When I want to make an easy dinner for my family, I always turn to these baked chicken tacos. They’re a favorite with my kids, and I love that they involve minimal clean up and are super easy. Made in less than 30 minutes, the spicy shredded chicken filling bakes up in the crispy taco shells so fast. I developed this recipe in 2015 and it’s been the ultimate recipe for serving a crowd on game day, Cinco de Mayo, or taco night ever since. Over 2400 home cooks have ranked this recipe a 5-star favorite. I’m so proud of this recipe!

baked chicken tacos in baking dish

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When I developed this recipe in 2015, I had no idea how many times I’d end up making it. We make it time and time again at our house, in about every flavor combination possible. I always end up coming back to this simple chicken filling, and its a favorite of my kid’s as well. This is the most popular recipe on The Cookie Rookie. It has been viewed over 6 million times and pinned over 2 million times. It’s so simple and delicious, I just know you’ll love it!

What’s in This Baked Chicken Taco Recipe?

  • Shredded Chicken: Use fully cooked, shredded chicken for the taco filling. I often use rotisserie chicken for a quick and easy option.
  • Taco Seasoning: This blend of spices (chili powder, paprika, garlic and onion powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes) is perfect for any taco recipe and adds so much flavor.
  • Taco Shells: Use hard taco shells since they bake up nice and crispy in the oven!
  • Cheese: I used Mexican blend shredded cheese, but any blend of melting cheeses will work. Freshly grated cheese gets beautifully melty!
  • Green Chiles: Use a can of chopped green chiles for the chicken mixture. It adds a little bit of heat, and it’s really delicious. Just be sure to fully drain them.
  • Refried Beans: The creamy texture of refried beans adds a nice layer of texture and flavor beneath the chicken. Use about half a can.
  • Tomatoes: A can of diced tomatoes adds more texture to the mix. Again, be sure to fully drain these so you don’t end up with too much liquid in the chicken taco filling.
  • Onion: Adds more texture and some aromatics. White, sweet, or red onions all work.
Cheesy chicken tacos baked in a dish.
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Tips for Success

  • There are a few things I do to make sure the shells don’t get soggy:
    • Fully drain all canned ingredients so that there isn’t extra liquid in the filling.
    • Bake the shells by themselves for about 5 minutes before filling them.
    • Layer the refried beans on the bottom, and place the chicken taco meat on top. This helps them hold up better.
  • If you’re making these for a crowd or a party, you can keep them warm in the oven as you serve. We usually turn the oven down to about 250°F, and keep them in a baking dish covered with foil.
side view of baked chicken tacos

How to Store and Reheat

I generally recommend storing these baked chicken tacos separately rather than as whole tacos. Store the individual components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

If you have leftover tacos after baking everything together, wrap individual tacos in aluminum foil, and place them in a resealable bag. Keep in mind that the shells might get soggy if stored this way. To reheat, assemble tacos and bake as instructed in the recipe card, or until the chicken is fully heated through (165°F).

Delicious chicken tacos on a rustic cutting board.

Serving Suggestions

These easy chicken tacos make Taco Tuesday a snap. They’re quick to prep for a Cinco de Mayo party, and they also make delicious game-day food. Pair them with Mexican grilled corn, Mexican rice, or Esquites for a rounded meal.

This is one of our family’s favorite meals to make on busy nights, or for a celebration. We hope you love it as much as we do.

5-Star Reviews

“I rarely leave reviews for recipes, but this was SO good and so simple, I had to say thank you! So thanks for the great recipe, it’s going in the regular rotation!” – Christy

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“We have made these several tomes snd they’re well loved! Sure go fast! I couldn’t even get a photo of them all!!!” – Melissa

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“I use the chicken filling for so many things other than this recipe!! It’s so good for taco salads, quesadillas, soft tacos, the list goes on. I make a double batch and eat the variations throughout the week!” – Catie

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“This is a go-to in our household. It’s so quick, simple, and delicious- and since it’s just my husband and I, we have enough for two days! :)” – Brittany

Recipe Card

Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe

4.52 from 2463 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 10
Author: Becky Hardin
baked chicken tacos in baking dish
How to make the best baked chicken tacos for a crowd! Lots of tacos made in one baking dish for family dinners, Cinco de Mayo, and more.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ pound shredded cooked chicken We used Rotisserie chicken
  • 1 ounce taco seasoning (click for recipe!)
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes fully drained (1 can)
  • 4.5 ounces diced green chiles fully drained (1 can)
  • 10 hard taco shells We used Old El Paso Stand 'N Stuff
  • 8 ounces refried beans (½ can)
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Optional Toppings

  • Sliced jalapeños
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet.
    1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Add onion to skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
    ½ cup diced onion
  • Stir in the chicken, taco seasoning, tomatoes (fully drained), and green chiles (fully drained). Stir to combine fully. Reduce to simmer and allow to cook for 5-8 minutes.
    ½ pound shredded cooked chicken, 1 ounce taco seasoning, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, 4.5 ounces diced green chiles
    Shredded chicken tacos in a skillet with tomatoes and onions.
  • Place the taco shells in the baking dish, standing up. We were able to fit 10 taco shells in the dish by adding 2 on each side.
    10 hard taco shells
  • 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.
    8 ounces refried beans
    Baked chicken tacos in a white baking dish.
  • Sprinkle each shell generously with shredded cheese, the more the better!
    2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
    Baked chicken tacos in a white dish.
  • 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, shredded lettuce, cilantro, and salsa.
    Sliced jalapeños, Sour cream, Salsa, Chopped fresh cilantro, Shredded lettuce

Video

Becky’s Tips

  • Between the taco seasoning, green chiles, and jalapenos (my favorite topping, though it’s completely optional), this baked chicken tacos recipe is relatively spicy, but not overwhelmingly hot.
  • When I want to make them less spicy, I skip the jalapeños on top. The green chiles can be quite mild, but if you or the kids are sensitive to spice, simply skip over them when making the chicken filling.
  • Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients
Storage: Store baked chicken tacos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving: 1tacoCalories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 13gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 607mgPotassium: 224mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 803IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 181mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Chicken Tacos Step by Step

Sauté the Onion: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add ½ cup of diced onion to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and fragrant.

Simmer the Filling: Stir in ½ pound of shredded cooked chicken, 1 ounce of taco seasoning, 14.5 ounces (1 can) of diced tomatoes (fully drained), and 4.5 ounces (1 can) of diced green chiles (fully drained). Stir to combine fully. Reduce to simmer and allow to cook for 5-8 minutes.

Shredded chicken tacos in a skillet with tomatoes and onions.

Bake the Taco Shells: Place 10 hard taco shells in the baking dish, standing up. We were 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.

Fill the Tacos: Spoon 1 tablespoon of refried beans into the bottom of each taco shell. Top with the chicken mixture, filling almost to the top of each shell.

Baked chicken tacos in a white baking dish.

Top with Cheese: Sprinkle each shell generously with 2 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese, the more the better!

Baked chicken tacos in a white dish.

Bake and Serve: 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.

More Taco Recipes To Try

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.52 from 2463 votes (2,066 ratings without comment)
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Amber
Amber
November 16, 2024 2:20 pm

HI! You used to have a recipe that included mixing tequila and sugar and them brushing the mixture on the hard taco shells or on chips? My family love it and I can’t find it anywhere. Can you help?? Thank you. :)

Samantha Marceau
November 18, 2024 9:11 am
Reply to  Amber

Hi Amber, I’ve gone through our archive and can’t find a recipe where tequila and sugar is brushed on tortillas or chips. So sorry!

Georgia
Georgia
November 12, 2024 5:52 pm

These tacos are delish!!!! I did not spray the pan the second time I made them because the first time I did and the bottoms fell out!!
I would highly recommend these!!!!5 stars

Teri
Teri
November 8, 2024 3:59 pm

What a great recipe! We topped it with avocado and salsa verde. I am always looking for a way to use rotisserie chicken.5 stars

Tanya
Tanya
September 17, 2024 5:56 pm

So is the only difference between baking and not baking them once assembled is the fact that the cheese melts?

Samantha Marceau
September 18, 2024 8:56 am
Reply to  Tanya

Hi Tanya, the cheese melts and the filling is nice and warm!

Karyn Buffington
Karyn Buffington
November 29, 2024 10:55 am

AND they are a bit more pliable so older and younger eaters who love tacos don’t get frustrated with their tacos falling apart. Also, my nephew with braces feels like he is getting the same experience as everyone else, because the the shells soften a bit and they are not a threat to him breaking any of his (very expensive) orthodonture.

Zee
Zee
September 2, 2024 10:24 pm

Hello, thanks for sharing a easy go to recipe. I’m gonna try these out today but with ground beef and green pepper in sub for chicken and green chillies. Do you have any recommendations when making a beef version?

Last edited 3 months ago by Zee
Samantha Marceau
September 3, 2024 8:37 am
Reply to  Zee

Hi Zee, we recommend draining any excess fat from the beef after cooking!

Zee
Zee
September 3, 2024 8:44 am

Thank you!!!! I allowed the mixture to simmer until the juices from the meat and tomatoes thickened. My kids loved them!!!!! Perfect recipe, will definitely try it in chicken next time.5 stars

Dee Kross
Dee Kross
July 23, 2024 3:59 pm

I have been making this recipe for years now. I love using stand n stuff shells it makes it so much easier to put together. It’s a favorite in my house. Thank you for providing such an easy and delicious recipe!5 stars

Michelle
Michelle
June 23, 2024 11:46 pm

Question, how do I keep the hard shells from closing after I preheat them?

Samantha Marceau
June 24, 2024 8:48 am
Reply to  Michelle

Hi Michelle, hard taco shells shouldn’t close when baked, but if you find that they do, you can try stuffing each with a little bit of wadded up aluminum foil, then removing once they are heated.

Julie
Julie
June 14, 2024 12:29 pm

Can a pan of these be frozen????5 stars

Samantha Marceau
June 14, 2024 1:20 pm
Reply to  Julie

Hi Julie, while you certainly can freeze a pan of these, we don’t recommend it since thawing often causes the shells to go soggy!

David B
David B
June 8, 2024 5:20 pm

Made these last night. Easy to make and delicious5 stars

Grace
Grace
May 25, 2024 11:58 am

I prepared tacos today and they were amazing.Thanks for the recipe5 stars