Description
These Baked Chicken Tacos offer a delicious and easy-to-make meal featuring shredded rotisserie chicken seasoned with taco spices, sautéed onions, diced tomatoes, and green chiles, all layered in crisp hard taco shells with refried beans and melted Mexican cheese. Finished with fresh toppings like jalapeños, sour cream, lettuce, cilantro, and salsa, these tacos are perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound shredded cooked chicken (Rotisserie recommended)
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- ½ cup diced onion
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, fully drained (1 can)
- 4.5 ounces diced green chiles, fully drained (1 can)
Tacos
- 10 hard taco shells (Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff recommended)
- 8 ounces refried beans (½ can)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Toppings
- Sliced jalapeños
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Shredded lettuce
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray to prepare for baking the tacos.
- Heat Oil: In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil to sauté the ingredients.
- Sauté Onion: Add ½ cup diced onion to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is translucent and fragrant, which builds flavor for the filling.
- Cook Chicken Mixture: Stir in ½ pound shredded cooked chicken, 1 ounce taco seasoning, fully drained 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, and fully drained 4.5 ounces diced green chiles. Mix thoroughly and reduce heat to a simmer, allowing the mixture to cook gently for 5-8 minutes to blend flavors.
- Prepare Taco Shells: Place 10 hard taco shells standing upright in the prepared baking dish. Fit them by placing 2 shells on each side as needed.
- Crisp Taco Shells: Bake the empty taco shells for 5 minutes to crisp them up, then remove from the oven.
- Fill Taco Shells: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of refried beans into the bottom of each shell, then top with the warm chicken mixture nearly to the top of each shell.
- Add Cheese: Generously sprinkle 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese over the filling in each taco for a gooey, melted finish.
- Bake Filled Tacos: Return the filled taco shells to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes until the cheese melts fully and the edges of the shells become lightly browned.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the tacos from the oven and top with desired garnishes such as sliced jalapeños, sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped fresh cilantro, and salsa for added flavor and freshness.
Notes
- Ensure the diced tomatoes and green chiles are fully drained to prevent soggy taco shells.
- For quicker prep, rotisserie chicken works perfectly, but leftover cooked chicken can be used as well.
- Adjust the amount of taco seasoning to taste for mild or spicy variations.
- If you prefer soft tacos, substitute the hard shells with soft tortillas but note baking times will vary.
- To make this dish vegetarian, replace chicken with sautéed mushrooms or other vegetables.
- Leftover tacos can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven to maintain crispiness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Baked chicken tacos, easy chicken tacos, Mexican taco recipe, baked taco shells, shredded chicken tacos, weeknight dinner tacos
