Enjoy a different spin on Taco Tuesday with crispy chicken tacos! Crispy taco shells filled with taco-flavored shredded chicken, cheese, and salsa. The beauty of baked chicken tacos is that they are crispy and filled with gooey cheese, green onions, and salsa. The best part? The chicken tacos are baked in one pan in the oven all at the same time!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful chicken taco filling
- Quick weeknight dinner
- Baked not fried
Featured Ingredients
- Shredded Chicken - Use leftover chicken, Dutch oven shredded chicken, or pulled chicken from a rotisserie chicken.
- Salsa - I love homemade salsa. Otherwise, a version of your favorite will work, too.
- Shredded Cheese - I use a combination of Monterey Jack and cheddar shredded cheese.
- Green Onions - Adds a subtle onion flavor without overpowering the filling.
- Taco Seasoning - Homemade taco seasoning is my favorite, but whatever is in your spice cabinet will work.
- Sit-and-Stand Hard Taco Shells - The convenience of sit-and-stand shells is worth the extra cost. They easily stand in the baking pan and are a cinch to fill. However, the typical hard-shell corn taco shells will also work, just harder to fill.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Place the taco shells lined up in a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 5 minutes.
Step 2: While the shells bake, grab a medium bowl and add the shredded chicken, drained salsa, shredded cheese, green onions, and taco seasoning. Mix.
Step 3: Once the shells are done, equally stuff taco shells with the chicken mixture.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the filled taco shells.
Step 4: Bake tacos for an additional 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven, or until the cheese is melted and the chicken filling is warm.
Tips and Tricks
Drain the salsa to keep the moisture low and keep the taco shells from getting soggy.
Use rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut. Want more chicken recipes? Check out our favorites!
Ingredient Swaps
- Chicken - Love dark meat? Swap out the chicken breasts for shredded chicken thighs.
- Salsa Options - Swap out the salsa for roasted tomatillo salsa verde.
- Cheese Options - Use a combination of pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese - whatever you love.
- Corn Tortillas - Use warmed corn tortillas for a soft tortilla option. They are chewy and crunchy at the same time.
Variations
Baked Carnitas Tacos: Use leftover shredded carnitas pork instead of chicken.
Baked Black Bean Tacos: Swap out the chicken for a vegetarian option and use black beans seasoned with chili powder, lime juice, and taco seasoning.
Enchilada Baked Chicken Tacos: Use homemade enchilada sauce instead of salsa for a delicious enchilada version of baked chicken tacos.
Quesadilla Tacos: Have leftover taco filling? Make a quick quesadilla using flour tortillas for any picky eaters or another great way to use the chicken filling.
Special Diet Options
Gluten Free Baked Chicken Tacos: Use gluten free hard shell tacos and a gluten free taco seasoning.
Low FODMAP Chicken Tacos: Use low FODMAP salsa, homemade taco seasoning or purchase a certified low FODMAP option from Amazon. Use only green onion tops. If needed swap the cheese for a dairy free cheese. Refer to the Monash Food App for the most up-to-date testing and serving sizes.
Dairy Free Chicken Tacos: Use a dairy free cheese or omit it.
Favorite Toppings
The beauty of these crispy chicken tacos is the toppings! They are easily customizable, and everyone can choose what they love and leave off what they don't!
- Creamy: Lactose Free Sour Cream, Lime Crema, Mexican-Ranch Dressing
- Veggies: Diced Fresh Tomatoes, Diced Bell Peppers, Diced Avocados, Pico de Gallo, Jalapenos
- Sauces: Restaurant Style Salsa, Fresh Corn Salsa, Homemade Guacamole, Green Taco Sauce
Storage and Reheating
Store: Keep any leftover tacos in an airtight container. Leftovers will lose texture the longer they sit. Eat within four days for best results.
Reheat: Reheat in a 350 degree F oven on a sheet pan for 10-15 minutes or until warm.
Freeze: Do not freeze. The defrosting process would turn the crispy taco shells into mushy taco shells.
FAQs
Prebaking the taco shells helps them stay crispy once filled.
Using two forks is the minimalist option. Otherwise, an electric mixer or stand mixer will also work. The key is to do it while the chicken is still warm.
If there are big pieces, bake the taco shells and use them like a tostada. If there are smaller pieces, use them as a crunchy topping.
What To Serve With Chicken Tacos
Baked chicken tacos are great all on their own but also are great with a side of cilantro lime rice. Add a slice of cornbread. For an appetizer, make crock pot Mexican street corn dip! The sweetness of the dip is great with the creamy taco filling.
To meal-prep this meal, mix the chicken filling and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Do not fill the taco shells in advance; they will become a soggy mess. This chicken taco filling also makes awesome nachos!
Additional Taco Tuesday Recipes
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole - Shredded chicken with flavorful sauce with crispy tortilla chips.
- Mexican Lasagna - Layers of corn tortillas with ground beef and black beans.
- Chicken Tortilla Soup - A bowl of comforting, spicy soup with chicken, corn, and beans.
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Crispy Chicken Tacos
Equipment
- 9x13 inch Pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken cooked and shredded (Note 1)
- ½ cup salsa drained (Note 2)
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- 3 tablespoons green onions chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 10 hard shell taco sit-and-stand shells (Note 3)
Topping Options:
- shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro and more!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the taco shells upright position in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Prebake the shells for five minutes in a preheated oven before filling.
- While the shells bake, mix the shredded chicken, drained salsa, taco seasoning, green onion tops, and 1 cup shredded cheese in a large bowl.
- Once the shells are done prebaking, fill each taco shell equally with the chicken mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the filled tacos.
- Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- While the tacos bake, prepare the toppings.
- Once tacos are done, add your favorite toppings and serve!
Venessa says
A great way to spin tacos from the old standby tacos.