Description
Baked Chicken Tacos are your go-to weeknight dinner solution that brings Mexican-inspired flavors straight to your table. Crispy shells loaded with seasoned chicken, melted cheese, and your favorite toppings make this meal a total crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 10 Stand and Stuff Taco Shells
- ½ pound cooked chicken, shredded
- 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded
- 8 ounces Refried Beans
Protein and Seasoning:
- 1 ounce Taco Seasoning
- 1 can Chopped Green Chiles (4.5 ounce)
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce)
Toppings:
- Old El Paso sliced Jalapenos
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Chopped cilantro
- Shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Fire up your oven to 400°F and spritz a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Toss ½ cup diced onions into the skillet, sautéing for 2-3 minutes until they turn translucent.
- Mix ½ pound shredded chicken with 1 ounce taco seasoning, then fold in the fully drained diced tomatoes and green chiles.
- Let the chicken mixture simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend flavors.
- Arrange 10 taco shells standing upright in the prepared baking dish, positioning 2 on each side.
- Crisp the shells in the 400°F oven for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the dish.
- Spread 1 tablespoon refried beans across the bottom of each shell.
- Generously fill shells with the seasoned chicken mixture, leaving a small space at the top.
- Blanket each taco with ¼ cup shredded Mexican cheese blend.
- Return to the 400°F oven and bake 7-10 minutes until cheese melts completely and shell edges turn golden brown.
- Pull from the oven and garnish with your favorite taco toppings like jalapeños, sour cream, or fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Drain tomatoes and green chiles completely to prevent soggy taco shells, which can ruin the crisp texture of your dish.
- Choose sturdy, restaurant-style hard taco shells that hold up well during baking and can support the hearty chicken filling.
- For a lower-carb version, swap hard taco shells with lettuce wraps or use cauliflower tortillas as a lighter alternative.
- Leftover rotisserie chicken works perfectly in this recipe, saving preparation time and adding extra flavor to your tacos.
- Prep Time: 5-8 minutes
- Cook Time: 14-18 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 312 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg