These Baked Chicken Tacos load up extra crispy corn tortillas with saucy chicken, cheese, and onions. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that comes together quickly with shredded rotisserie chicken. These crispy baked tacos taste like they came from your favorite taqueria, but they require just 15 minutes of hands on prep!
“These are foolproof, and perfect for a quick weeknight meal that’s always a crowd pleaser! … There are so many ways to personalize the filling – but the recipe is perfect as is, and a new family favorite. So easy, so crispy, and so addictive.“ – Lisa, So Much Food reader
Table of contents
These Easy Baked Tacos Are a Weeknight Dinner Win
Taco night is my favorite dinner of the week! I never quite know what taco filling I’m going to make, because I usually let whatever leftovers we have hanging out in the fridge dictate the final flavor profile.
On weeks when ingredients are running low and I need dinner on the table ASAP, I turn to this ridiculously crispy chicken tacos recipe. The saucy filling starts with whatever leftover cooked chicken I have on hand, and that gets mixed with some enchilada sauce and a sprinkling of my favorite Mexican spices.
The filling is loaded into white or yellow corn tortillas, topped with cheese, and baked until the taco shell is nice and crunchy. The entire recipe takes around 35 minutes from start to finish, and I never tire of eating these baked chicken tacos!
The Main Ingredients
- Chicken. You can cook and shred your own chicken, but I like to used cooked shredded rotisserie chicken. (If cooking your own chicken, my Dutch oven roast chicken recipe turns out super moist and tender, which makes it easy to shred.)
- Red enchilada sauce. I opt for a medium or spicy variety, but use your favorite.
- Onion. Half of the onion gets cooked with the chicken, half is sliced or diced for the finished tacos.
- Spices. Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and a bit of oregano gives these baked chicken tacos so much flavor.
- Oaxaca cheese. Oaxaca cheese is the mozzarella of Mexican cooking. It’s mild and super melty!
- Corn Tortillas. Flour tortillas don’t work as well here, so choose a high-quality corn tortilla.
- Neutral oil. Opt for something like canola or vegetable oil with a high smoke point so the oil doesn’t burn. Avocado and grapeseed oil work well too.
- Toppings. I love topping my crispy baked chicken tacos with lots of homemade guacamole, sliced onions or pickled onions, a squeeze of lime, and lots of cilantro.
Tools Needed
How to Make Crispy Chicken Tacos in the Oven
Jenny’s Tip: You can double this recipe for an easy game day snack too!
- Prepare the taco filling. The sliced onions are sautéed in a skillet until softened, then the cooked chicken, enchilada sauce, and spices are mixed in. Gently cook this mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated (extra liquid in the chicken will make the tacos soggy!).
- Warm the tortillas. Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil, taking care not to go too heavy on the oil to prevent the tacos from becoming soggy. Just 3 minutes in a 425ºF will warm up the tortillas and make them pliable.
- Fill the tortillas. Divide the chicken filling between the tortillas, top with shredded Oaxaca cheese, and fold over the tortillas to make half moons.
- Bake until super crispy. Cook the tacos for 12 minutes, then flip them over and cook for another 10ish minutes to crisp up both sides.
- Top and serve. Serve your chicken tacos with guacamole, sliced onions, cilantro, and lime. Enjoy!
Jenny’s Tips for Perfect Baked Tacos
Feel free to customize! Swap in a different protein like shredded beef or pork, add some fajita veggies, swap in a different cheese.
Cook the liquid out of the chicken. Make sure when you cook the chicken, simmer it long enough for the liquid to mostly evaporate. Extra liquid will also make the tacos soggy.
Toasting the tortillas in the oven first is essential. Corn tortillas are fragile and break easily. Brushing them with oil and baking them for a few minutes before filling makes them super flexible and easy to work with.
Broil for extra crispy tacos. For the last couple of minutes, switch on the broiler for a few to make your tacos extra crispy!
Side Dish Suggestions
Make a Mexican-inspired feast by serving your crispy chicken tacos with one or more of the following sides:
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Easy Taco Recipes:
- Chicken Tinga Tacos
- Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos
- Crispy Potato Tacos
- Caramelized Pork Tacos
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Beer Braised Carnitas Tacos
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Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Tacos
- 3 1/2 cups (about 1 lb.) cooked, shredded chicken
- 1/2 white onion, sliced
- 2/3 cup red enchilada sauce
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 10 oz Oaxaca cheese, shredded
- 8-10 corn tortillas*
- neutral oil, for brushing
Toppings
- 1/2 cup guacamole
- 1/2 white onion, sliced or diced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 8 lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 425ºF.
- Make the filling. In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the chicken, enchilada sauce, and spices and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Warm the tortillas. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with neutral oil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes. Remove from the oven–the tortillas should be warm and very flexible now.
- Fill the tacos and bake. Divide the chicken mixture between the tortillas, only filling one side. Top with the Oaxaca cheese and fold the other side of the tortilla over the filling. Adjust the tacos so that they have space on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, flip the tacos, and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until crispy.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer the tacos to a serving plate and serve with guacamole, onions, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Notes
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