Baked Chicken Tacos

These Baked Chicken Tacos are the ultimate easy weeknight dinner! Loaded with seasoned chicken, melty cheese, and your favorite toppings, they come together quickly and bake to crispy perfection. Perfect for Taco Tuesday or any busy night!

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This baked chicken tacos recipe is a new household favorite. Rotel is the secret ingredient for getting a perfectly moist chicken filling while the melted cheese on top brings it all together. Plus you can add all of your favorite toppings to make it exactly how you like it. All of this goodness is housed in a crispy corn shell, baked and you’ve got supper ready to go!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The chicken is so easy to cook during your meal prep at the beginning of the week so you can assemble the tacos in no time.
• You will have supper on the table in just 35 minutes. Perfect timing for a weeknight.
• These tacos are bursting with flavor! Perfectly seasoned filling with tender chicken and gooey cheese in a crispy shell, it doesn’t get much better.

Ingredient Tips

• Shredded cooked chicken – Use the crockpot or Instant Pot for perfect shredded chicken.
• Taco seasoning – I love to keep a batch of homemade taco seasoning on hand, but you can totally use your favorite store bought one, too.
• Salsa – Choose your favorite store bought salsa or try making it homemade. Either way, choose your spice level – mild, medium or hot.
• Hard taco shells – I recommend Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff. They are so easy to fill with delicious taco toppings and stay upright while the tacos bake.

How to Make Baked Chicken Tacos

1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium.
2. Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent and fragrant.
3. Stir in cooked, shredded chicken, taco seasoning, Rotel, water and salsa. Stir to combine fully. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 5-8 minutes.
4. Place the taco shells in the greased 9×13 baking dish, standing up.
5. Bake the shells for 5 minutes in a preheated oven to allow them to crisp up. Remove from the oven.
6. Fill the taco shells about ¾ full of the chicken mixture.
7. Sprinkle each shell generously with shredded cheese.
8. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the edges of the shells are browned.
9. Remove from the oven and top with your favorite items such as jalapenos, sour cream, shredded lettuce, cilantro, and salsa. Serve and enjoy.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you only bake what you need, store the chicken mixture separate from the taco shells and toppings.

Freezer: You can freeze the taco filling in an airtight container on its own to use at a later time. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat tacos in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes. Wrap tacos in aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out and bake on a baking tray.

Taco night is always the best night of the week! These Baked Chicken tacos are so cheesy and the crispy taco shells add a delicious crunch in every bite.

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

 

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Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe

These Baked Chicken Tacos are packed with flavorful shredded chicken, gooey cheese, and all the best toppings.

Prep:10 minutes mins

Cook:25 minutes mins

Total:35 minutes mins

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Equipment

• 9×13 baking dish
• Kitchen tongs
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Can opener
• Medium skillet
• Nonstick spray

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 4 cups cooked chicken shredded
• ▢ 1 ounce taco seasoning (1 package)
• ▢ ½ cup diced onion
• ▢ 10 ounces rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies (1 can)
• ▢ ½ cup salsa
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 10 hard taco shells (I recommend Old El Paso Stand 'N Stuff)
• ▢ 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Optional Toppings

• ▢ sliced jalapeños
• ▢ sour cream
• ▢ salsa
• ▢ shredded lettuce
• ▢ chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
• In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add onions to skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent and fragrant.
• Stir in the cooked, shredded chicken, taco seasoning, Rotel, water and salsa. Stir to combine fully. Reduce to simmer and allow to cook for 5-8 minutes.
• Place the taco shells in the baking dish, standing up.
• Bake the taco shells for 5 minutes by themselves to allow them to crisp up. Remove from the oven.
• Fill the taco shells about ¾ full of the chicken mixture.
• Sprinkle each shell generously with shredded cheese.
• Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the edges of the shells are browned.
• Remove from the oven and top with your favorite items such as jalapenos, sour cream, shredded lettuce, cilantro, and salsa.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2tacos, Calories: 455kcal (23%), Carbohydrates: 25g (8%), Protein: 39g (78%), Fat: 22g (34%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 105mg (35%), Sodium: 1058mg (46%), Potassium: 540mg (15%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 5g (6%), Vitamin A: 970IU (19%), Vitamin C: 10mg (12%), Calcium: 453mg (45%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.

How to Serve Baked Chicken Tacos

Baked Chicken Tacos are a great meal to enjoy with a side of Spanish rice. You can even mix up a batch of Mexican Street Corn Dip and set out some corn chips for dipping. The corn dip would also be really tasty added to the tacos.

Don’t forget to make a batch of Margaritas or Palomas to enjoy, too!

More Great Taco Recipes

• Combine meatless Monday with taco Tuesday and make Baja Shrimp Tacos. Juicy seasoned shrimp and tangy coleslaw make the perfect pair.
• When your family needs to eat on the run, a Walking Taco is the perfect meal. Taco beef and all the fixings go right into the bag of nacho cheese chips, just grab and go!
• Add three ingredients to your crock pot, set it and forget it til it’s time to dig in to supper. Crockpot Chicken Tacos are a midweek lifesaver piled high with your favorite taco toppings.
• Make a double batch of Easy Ground Beef Taco Meat and freeze half or a super easy supper down the road. Future you will be so grateful!