Baked Chicken Tacos

Baked Chicken Tacos offer a burst of flavors with well-seasoned meat, cheese-filled crispy corn tortillas, and a creamy cilantro-lime sauce, all baked to perfection and served with various toppings.

Why We LOVE These Baked Chicken Tacos

1. Versatile: Use seasoned chicken in tacos, salads, wraps, or bowls.
2. Healthy: Ground chicken and veggies make it a nutritious choice.
3. Flavorful: Olive oil, garlic, onions, and tomato sauce enhance taste.
4. Convenient: Offers time-saving shortcuts and make-ahead options.
5. Adaptable: Customizable toppings and suitable for various diets.

Ingredients

• Olive Oil, Onion, Garlic: Olive oil is used for sautéing, while onion and garlic provide a flavorful base.
• Spices: A taco seasoning blend that adds depth and warmth to the chicken.
• Ground Chicken: Serves as the main protein, offering a lighter filling.
• Tomato Sauce: Adds moisture and sweetness to the meat.
• Cheese: Gives a creamy, savory flavor when melted.
• Corn Tortilla Shells: Offer a crunchy base for the fillings of baked chicken tacos.
• Cilantro-Lime Sauce: A zesty, creamy sauce that enhances the tacos.
• Toppings (Avocado, Tomatoes, etc.): Provide freshness, texture, and personalization.

How To Make Baked Chicken Tacos

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cook onions in olive oil, add garlic, then stir in spices.
3. Brown ground chicken, mix in tomato sauce.
4. Bake tortilla shells for 5 minutes.
5. Fill shells with chicken, top with cheese.
6. Bake again until cheese melts.
7. Top with avocado, tomatoes, cilantro-lime sauce, and serve.

QUICK TIP

Cooked taco meat freezes well when stored in a labeled freezer bag. Freeze spread out and flat so it’ll thaw quickly. This will make a speedy dinner choice!

Baked Chicken Taco Toppings

• Avocado: Use sliced or mashed with seasonings for guacamole.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Chop for topping or substitute with pico de gallo.
• Cilantro-Lime Sauce: Adds a cool, fresh flavor.
• Cilantro: Optional, chop for additional flavor.
• Lime: Squeeze for acidity and freshness.
• Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt: For a lighter, flavorful topping.
• Pickled Red Onions: Try this quick pickled red onion recipe used on these Chicken Tinga Tacos.
• Green Onions: Alternative to cilantro for freshness.
• Jalapeno: Thin slices for heat.
• Cotija Cheese: Sprinkle for a salty finish.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

• Chicken Chili
• BBQ Chicken Tacos
• Chicken Shawarma Wraps
• Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
• Chicken Alfredo

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

Baked Chicken Tacos

5 from 2 votes

- Review this recipe

These Baked Chicken Tacos are a flavor explosion! The meat is robustly seasoned and then loaded in corn tortillas with plenty of cheese. We bake these tacos and then serve them with all the toppings including the best creamy cilantro-lime sauce.

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Baked Chicken Tacos

5 from 2 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

These Baked Chicken Tacos are a flavor explosion! The meat is robustly seasoned and then loaded in corn tortillas with plenty of cheese. We bake these tacos and then serve them with all the toppings including the best creamy cilantro-lime sauce.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword baked chicken tacos

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes minutes

Total Time 51 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings (12-13 tacos)

Chelsea Lords

Calories 854kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $7.24

Ingredients

Baked Chicken Tacos

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1/2 cup (66g) finely diced yellow onion (~1/2 of 1 onion)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic (~2 cloves)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
• ▢ 1 pound (16 oz.) ground chicken (thigh meat if possible)
• ▢ 1/2 cup (132g) tomato sauce
• ▢ 1 and 3/4 cups freshly grated Colby jack or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (or a blend of the 2)
• ▢ 12 stand up hard (crispy) corn tortilla shells

OPTIONAL: Cilantro-Lime Sauce

• ▢ 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juiced (and 1/4 teaspoon lime zest)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ 1/2 cup (7g) loosely packed fresh cilantro
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno
• ▢ 1/4 cup (60g) regular full-fat mayonnaise (we love Hellman's/Best Foods)
• ▢ 1/4 cup (62g) sour cream (lite or fat-free is great)
• ▢ Fine sea salt and pepper

Toppings

• ▢ Whatever toppings you'd like! We love a ripe thinly sliced avocado, diced cherry tomatoes, sour cream, and lots of the cilantro lime sauce
• ▢ Other topping ideas: guacamole, pico de gallo, jalapeno, cilantro, green onions, fresh lime, cotija cheese, pickled red onions

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Use a very large (15x21 inches) sheet pan or two smaller ones.
• CILANTRO LIME SAUCE: Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper) and blend or pulse until smooth. Transfer sauce to a Mason jar and refrigerate while preparing everything else so flavors can intensify.
• CHICKEN TACO MEAT: Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds. Add in all of the seasonings: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder. Cook and stir the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Nothing should be burning; reduce the heat if needed. Press everything to the sides of the skillet.
• TACO MEAT CONT.: Add the ground chicken to the center of the skillet. Crumble the meat into small pieces and cook until no longer pink (but not cooked through all the way), about 4-5 minutes (this will take longer in a nonstick skillet and you may need to drain off accumulated liquid here). Add in the tomato sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits (this is where the flavor is!) Let simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until fully cooked through, and then remove from heat.
• BAKE TORTILLAS: Add tortilla shells to a large pan or 2 pans (I can fit 9-10 in a 9x13-inch pan and add the rest to an 8x8 pan). Bake for 5 minutes (this helps them not get soggy as quickly)
• STUFF TORTILLAS: To the baked shells, add a heaping 1/4 cup of the taco meat filling and 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons cheese on top. Repeat until all the tortillas are filled with the chicken mixture and cheese mixture.
• BAKE: Bake for 8-15 minutes or until shells are crispy and cheese is very melted.
• SERVE: Add your favorite toppings right on top of the tacos. We love topping these tacos with a thinly sliced avocado, diced cherry tomatoes, sour cream, and lots of the cilantro-lime sauce. Enjoy right out of the oven!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 854kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 961mg | Potassium: 1035mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2027IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 482mg | Iron: 3mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.