Chicken Tacos are the perfect EASY weeknight dinner. These OVEN BAKED chicken tacos have lots of flavor and none of the stress. The ultimate recipe for serving a crowd. This is the most popular recipe on The Cookie Rookie, being pinned over 2 million times and viewed over 6 million times. Make the best tacos ever for dinner tonight!
Best Chicken Tacos You’ll Ever Have
This Spicy Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe is the ultimate easy recipe. Chicken Tacos are great for serving a crowd, taking to a potluck, chowing down on for a tailgating party, and of course, Cinco de Mayo!
Baked tacos can be made in any flavor combination! You can make these as Baked Breakfast Tacos, BBQ Chicken Tacos, and so much more! The possibilities are endless and I love that.
These are one of the easiest and tastiest dinners. It’s one of our favorites to make at our house. Do you see all that melty cheese? What’s not to love!
If you’re not making these easy chicken tacos for Taco Tuesday, what are you doing with your life? Your family will thank you!
This is one of the most popular recipes on The Cookie Rookie! I’ve published a lot of posts on this site (over 1000 to be exact), but this Spicy Oven Baked Chicken Tacos recipe is the #1 recipe by a landslide. There’s something about this recipe that people just go crazy for!
How to Make Chicken Tacos (Step by Step)
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet.
- Add onion to skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken, taco seasoning, tomatoes (FULLY DRAINED), and green chiles (FULLY DRAINED) *see note. 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. I was able to fit 10 taco shells in the dish by adding 2 on each side.
- Bake the taco shells for 5 minutes by themselves to allow them to crisp up. Remove from the oven.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of beans into the bottom of each taco shell. Top with the chicken mixture, almost to the top of each shell.
- Sprinkle each shell generously with shredded cheese, the more the better!
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until 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, cilantro, and salsa.
Be sure to watch the video to help guide you through the recipe. I promise it’s easy!
Baked Tacos
I make these baked tacos so often at our house, and they’re one of the recipes Pat asks for the most. When he comes home and sees these babies are ready to go, he’s a happy camper. You can make them with so many different flavor combos. Be creative and enjoy!
Don’t forget to top these with a LOT of cheese! That’s the only way to make them. We aren’t playing around when it comes to melted cheese!
Chicken Taco Topping Ideas:
- Sliced jalapenos
- Sour cream
- Salsa (pico de gallo, salsa verde, blender salsa)
- Chopped cilantro
- Shredded lettuce
- Guacamole
- Cotija cheese
- Red onions
So many people have written in about how much they love this chicken tacos recipe, and there’s nothing I love hearing more. If you’ve made this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram and let me know! I’d be honored!
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these for so many different occasions, including weeknight dinners at home or big get-togethers.
These are the perfect easy appetizer or meal for New Years Eve, the Super Bowl, Cinco de Mayo, Summer BBQs, Taco Night and more. Why spend all your time in the kitchen when you can have these baked chicken tacos ready for a crowd in around 30 minutes?
And I can’t recommend these as a weeknight dinner recipe enough. The family NEVER gets tired of these tacos!
Side Dishes for Mexican Night
Almost every time we make these baked spicy chicken tacos, we serve them with my Easy Cheesy Tex Mex Rice and simple black beans with cotija cheese.
If we really want to indulge, we will make some White Queso and Tequila Lime Chicken Nachos! That’s for parties like the Super Bowl where calories have been shown to actually not count.
Here are some other great pairings:
- Homemade Salsa
- Best Guacamole Recipe
- Grilled Corn
- Skinny Mexican Street Corn
- Healthy Queso
- Bean and Cheese Taquitos
- Layered Bean Dip
- Foil Packet Nachos
Tips for the Best Chicken Tacos (& Crispy Shells!)
When making baked tacos, one of the issues people seem to run into is soggy taco shells. Something nobody wants! I take good tacos seriously, so I’ve worked to troubleshoot this problem so you can have the crispiest shells when you make these tacos!
- I always bake the shells for 5 minutes on their own before stuffing them with all the delicious toppings and cooking all the way. This way they have the chance to really crisp up on their own before you get started.
- I also make sure refried beans are the bottom layer, creating a bit of a barrier between the chicken mixture and the shell. The shells are bound to be less crispy on the bottom than they are at the top, and that’s just part of what happens when you bake them, but they SHOULD NOT break or be soggy.
- The other truly important step is FULLY DRAINING the tomatoes and green chiles before adding into the chicken mixture. I recommend first draining, then letting sit over a bowl in a strainer for about 5 minutes to make sure they drain all the way.
These tips will all help to keep the shells crispy, so important!
Cocktail Pairings
Oh okay, so you’re my people! My fave pairings are either a Classic Skinny Margarita or our Sparkling Strawberry Margarita Punch. You can also go with a great Mexican beer and be in business. Every great chicken taco recipe needs a great drink, especially if you’re entertaining a crowd, but that doesn’t mean you have to make something fancy. Have fun with the cocktail pairings and you’ll be a star in no time!
Want more fun cocktails to chase down these Chicken Tacos? We’ve got you covered!
- Best Margaritas
- Peach Frozen Margaritas
- Grapefruit Salty Dogs
- Pink Summer Shandy
- Tequila Sunrise
- White Wine Margaritas
Margaritas and Tacos
There’s nothing better to pair with this easy chicken tacos than an amazing Margarita! We have compiled all our favorite Margarita Recipes in the ULTIMATE MARGARITA GUIDE. From classic to unique to flavored to frozen, we have you covered! Be sure to check it out today.
This recipe for Baked Chicken Tacos is the MOST popular recipe on The Cookie Rookie and I hope you love it as much as we do! It’s a family favorite and a reader favorite, so what are you waiting for?
Other chicken recipes we love:
- Chicken Parmesan Pasta
- Creamy Caesar Chicken
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
- Basil Chicken
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Bacon Ranch Chicken
- Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken Recipe
Other Mexican Recipes you MUST MAKE to eat with these tacos:
- Velveeta Cheese Dip Queso (Cowboy Queso)
- Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
- Mexican Corn on the Cob
- Queso Smothered Chicken Fajitas
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Beef Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 pound cooked chicken shredded (I used cooked Rotisserie chicken)
- 1 ounce Taco Seasoning click for homemade recipe!
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 can diced tomato 14.5 ounce, fully drained
- 1 can Chopped Green Chiles 4.5 ounce, fully drained
- 10 Stand and Stuff Taco Shells I used Old El Paso
- 8 ounces Refried Beans 1/2 can
- 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese shredded
Toppings such as Old El Paso sliced Jalapenos, sour cream, salsa, chopped cilantro, shredded lettuce, or any of your favorite taco toppings!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet.
- Add onion to skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken, taco seasoning, tomatoes (FULLY DRAINED), and green chiles (FULLY DRAINED) *see note. 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. I was able to fit 10 taco shells in the dish by adding 2 on each side.
- Bake the taco shells for 5 minutes by themselves to allow them to crisp up. Remove from the oven.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of beans into the bottom of each taco shell. Top with the chicken mixture, almost to the top of each shell.
- Sprinkle each shell generously with shredded cheese, the more the better!
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until 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, cilantro, and salsa.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Looks yummy. Cutting back on carbs and tired of the plain chicken in the freezer. Going to try baking just the filling in a slightly smaller pan. Serve on bed of lettuce for a taco salad.
That sounds really delicious! I might try it that way as well. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks so much for the nice article.
Are the calorie counts in this recipe just for the chicken mixture itself? Or does it include the taco shell? Thanks!
Its for the taco shell too. It’s for 1 full taco.
These look so delicious, and I love that the recipe would feed a crowd! Perfect for game day!
Thanks Cathy!
Nice Becky. This looks gorgeous.I found this formula on Pinterest and made it today evening time. It got rave audits! The main distinction I made is I utilized cabbage as a part of the spot of lettuce. It matched consummately with the cream! A debt of gratitude is in order for the amazing formulas!
So glad you loved it! I love the cabbage idea, that crunch would be fantastic! Thanks for saying hi, Happy New Year!
This looks amazing, a beautiful concept, and quick meal. LOVE everything about it. DROOLS!
Thanks friend! Can’t wait to eat tons of good food with you in march!
These look so so good. I love a great taco recipe, can’t wait to try them baked!
Thanks so much Kimberly! Hope you love them!
YES! Love the idea of baked tacos! My hubby will appreciate the added spice!
Thank you so much Anna! Your husband sounds like mine :)
Taco Tuesday just went up like 10 levels, perfect week night recipe!
Thanks Megan!!
Mexican night is always a favorite here. I know my kids would love these, and I love how easy these are!
Thanks Michelle! Hope you’re doing well :)
What an awesome idea! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Kristyn!
I love baked taco so much! Your chicken version looks amazinf and fresh
Thank you so much Chandra!
I used regular taco seasoning but Tomatoe with green chilies and the chopped green chilies. It’s so so good!
Also did the White Chicken Caprese Lasagna last night and it was an “OMG SO GOOD “out loud moment!
You have completely made my day Cathy! I’m so glad you loved both recipes, it seriously makes me so happy to hear that!
How many does this serve?
Linda that depends how many tacos you can eat….. It makes 10 tacos. ????
I made this recipe last night. It was fantastic and super easy! I will be using many more if your recipes in the future. Thank you so much!
did you cook the chicken before placing in the taco ? or does the chicken cook in the oven?
Yes i cooked it in the skillet, the oven will just heat it up but not cook it all the way through. Hope you love them!
How do I unsubscribe?
They are fantastic! I just made them tonight.
Boring food site using processes & essentially premade stuff. No idea how to cook but present your quest in a hipster way w/ random foliage chips lol. Everyone feels entitled to having a dear diary these days I guess, over any interest they have, forcing others to scroll through muck when they’re looking for professional recipes.
Hi Jen- No one is forcing you to visit my website. This isn’t a diary, it’s my full-time job that I have been doing as my only source of income/full time job for 2 plus years. I work very hard on it, 60-80 hours a week. I don’t feel entitled, I worked hard to grow it and continue to work hard to maintain it. No need to stop by if it isn’t for you, I totally understand. Hope you have a great weekend.
Don’t listen to garbage talk like that from Jen. Some people just have to be negative about everything and they’re never h appy. She I ‘s one of those. I think your site rocks, and love the recipes. If it’s one that I don’t I or my family will like I skip it. Otherwise a I try it. Have I great day and keep up the good work.
Nothing wrong with using pre-made store products,as a chef for over 40 years I know many recipes are better off with them, I use them and I just remember to choose my products wisely and go whole foods and fresh. store bought taco shell are ok. you have a great site here and it shows by your following I say To Hell with negative people !
Keep it up you got my “that a girl”
Chef Ernie
Aw thank you Chef Ernie! I definitely don’t claim to be a chef and I so appreciate you perspective. So sweet of you to say hello. Hope you had a fabulous 4th of July!
Great comeback. You are so right!!! She can look else where for her recipes!!
Yum! Just a little tip: I pu the refried beans in a zip lock bag, cut a small hole in the corner and piped a line of beans in each taco. I also used rotisiere chicken. Thanks for the recipe
That is Genius!!! I had a bit of trouble getting the reformed beans into the bottoms of the shells, had to be very careful and use odd spoon angles to get them in there without breaking or cracking the shells. This is the new way to go for me :) thanks for th suggestion; did you warm the beans at all to make them a bit easier to work wth? I find them pretty chunky and hard straight out of the can?
THAT IS SO SMART! Thank you so much for dropping that nugget of wisdom, I love it!
Dear Becky,
So sorry but there are haters everywhere I guess. I am sorry for Jen’s nasty behavior. She is an asshat.
So true, thank you I love them
Well said, Becky! I am so glad I found your site. I love how clean and easy it is to read and follow. Great for a mom like me who has no time or ability to come up with dinner plans!
Best,
Alice
Well said Becky! Keep your recipes coming. I do appreciate you sharing them.
Wow… people can be so hateful. I am trying your tacos tonight and they already smell FANTASTIC! Thank you for putting yourself out there, even when you have to deal with people who try to insult you and can’t even spell “processed”. ???? Keep doing a great job! ????
Just stumbled upon your site and was reading the reviews. Have to say I’m surprised that someone would be so rude. Your response was great. I do like the recipe and will be sure to try it.
I do have one question. The calories are high–is that for one serving?
Thank you! It happens. I don’t ever understand the need to get rude about a recipe. I appreciate you saying hi!!! And YES, the calories were wrong. I was having an issue with my recipe card markup but I think its fixed. It’s showing correctly now. Thank you for pointing it out!!! That was crazy high haha
Great answer keep it up. There are people who appriciate your receipes.
Thank you so much! <3
Wow hater much???
Sounds like Jen should get off her high horse….no one forced you to look at the site or continue to read the site if it wasn’t your thing. Some of us enjoy these recipes. Some of us are busy and look forward to these quick recipes. Why bring down someone else’s work…go create your own website with all these perfect meals you looking for.
Jen, please read 1st word in recipe title. Please notice that it says “Easy…”. More often than not, ‘Easy..’ in the title or name means just that. Just because it says ‘Easy’, that doesn’t mean that it’s not very tasty.
I’m looking forward to trying this tomorrow night. Giving my wife the night off in the kitchen.
WAY TO GO, w/ giving your wife a night (HOPEFULLY a “regular” to @least “occasional”thing you DO????) OFF IN THE kitchen!! DOES “a night off in the kitchen” ALSO mean threat you ACTUALLY “DO THE dishes & clean-up”, ALSO??
SHE’S a lucky lucky lady that I’m NEARLY POSITIVE KNOWS & APPRECIATES IT (& “YOU” for it)…as long as by giving her the night OFF in the kitchen DOES NOT ACTUALLY mean that you make a HUGE MESS that you leave BEHIND FOR HER AFTER DOING THE “COOKING”!
EITHER WAY, IT’S VERY VERY THOUGHTFUL & MOST LADIES FIND “THIS” SAYING 2B ABSOLUTELY TRULY FRELT…”THERE’S NOTHING SEXIER THAN A MAN WHEN HE’S DOING THE DISHES”!!
YOU sound like a husband that’s thoughtful & deaply in love w/your sweetheart -& I’M NEAR POSITIVE THAT SHE FEELS THE “ADORED” when you’re SO THOUGHTFUL about ALL of the kitchen duties SHE does & volunteer to TAKE YOUR TURN!! KEEP IT UP, Richard…& you and your wife quill have a MUCH BETTER CHANCE at beating those 50% of marriages END IN “divorce”!!
KEEP cooking these type of GREAT meals FOR EACH OTHER!! Try cooking &/or cleaning up “TOGETHER” (IF your kitchen had ROOM ENOUGH) SO “romantic” -AGAIN…”quite SEXY”!!
Jen…..sounds like your irrelevent self needs to “GET A LIFE”.
Wow, what an ass you are. If you are looking for made from scratch recipes go buy yourself a Betty Crocker cookbook. Sometimes working, busy people don’t have time to go out and kill the chicken, strip its feathers and cook it. Nor do I feel the need to grind my own corn to make taco shells. For me I look for fast, easy and yes sometimes processed and precooked foods.
Beat it Jen,
Don’t come back here. Go find another website to be nasty to.
yet there you sit wasting your oh so precious time complaining about something you could have just scrolled past..
I love the stories before the recipes , when I cook, its always from the heart. Its one of the ways I show my love to my family. Stories add to the recipe . I love the stories that came with the recipes that my mother gave me. Even simple recipes, like mashed potatoes , always had a family event described. Like, “I remember the first time you helped Nanna mash the potatoes, you were so small , they had to sit you on the counter because the rim of the bowl was too high for your arms to reach, even standing o a stool.”
Please keep the stories, it what gives the recipes a soul!
You are so sweet. Thank you Dawn!
Don’t be a hater Jen. Feel free to look elsewhere for recipes that fit your taste.
wow! really!
Oh for Pete’s sake! Pay no attention to the rude comment. To Jen: First of all, if you have so much experience with “professional” recipes, it would be easy to figure out that instead of complaining, you could easily prepare your own chicken, taco seasoning, and substitute fresh ingredients for the canned ones. You could also add whatever you want to suit your taste. I can and have done all of those things.
There are nights that I enjoy making a meal almost or entirely from scratch. There are also nights where I was stuck at the office late, or the kids have an event shortly after getting home from school, and premade ingredients are a lifesaver. And a recipe like this is much healthier than fast food or a frozen pizza. So please get off your high horse. It’s a big drop when you fall off.
Thanks for the awesome recipe! I tried it and will make it again!
Get over yourself…….this is a wonderful recipe and your comments were disgraceful ….. excellent go to for a quick dinner.
So did your family like them? I’m sure by now you have tweaked the recipe to suit everyone. My son loves these! So much so he’s in the kitchen tearing apart some chicken breasts.when I make the meat portion,I make extra so the next time I hear chicken tacos all I need to do is go buy shells.
WOW…. rude much? NOT EVERYTHING IS PREPACKAGED BLAH BLAH BLAH, Jen. I was going to something pithy but I was too busy PICKING my jaw up off the floor. Becky, I appreciate what you’ve done here. Keep on going, girlfriend! My husband and children have loved every recipe I’ve tried off your site! And FOR the record, I HAVE always been a great cook and excellent baker… and I love trying new things!
Thank you Kellie! I appreciate you and I’m so glad you and your family loved the recipe. MUAH xoxo
Wow! Who are you? What are you?
Wow. Honestly if You don’t appreciate the site then block it without the nasty comment. I am looking forward to making these on Mother’s Day.. “tomorrow” in case you may need a reminder.
Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks for the sweet comment <3
Jen, Why must you be so rude? Sometimes it’s better to say nothing and go your own way. This is a great site and Becky does a wonderful job. If you were trying to make Becky feel small, then it backfired on you. So sad for you!
Thank you Anne, that is so sweet of you. Have a wonderful holiday.
I REFUSE to be message OR rude in ANY WAY…just a “ditto” to Becky’s REPLY.
ALSO, I’m certain that like myself out CAN BE “quite exasperating” with the TONS of posts it seems we have to scroll THROUGH just to get to the people & items that we’d care to see!!????
However, I’ve found that MOST sites have a way to make your page “private”. That way only THOSE that “YOU’VE approved” are allowed to post on YOUR PAGE
…w/the EXCEPTION of the advertisements the site requires you to see so that our keeps YOU & OTHERS from HAVING TO “PAY” for the site!! (I’m guessing it’s HOW the sites get THEIR financial needs & goals met and keep the sites UP, AVAILABLE & running.)
Seriously, look for HOW to make YOUR PAGE “private”. It sounds as if it would at least HELP keep you from getting so many sites that YOU REALLY DON’T CARE FOR!
Good luck w/TRYING THAT, & have an ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, POSITIVE, & HAPPY DAY!
Jen the jealous Hater!! Awesome recipe!!
Thank you Teri, glad you loved the recipe :)
Wow Jen ~ you’re an asshole
some folks just have to be toxic, Jen must have a pathetic life to have to use negativity on someone else’s site just to attempt to be relevant… narcissistic enough to try to renounce/rebuke others & yet have absolutely nothing positive or useful to ad…. Jen could have metntioned it just wasn’t her cup of tea & moved on… how sad she appears…
I have an idea Jen…find something better to do than try to make people feel crappy just because you happen to be miserable in life.
I LOVE this site because unlike Jen, some of us could use a simpler version of amazing food! BTW Old El Paso makes billions of dollars…how much have you made this year Jen
The oven spicy chicken tacos are AWSOME in taste but with the foil lined pan they got very soggy on bottom., next time i will try with out the foil.
I know this is really old but i just saw it. What are you simmering if you use a dry seasoning and drain the tomatoes?
The tomatoes will cook down and get watery . Just enough to mix and simmer