Baked Chicken Tacos
These baked chicken tacos are filled with shredded chicken and melty cheese, then baked until the tortillas are golden and crisp around the edges. They are an easy way to turn Mexican shredded chicken into a simple dinner with plenty of crunch and flavor.
Servings: 10
Calories:
Ingredients
- 2 cups Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken click for recipe
- 10 small tortillas corn or flour
- 2 cups shredded cheese cheddar, mozzarella, or Mexican blend
- 3 tbsp olive oil for brushing on the tacos
For Serving & Garnish
- Pico de gallo
- 1 or 2 avocados sliced or diced
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Warm the tortillas: Warm the tortillas briefly in the microwave, in a dry skillet, or wrapped in a damp paper towel so they fold more easily without cracking.
- Place the warm tortillas on a baking sheet: brush the inside lightly with oil.
- Build the tacos: Add some of the shredded cheese to one half of the tortillas.
- Add the chicken and fold the tortillas
- Brush with oil: Lightly brush or spray both sides of the tacos with olive oil. This helps them crisp and brown in the oven.
- Bake until crisp: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the tortillas are golden, the cheese is melted, and the edges are crisp.
- Serve: Serve hot with pico de gallo, avocado, chopped onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
Warm the tortillas first: This is one of the easiest ways to keep them from cracking when you fold them.
Do not overfill the tacos: Too much filling makes them harder to close and more likely to turn soft instead of crisp.
Keep the chicken fairly thick, not watery: If the filling is too wet, the tacos can get soggy.
Brush both sides with oil: That is what helps the tortillas brown and crisp more evenly.
Flip halfway through baking: This helps both sides get crisp instead of just the top.
Place them seam-side down first: That helps the tacos stay closed as they start baking.
Easy Swaps
Use corn tortillas for a more classic crunch: They give the tacos a more traditional baked taco texture.
Use flour tortillas for easier folding: They are softer and less fragile, so they can be a little easier to work with.
Change the cheese: Cheddar adds more flavor, while mozzarella or Oaxaca gives you a better melt.
Add jalapeños or beans: Good option if you want more heat or a more filling taco.
Make them gluten-free: Use gluten-free tortillas.
Common Problems
Tortillas cracking: They were not warmed first or were too dry to fold easily.
Soggy tacos: The filling had too much liquid or the tacos were overfilled.
Uneven crisping: The tacos were not flipped during baking or did not have enough oil on the outside.
Tacos opening in the oven: Too much filling or not enough time placed seam-side down at the start.
Do not overfill the tacos: Too much filling makes them harder to close and more likely to turn soft instead of crisp.
Keep the chicken fairly thick, not watery: If the filling is too wet, the tacos can get soggy.
Brush both sides with oil: That is what helps the tortillas brown and crisp more evenly.
Flip halfway through baking: This helps both sides get crisp instead of just the top.
Place them seam-side down first: That helps the tacos stay closed as they start baking.
Easy Swaps
Use corn tortillas for a more classic crunch: They give the tacos a more traditional baked taco texture.
Use flour tortillas for easier folding: They are softer and less fragile, so they can be a little easier to work with.
Change the cheese: Cheddar adds more flavor, while mozzarella or Oaxaca gives you a better melt.
Add jalapeños or beans: Good option if you want more heat or a more filling taco.
Make them gluten-free: Use gluten-free tortillas.
Common Problems
Tortillas cracking: They were not warmed first or were too dry to fold easily.
Soggy tacos: The filling had too much liquid or the tacos were overfilled.
Uneven crisping: The tacos were not flipped during baking or did not have enough oil on the outside.
Tacos opening in the oven: Too much filling or not enough time placed seam-side down at the start.
