos are a flavorful and easy-to-make Mexican-inspired dish perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or casual gathering. Featuring tender shredded chicken seasoned with homemade taco spices, refried beans, and melted Mexican blend cheese, all baked in crunchy hard taco shells and topped with fresh jalapeños, sour cream, lettuce, cilantro, and salsa for a deliciously satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein & Vegetables
- ½ pound shredded cooked chicken (We used Rotisserie chicken)
- ½ cup diced onion
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, fully drained (1 can)
- 4.5 ounces diced green chiles, fully drained (1 can)
- Sliced jalapeños (for topping)
- Shredded lettuce (for topping)
- Chopped fresh cilantro (for topping)
Seasonings & Sauces
- 1 ounce taco seasoning (click for recipe!)
- 8 ounces refried beans (½ can)
- Sour cream (for topping)
- Salsa (for topping)
Dairy
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Other
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 hard taco shells (We used Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray to prepare for baking the tacos.
- Sauté Onions: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the diced onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until they become translucent and fragrant, creating a flavorful base.
- Cook Chicken Mixture: Stir in the shredded chicken, taco seasoning, fully drained diced tomatoes, and diced green chiles into the skillet. Mix thoroughly, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5-8 minutes to develop the flavors and heat the mixture through.
- Prepare Taco Shells: Arrange the hard taco shells standing upright in the prepared baking dish. You can fit 10 shells by placing some on the sides as needed.
- Crisp Tacos: Bake the empty taco shells in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes to crisp them up for a better texture.
- Assemble Tacos: Remove the taco shells from the oven. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of refried beans into the bottom of each shell. Then, fill each shell with the cooked chicken mixture, almost to the top.
- Add Cheese: Generously sprinkle each taco with shredded Mexican blend cheese. The more cheese, the richer the flavor!
- Bake Assembled Tacos: Return the loaded tacos to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the edges of the taco shells are lightly browned.
- Serve and Garnish: Remove tacos from the oven and garnish with preferred toppings such as sliced jalapeños, sour cream, shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, and salsa to taste for added freshness and flavor.
Notes
- Make sure to fully drain the canned tomatoes and green chiles to avoid soggy taco shells.
- For an extra kick, add more jalapeños or a spicy salsa topping.
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time, or cook and shred your own chicken breast or thighs.
- Try different types of cheese like Monterey Jack or cheddar for a variation in flavor.
- If you prefer softer tacos, skip the initial baking of empty shells and bake only after assembly.
