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Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe

These baked chicken tacos are easy to make and taste great! You can make them in 30 minutes with only a few ingredients. They go great with rotisserie chicken or the quick shredded chicken method in the recipe notes.

A Quick Look

30 minutes: 14 minutes to put the tacos together and 16 minutes to bake them. To save time in the kitchen and make dinner even easier, you can shred the chicken ahead of time.
You only need a few things: shredded chicken, tortillas, cheese, salsa, olive oil, and some seasonings.
I adore how these crunchy tacos are great for dipping into salsa, queso, or a creamy avocado dip.

Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos That Are Easy

These Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos are a hit with the whole family. You can make them in only 30 minutes, and everyone will love dipping them in salsa, queso, and guacamole!

Time to get ready: 14 minutes
Time to cook: 16 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

10 tacos per serving

What you need and what you can use instead

You will need 2 ½ cups of shredded chicken. You can use rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, or create your own shredded chicken (see the recipe card for more information). Use my Beef Taco Recipe and replace the beef with lean ground chicken.

I use a mix of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder as spices. A packet of taco spice will also work.

Chipotle chili powder (optional): gives the dish a little heat and a smoky taste.

Corn tortillas get the crispiest. If you use flour tortillas, bake them for 4 to 6 minutes less and grease them well so they don’t stick.

Monterey Jack is my favorite cheese, but Mexican blend, Pepper Jack, Oaxaca, or cheddar are also good choices.

Oil: Use olive oil or avocado oil for this dish. Put a thin layer on the tortillas. You can also use cooking spray, but don’t spray it too lightly. You might need to go over the tortillas two or three times to make sure they have enough oil on them to get crispy.

The recipe card below has a full list of ingredients and their amounts.

( ) 2 ½ cups of shredded chicken
( ) 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
( ) 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
( ) 1 teaspoon of onion powder
( ) ½ teaspoon of chipotle chile powder
( ) ½ cup of salsa
( ) 1 tablespoon of olive oil
( ) 10 tortillas made of corn
( ) 2.5 cups of shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican cheese

How to Shred Chicken

If you don’t want to use rotisserie chicken, this is my favorite way to make shredded chicken:

Set the oven to 400°F.
Add olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to the chicken breasts.
Depending on how big the chicken breasts are, bake them for 25 to 35 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
After the chicken has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, shred it while it’s still warm. This makes it much easier!

Store shredded chicken in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to four days. Use leftovers to make soups, chicken salads, or a panini!

How to do it

Set the oven to 450F.
In a big bowl, combine salsa, shredded chicken, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and chipotle chili powder.
Put a damp paper towel around the corn tortillas and put them on a dish. Put them in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, or until they are soft.
Use olive oil to brush one side of a tortilla. Put 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese on one side of the tortilla, then ¼ cup of chicken, and then 2 more teaspoons of shredded cheese. Fold the filling into the tortilla.
Do the same with the other tortillas, and put the tacos in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Bake for 16 minutes at 450F, turning the food over halfway through.
Take the tacos out of the oven when they are golden brown and let them sit for three minutes.
Serve it hot with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.

Notes

To keep the tortillas from shattering, heat them up before folding them. If they still won’t stay folded, use a toothpick to hold them together while they bake.
Don’t use aluminum foil! It keeps the tortillas from getting as crispy and can make them stick. Use a pan that doesn’t stick or has a ceramic coating for the greatest results.

Toppings and sauces that go well with crunchy chicken tacos

Guacamole is thick and creamy, which makes the corn tortillas less crunchy.
Pico de Gallo: Fresh and full of life! Homemade pico has a lot more taste than store-bought.
Salsa: Choose your favorite kind and how spicy you want it.
Queso: A must-have for cheese lovers! This cheese sauce that melts makes your tacos even better.

Sides

Mexican Rice is a classic side dish that is easy to make with only a few simple ingredients.
I LOVE this rice called Poblano Rice. Strong, tasty, and just right for these tacos.
Mexican fruit salad is sweet, sour, and spicy all at the same time! A side of fresh fruit with chamoy sauce and Tajín is a great way to cool down.

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