Baked Chicken Tacos

5 from 2 votes

Make these nostalgic soft shell baked chicken tacos for an easy dinner for two with leftovers or scale up the recipe for hosting a crowd.

Servings tacos

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Equipment

Large baking dish

Ingredients

Shredded Chicken

¾ pound chicken breast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or avocado oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 pinch salt

Taco Ingredients

10 4-inch flour tortillas
⅔ cup refried beans
⅔ cup enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
Fresh cilantro chopped (optional garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

First, make the chicken:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.
Combine the chicken, oil, lime juice, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, and salt in a bowl and marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and bake to an internal temperature of 155 degrees F, about 12 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and shred.
Assemble the tacos:
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray, then fill it with the flour tortillas, snuggling them into the pan so they stand upright in the classic "taco shell" shape.
Fill each tortilla with about 1 tablespoon of refried beans, then distribute the shredded chicken amongst the tortillas. Drizzle each taco with about 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce. Then, top each taco with shredded cheese.
Bake the tacos in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 to 12 minutes, until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
Optionally garnish tacos with freshly chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Notes

Chicken: You can make the chicken ahead of time if you want to simplify dinner prep. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just make sure to bake the tacos a bit longer (5 minutes more or so) to ensure the chicken is warm enough if it's going in the tacos straight from the fridge. Or, heat the chicken in a frying pan briefly over medium-low heat to warm it up before assembling the tacos.

Alternatively, you can use a rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled chicken for an even easier swap!

Enchilada sauce: Store-bought enchilada sauce works great, but sometimes we like to use homemade ranchero sauce instead for a spicy kick!

Serving suggestions: Pair baked tacos with classic appetizers and sides like chips and salsa, guac, Mexican bean dip, sheet pan nachos, or cilantro lime rice and a margarita!

Storing and reheating: Store baked tacos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat baked tacos in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes. These oven-safe taco holders make it easy to reheat individual tacos in the oven without making a mess - just put them on a baking sheet to easily get them in and out of the oven. Be careful if you’re eating right out of the taco holders since the metal will be hot.

Author: Nicole Langdon

Calories: 112kcal

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: cayenne, chicken breast, cilantro, cinco de mayo, cumin, enchilada sauce, flour tortillas, lime juice, mexican cheese, paprika, party, refried beans

Nutrition