Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos
Everyone loves a crunchy taco and these crispy crunchy oven baked chicken tacos are sure to satisfy that craving! I usually buy a container of shredded rotisserie chicken for easy weeknight dinner recipes. These tacos are loaded up with saucy chicken and onions and stuffed into a corn tortilla with lots of melty cheese and then baked until crispy.
I love topping my crispy baked chicken tacos with lots of homemade guacamole, sliced onions, and lots of cilantro. This is an easy weeknight meal made on a sheet tray in the oven for ease. Try serving these with my Instant Pot Refried Beans on the side for a Mexican feast!
An Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipe
I love tacos for a weeknight dinner! It’s an easy way to use up leftovers and random bits in the fridge and just throw it all into a tortilla for dinner. I usually just warm corn or flour tortillas, but there’s something so good about a crunchy chicken taco.
You can totally poach or cook chicken for this recipe. However, I always have cooked shredded chicken on hand so this recipe uses shredded rotisserie chicken. It’s so easy to throw together that you’ll turn to this recipe all the time for an easy weeknight dinner.
How to make Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos
Crispy baked chicken tacos only take about 35 minutes start to finish–it’s so easy to make! You can always double the recipe for an easy game day snack too.
Tools Needed
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken. You can cook and shred chicken, but I like to used cooked shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Enchilada sauce. I opt for a medium or spicy variety.
- 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 serving these with guacamole, white onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.
The Process
- Step one: Start by cooking your chicken. You’ll saute your sliced onions in a bit of neutral oil in a skillet until softened. Add the chicken, enchilada sauce, and spices. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated–extra liquid in the chicken will make the tacos soggy. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Step two: Preheat an oven to 425 F. Lightly brush both sides of 8 corn tortillas with neutral oil. Don’t go too heavy on the oil or the tacos will end up soggy. Lay the tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 3 min. The tortillas should be very flexible now.
- Step three: Carefully portion the chicken onto one side of each tortilla and top with shredded Oaxaca cheese. Fold the other half of the tortilla over to make half moons. Return to the oven and bake for 12 minutes, flip and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Step four: Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate. Serve with guacamole, sliced onions, cilantro, and lime. Enjoy!
Tips for Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos
- Feel free to customize! Swap in a different protein like shredded beef or pork, add some fajita veggies, swap in a different cheese.
- Don’t go too heavy with the oil. When you brush the tortillas with neutral oil, go lightly. If you add too much oil, the tacos will end up soggy.
- 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!
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try
Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos
Pollo Asado
Carnitas Tostadas
Pork Pozole Verde
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Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos
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 425 F.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Transfer the tacos to a serving plate and serve with guacamole, onions, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Rate & Review This Recipe
Oh for heaven’s sake, where has this been my whole life!! I’ve tried so many “baked” taco recipes and they never work. The perfect fix is the short pre baking, game changer. The hubs had no confidence they’d be crispy, now he wants them every night. So many filling options. Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe. I’ve already shared it with three friends.
So happy you enjoyed it!
These were very easy but tasty. Would’ve been quicker if I had enchilada sauce but had to make my own instead. I used a rotisserie chicken so that made it faster. Definitely was a crowd pleaser and have leftovers! Will be keeping this in my recipes to make again!
Thank you so much Caitlin!
How many calories?
Because of the ways my recipes can be adapted (different cuts of chicken, different sauces, etc) I don’t provide calorie information. My recommendation is to plug the ingredients you use into a free fitness tracker, like my fitness pal for accurate calorie information.
I love this recipe. Made it twice with variety and we stuffed ourselves. I want to make them to take on a camping trip, for reheating on a grill. Thoughts on how to maintain the crisp? We’ll be reheating in a grill. Thanks!
Hi Julie!
So happy to hear you like the recipe. I would recommend doing them on a piece of foil or a small baking sheet over indirect heat on the grill. Hope that helps! Happy camping!
These are foolproof, and perfect for a quick weeknight meal that’s always a crowd pleaser! I usually add a generous amount of fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro to the chicken mixture, which brightens the flavor profile. 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. They also reheat very well, although we rarely have leftovers.
Thank you so much, Lisa!
These are somewhat life changing. I’m upset I haven’t been making my tacos this way for the last 10 years. And you can do whatever with them. First time I slapped them with globs of sour cream and guac but I’m looking forward to topping with a nice fresh shredded lettuce/pico/cotija mix.
Thank you so much for your kind comment! It caught me at a moment where I really needed it! I’m so happy you love the recipe as much as I do.