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A blue plate filled with crispy baked chicken tacos stuffed with shredded meat, topped with guacamole, pickled red onions, and fresh cilantro, with lime wedges on the side.

Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x
  • Category: Tacos, Burritos & Enchiladas Recipes
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American, Mexican & Tex-Mex
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

We’re pretty obsessed with tacos here at PWWB, but our love for these Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos is completely next-level. They’re so quick and easy to prepare, but they’re seriously so satisfying. 

Spice up some good ol’ shredded chicken with a simple homemade taco seasoning, then fold it into tortillas with a little bit of cheese. When you bake them in the oven with high heat, the spices become fragrant, the cheese melts, and the tortillas get super crispy. It’s the perfect vessel for a bunch of toppings, so the result is kind of a cross between tacos, taquitos, nachos, and quesadillas…seriously, what’s not to love about that?! 

Since they’re so quick an easy to prepare, these tacos are great for a weeknight meal or whenever you need an epic snack for a crowd. Simply set the baked tacos up alongside a spread of taco fixings for the ultimate build-your-own crispy chicken taco situation! The crowd will go wild. 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces shredded chicken breast (3/4 pound or approx. 2 heaping cups, see Recipe Notes below)
  • 1 heaping teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 heaping teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 heaping teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika
  • optional: up to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 8-10 corn tortillas (see Recipe Notes)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 12 ounces pepper jack cheese, freshly shredded (approx. 3 cups shredded)
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
  • for serving, as desired: guacamole, queso, sour cream or cashew crema, pickled red onions, shredded lettuce, finely chopped cilantro, pico de gallo or salsa of choice, lime wedges, etc.

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Gather and prep ingredients according to the Ingredients List, above.
    Bowls of shredded chicken, grated cheese, spices, oil, chopped vegetables, herbs, and corn tortillas are arranged on a light-colored surface, ready for making tacos. Measuring spoons and lime wedges are also visible.
  2. Season the chicken: To a large bowl, add the shredded chicken. Season with the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and ground black pepper as desired. Set aside for taco assembly.A glass bowl filled with shredded cooked chicken topped with various spices, including paprika, black pepper, and herbs, with a wooden-handled spoon resting inside. Small bowls of spices are nearby on a light surface.
  3. Warm the tortillas: Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel. Microwave 30 seconds to steam the tortillas, making them pliable enough for taco assembly. Remove from the microwave and set aside for taco assembly.A stack of corn tortillas wrapped in a white paper towel sits on a dark blue plate, placed on a light-colored textured surface.
  4. Assemble the chicken tacos: Brush the olive oil across the surface of a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the warmed tortillas on the baking sheet, flipping them one or two times to get a nice light coating of oil on both sides. Assemble the tacos by sprinkling a little cheese on half of tortilla, nestling the shredded chicken over top, and sprinkling the remaining cheese over the chicken. Fold the tortillas, creating a taco around the chicken and cheese filling.Corn tortillas on a baking tray are filled with shredded chicken and grated cheese, some folded and some open. Nearby are bowls of shredded chicken, shredded cheese, and spices, plus a brush and olive oil.
  5. Bake the crispy chicken tacos: Transfer the sheet pan to the oven & bake the tacos 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Working quickly and carefully, use a spatula to flip the tacos. Return to the oven and bake 8-10 minutes longer, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 2-3 minutes – the baked chicken tacos will get even crispier as they cool.Eight crispy, golden chicken tacos filled with shredded meat and cheese are arranged on a metal baking sheet, with bits of melted cheese scattered around them.
  6. Serve the baked crispy chicken tacos warm, finishing with whatever toppings your taco-lovin’ heart desires – guacamole, pickled red onions, queso, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, chopped cilantro, etc. Enjoy!A blue plate filled with baked crispy chicken tacos sits on a table surrounded by bowls of shredded lettuce, lime wedges, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, sliced red onions, and fresh cilantro.

Notes

  • Ingredient Notes:
    • Option #1: Store-bought shredded chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a great quick and easy store-bought shortcut for these baked tacos. Simply shred it up and use as directed.
    • Option #2: Homemade shredded chicken: I’m partial to quickly cooking up a couple of chicken breasts. It’s super simple. generously season 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Heat 2 tablespoons oil or butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown, then transfer to a 375 degree F oven. Roast 12-15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  • Corn tortillas: To help ensure your crispy chicken tacos do not crack as they bake, look for corn tortillas that are a little thinner and do not appear dry or crumbly. I’ve had good success using the Mission Corn Tortillas labeled “super soft” – yellow or white corn is fine, use whatever you love!
  • Storage and Reheating: These crispy chicken tacos are best served fresh out of the oven, though leftovers will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. For crispiest results, reheat for 5-10 minutes in a 250 degree F oven or on the stovetop (quesadilla-style) until warmed through.
  • 15-Minute Meal Prep: These crispy chicken tacos come together really quickly once you’ve got all the components prepped and ready to go. To make this an even faster weeknight dinner, eliminate all active prep time by prepping a few things in advance:
    • Shred 12 ounces chicken breast. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (<5 minutes active prep).
    • Mix the taco seasoning. To a small airtight container, combine all listed spices plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Cover and shake to combine. Store on your spice rack for up to 1 week (<5 minutes active prep).
    • Shred 12 ounces cheese. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (<5 minutes active prep).

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/baked-crispy-chicken-tacos/