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Oven Baked Chicken Tacos

The easiest oven baked chicken tacos recipe! My baked chicken tacos are super simple to put together (especially with my 3-ingredient crockpot salsa chicken) and are a delicious weeknight dinner that the whole family is sure to love. Serve these cheesy chicken tacos with fresh toppings and a side of Mexican cauliflower rice for a well-rounded meal. Use the leftover chicken for cheater chilaquiles!

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

plate with baked chicken tacos

How to Make Oven Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe:

This cheesy chicken tacos recipe comes together in just 15 minutes (once the chicken is cooked!). Here’s how we make this fam favorite:

  • Make crockpot chicken and salsa. First things first, go make the chicken for tacos in oven. It takes 2 minutes to prep and just 3 ingredients.
  • Make pico de gallo. I love this fresh topping with the heavier meat and cheese and it takes just a few minutes to make. Simply chop up tomatoes, onion, and cilantro and toss with lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Add diced jalapenos if you like heat.
ingredients for pico de gallo
  • Assemble oven chicken tacos. Stand up taco shells in a baking dish. Sprinkle a little cheese on the bottom of each shell. Top with salsa chicken and another sprinkle of cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes, until cheese has melted and taco shells are crispy.

TIP: To ensure you don’t end up with soggy cheesy chicken tacos I recommend doing two things. First, lightly drain the salsa chicken so that it’s not dripping with liquid. Second, sprinkle a layer of cheese on the bottom of the shell to help protect the shell from the chicken.

cheesy chicken tacos in hard shells
  • Make Mexican cauliflower rice. I highly recommend making this quick and veggie-packed side dish to serve along with oven baked chicken tacos.
  • Prep baked crispy tacos toppings. Wash and shred lettuce, and any other fresh toppings.
  • Eat! When the oven baked chicken tacos are done baking, serve immediately and top as desired.
platter of oven baked chicken tacos

How to Store Oven Baked Chicken Tacos:

Baked chicken breast tacos should be eaten immediately! While the ingredients for easy spicy chicken tacos store just fine, once they are assembled they need to be eaten or the tortilla shell will get soggy. I recommend making what you think you will eat and if you need to make more, they take just 10 minutes in the oven.

Eat the pico de gallo within a day or two for best flavor.

plate with baked chicken tacos and toppings

Cheesy Chicken Tacos Nutrition + Substitutes:

These easy oven baked chicken tacos make for a satisfying meal. If you’re looking to lighten things up, you can use less cheese and keep toppings to veggies only. Up to you!

Each serving of tacos (which will obviously depend on appetite, but for these purposes I’m counting two hard shell chicken tacos) has 518 calories and 42 grams of protein! This is an estimate as exact amounts will vary depending on how much chicken, cheese, and toppings you use.

  • Toppings – I love the combo of fresh pico, crunchy lettuce, and cool sour cream, but feel free to switch up the toppings based on your favorite!
  • Pico de Gallo – Want to save a few minutes? Buy fresh pico de gallo from the store.
  • Dairy-Free – If you’re dairy-free, simply swap the cheddar for your favorite cheese alternative.
  • Add vegetables – I served these crunchy chicken tacos with a side of Mexican cauliflower rice for a hefty side of veggies.
baking dish with oven baked chicken tacos

More Mexican-ish Recipes:

I love Mexican-ish food! Living in Southern California meant a lot of opportunities for authentic flavors, but when I’m cooking at home for my family I like to keep it simple and use easy ingredients. Here are a few more recipes you might like:

  • Chicken Taco Soup – Like any soup recipe on my site, it uses a secret ingredient for max flavor quickly!
  • Mexican Ground Beef Casserole – Even though it’s got satisfying layers, this casserole is still light enough to eat all year long!
  • Black Bean Quinoa Salad – Traditional flavors in a light and bright salad that’s a great side or main meal. (17 grams vegetarian protein per serving!)
  • Mexican Tater Tot Casserole – Where my Minnnesota and California roots collide in a super-delicious meal the whole family will be obsessed with!
  • Grilled Turkey Fajitas: Perfectly juicy and tender, these easy fajitas are always a big hit.
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plate with crispy cheesy chicken tacos

Oven Baked Chicken Tacos

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Description

The EASIEST baked chicken taco recipe that’s also a family favorite. Plus, my fool-proof tricks for oven baked chicken tacos that aren’t soggy!


Ingredients

Units Scale

Quick Pico de Gallo

  • 2 cups chopped tomatoes (can use any variety)
  • 1/4 cup diced white onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1/8 tsp. sea salt
  • pinch black pepper

Oven Baked Tacos

  • 1012 hard corn taco shells
  • 8 oz. shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
  • 23 cups crockpot salsa chicken

Toppings

  • shredded lettuce
  • sour cream
  • hot sauce


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Make quick pico. Toss together tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside until serving.ย 
  3. Arrange taco shells in baking dish so they stand up. Sprinkle some cheese at the bottom of each taco shell, top with drained chicken, and top with cheese and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted.ย 
  4. While tacos are baking, prepare Mexican cauliflower rice.ย 
  5. Top with fresh toppings and serve with a side of Mexican cauliflower rice.
YouTube video

Notes

  • Nutrition facts don’t include toppings and estimate using about 1/3 (16 oz.) of the crockpot salsa chicken.ย 

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crispy chicken tacos - pinterest

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