Make taco night a breeze with these crispy Baked Chicken Tacos! The tacos are crunchy, cheesy, and packed with perfectly seasoned and tender chicken.
Switch up this simple recipe by using different fillings, hard or soft taco shells, and a variety of toppings. No matter what you add, you’ll still end up with the best oven-baked chicken tacos every time. I love these baked tacos with chicken so much that I intentionally make more than I need for one evening so I can have them for lunch – and probably dinner – the next day, as well!
If you like easy chicken recipes, you will love my southwest chicken wraps and chicken Caesar pasta salad.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple and Inexpensive Ingredients: Like my buffalo chicken sliders, this recipe is perfect for an easy dinner on a budget because it only requires chicken, pantry-staple seasonings, tortillas, and cheese. It’s basic, but delicious!
- Ready in Less Than 30 Minutes: If you need dinner in a hurry, these oven chicken tacos are perfect. They are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes with barely any prep work.
- Easily Customizable: One of the best things about tacos for dinner is that everyone can build their tacos to match their tastes. Make them spicy or keep them plain, however you serve them, they’re sure to be a hit!
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are best for this recipe because they are lean and easy to cut into bite-size pieces.
- Lime Juice: Tenderize the chicken and add a punch of citrus flavor with lime juice. You can use freshly squeezed lime juice or bottled lime juice.
- Seasonings: Be sure to season the chicken with spices like paprika, chili powder, basil, oregano, and garlic salt. I love to use Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning, too, for a spicy kick.
- Shredded Cheese: Top your tacos with shredded cheese. Pepper Jack cheese is my go-to, but cheddar cheese and Colby Jack cheese are also great options.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add Vegetables: Make these oven-baked chicken tacos even more hearty and filling by adding black beans or refried beans before baking them. You could also add tomatoes, zucchini, or corn to get your veggies in.
- Try With Beef: This recipe also works for making delicious and tender beef tacos! Follow the recipe, but cook the beef to medium (140-145°F), then slice it without resting. The beef will cook more when you bake the tacos.
- Make Them Gluten-Free: If you want this recipe to be gluten-free, you’ll need to use gluten-free corn tortillas or tortillas made from cassava flour. It’s an easy substitution!
How to Make Baked Chicken Tacos
These baked crispy chicken tacos are crunchy, cheesy, and full of tender, well-seasoned chicken, and so easy to make! Before you start cooking, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 13×9 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Step 1: Season the Chicken. Vombine the olive oil, lime juice, and all of the seasonings in a large bowl. Then add the chicken breasts to the bowl and coat them in the sauce.
- Step 2: Cook and Cut the Chicken. Warm a large skillet over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the hot pan and cook for 7-10 minutes on each side until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set them aside.
- Step 3: Assemble the Tacos. Fill your tortillas with chicken and top them with shredded cheese. You can stand hard shells up by themselves in the pan. You’ll need to use toothpicks to hold the tops up and together for soft tortillas.
- Step 4: Bake. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the tacos for about 10 minutes. The cheese should be completely melted, and the tortillas will be slightly browned.
- Step 5: Add Toppings and Serve. Fill the cheesy chicken baked tacos with toppings and enjoy! We love them with some homemade jalapeno salsa for a bit of heat.
Expert Tips
- Cook Chicken Thoroughly: Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken is done before cutting it up for the tacos.
- Bake Shells Before Filling Them: If you make chicken tacos in the oven using hard shells, prebake them for about 5 minutes before filling them with chicken and cheese. This helps them stay crunchy and not turn soggy.
- Use Freshly Shredded Cheese: It’s an extra step, but freshly shredded cheese tastes so much better than preshredded cheese. It also melts better and more evenly, so each bite of taco is gooey and cheesy.
- Adjust the Heat. Add sliced jalapenos to the chicken before cooking it for a spicy kick. And, if you’re not a fan of heat, you can always forego the heat by removing the Slap Ya Mama seasoning.
Storage Directions
- Storing: These tacos don’t store well because they get soggy in the refrigerator. However, you can store the chicken filling in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze it for about a month.
- Reheating: Reheat the chicken filling in the microwave for 60-second intervals, or in a skillet on the stove, until it is heated through. Be sure to thaw frozen filling for 24 hours in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make Ahead: Make the seasoned chicken a day or two ahead of time, then reheat it and add it to your tacos. Bake according to the recipe, and you have dinner in 15 minutes or less!
Serving Suggestions
This is the best baked chicken taco recipe because it’s so simple and quick to throw together. This is a go-to recipe for meal-prepping lunches for the week, or just a quick dinner after a busy day. The crispy, cheesy tacos taste better than takeout!
- Bake these chicken tacos inside homemade flour tortillas and fill them with charro beans along with the chicken.
- Make and serve with a side of green chili corn casserole.
- Don’t forget dessert! After you enjoy your tacos, indulge in a few cosmic brownie bites.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe works for both soft flour tortillas and hard shell tacos, so just prepare whichever you’re in the mood for. You could even make nachos using tortilla chips instead of taco shells.
You can use any toppings you like! A few of my favorites include lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, fresh cilantro, and avocado.
These tacos are already pretty mild, but if you want them less spicy, then skip the Slap Ya Mama seasoning. You can make them spicier by adding fresh jalapenos or your favorite hot sauce before baking the assembled tacos.
These Chicken Baked Tacos are Deliciously Simple
This recipe is so easy, you’ll be in and out of the kitchen in record time. It only takes about 20 minutes of cooking the chicken and then 10 minutes of baking to create these tacos. After that, simply kick back and enjoy your baked tacos with family and friends. Whip them up for a weeknight dinner or as part of a taco party. Whatever you plan to do with them, just make them! They’re absolutely delicious and so easy to make. You’ll be so glad you did.
More Delicious Taco Recipes
Try this delicious copycat Malibu chicken recipe from Great Grub, Delicious Treats.
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Baked Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 cups pepper Jack cheese, shredded
- 12 small flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet or a 13×9 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add chicken, olive oil, lime juice, and seasonings. Mix well to evenly coat chicken breasts.
- Over medium heat, add chicken breasts to a large pan or cast iron pan and cook for 7-10 on each side, until chicken is thoroughly cooked and there is no more pink inside.
- Remove from pan and cut chicken breasts into pieces and set aside.
- In each flour tortilla, place chicken then top with shredded cheese.
- Hold each taco in place with a toothpick.
- Place tacos on prepared baking sheet or in 13×9 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese has melted and tortillas slightly browned.
- Carefully remove from oven and add optional toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, onions, sour cream.
Notes
- Baking hard taco shells for 5 minutes before filling helps them stay crunchy instead of soggy. Totally worth it!
- Freshly shredded cheese melts smoother and tastes way better than the bagged stuff. Your tacos will thank you.
- Want it spicy? Add jalapeños to the chicken while it cooks. Prefer it mild? Skip the Slap Ya Mama seasoning or tone it down to taste.
