Baked Chicken Tacos

These baked chicken tacos are the best tacos EVER! Taco shells loaded with refried beans, rotisserie chicken with salsa, cheese, and all the toppings. An easy dinner for the whole family, ready in under 30 minutes!

Also perfect to bring to potlucks, tailgating parties and Superbowl, and big get togethers.

If you lead a busy lifestyle, and you need to get dinner ready on the table every night to feed your family, you will LOVE this recipe! It’s SO quick, and easy to make and the result is very impressive. Crispy taco shells filled with refried beans, flavorful shredded taco chicken (spicy or not), topped with melted ooey-gooey cheese.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make baked chicken tacos. Chances you already have these ingredients in your kitchen, so making these tacos will be a breeze!

I always prep some shredded chicken, and keep it in my fridge to use for things like tacos, fajitas, pastas (have you tried my rasta pasta yet? It’s a reader favorite!), sandwiches, soups, and salads!

My favorite way to prep shredded chicken is in the slow cooker, here’s my Crockpot shredded chicken recipe. When I don’t have much time, I often use my Air Fryer. If you have a whole chicken then try this Air Fryer whole chicken recipe as it turns out rotisserie style and it tastes wonderful. Or if you’re using chicken breasts, then here’s my method for Air Fryer chicken breast. Turns out so juicy and good every time!

If i’m in a real hurry, I just pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store.

I often make my own homemade refried beans, but you can always buy a can of store-bought beans.

And as for the seasoning, I always keep a large jar of this homemade taco seasoning in my pantry. I know it’s easier to buy a packet at the store, but trust me, pre-made seasonings usually contain lots of unnecessary and sometimes harmful ingredients, and a homemade version will save you a lot of money!

How to Make Baked Chicken Tacos

And here’s how it’s made:

• Arrange the taco shells in a baking tray and bake them for 5 minutes. They will become crunchy and nice!
• Cook the onion, garlic, and add the seasoning. Then add the salsa and shredded chicken. Cook for a few minutes then remove from heat.
• Add refried beans to the taco shells, top with flavorful taco chicken, and finally top with grated Mexican cheese blend or any melting cheese.
• Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and the tacos are warmed up.

When it comes to topping tacos, the possibilities are endless! I either keep it simple and just scatter a few chopped chiles on top, maybe some greens or lettuce. But when I’m feeling fancy, a dollop of lime crema and guacamole is always amazing. I also really love pico de gallo and add it to all of my Mexican inspired/Tex Mex dishes, pineapple salsa adds sweetness and freshness, and this salsa ranchera is amazing!

Top Tips

• To avoid the taco shells from getting soggy, it’s important to pre-bake the shells prior to filling them for 5 minutes.
• To separate the taco shells from the juicy chicken mixture, I add refried beans. This will help your taco shells stay crispy. You can also add some cheese if you like.
• If you would like to make these baked chicken tacos ahead of time, I don’t recommend assembling them until just before you’re ready to bake them and serve as the taco shells can get pretty soggy. So prepare the chicken mixture and store in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.

What to Serve Baked Chicken Tacos With

For a Mexican inspired dinner, you can serve these baked chicken tacos with lots of sides, other mains, drinks, and dessert. Try these Mexican Stuffed Peppers, they’re to die for! Air Fryer chicken fajitas are a must when my oven is busy, and I don’t want to stand by the oven making them in a skillet. Chickpea and mushroom fajitas for your veggie family members and friends, refreshing agua frescas for drinks, and churro bites for dessert!

Recommended Tools

I often use my quarter sheet pan to make these baked chicken tacos. Otherwise any baking dish can work, the recommended size for 12 tacos is 9×13″.