Let’s make taco night the best night! We’ve written down our Baked Chicken Tacos Recipe that’s delicious, versatile, and easy to make.

This page is chock full of ideas for sides, toppings, and substitutes to make a wonderful meal.

Best Chicken Tacos You’ll Ever Have

We believe these baked chicken tacos just might be the best tacos you’ll ever have. They’re wonderfully delicious and so versatile.

But the best part is they’re easy to make on a busy weeknight. We like the fact that they come together quickly with a few simple ingredients.

Chicken Taco Topping Ideas:

Shredded lettuce

Diced tomato

Diced onion

Shredded cheddar cheese

Guacamole

Pico de Gallo

Salsa

Refried beans

Chopped cilantro

Chopped parsley

Chopped green onions

Fresh hummus

Sour cream

Greek yogurt

Sliced avocados

Blackened corn

Side Dishes for Mexican Night

Some delicious side dish ideas for Mexican night include:

Rice. You might want to serve white rice, chicken rice, or your favorite flavor or variety.

Salad. Consider serving a side salad with your meal. It’s easy, delicious, and is a great healthy addition.

Chips + Dip. Chips and dips such as salsa, hummus, or guacamole can be a delicious side for any meal.

Tips for the Best Chicken Tacos (& Crispy Shells!)

Following are our tips for making the best chicken tacos with crispy shells.

Bake empty shells for 5 minutes first. If you’re using hard corn taco shells, you might consider baking your empty shells for 5 minutes at 300F degrees before filling them with your shredded chicken taco meat. This will make your shells nice and crispy.

Refried beans on bottom layer. If using refried beans, consider spreading the beans on the bottom layer as a barrier to the taco shell so that it doesn’t get soggy from the other ingredients.

Fully drain tomatoes. We recommend draining any liquid from your tomatoes before adding them to the mix. This will help to keep your tacos from becoming too soggy.

Fully drain black beans. To keep your shredded chicken mixture from becoming a strange color, rinse and drain your black beans before adding them to the meat.

Easy Baked Chicken Tacos

This recipe for baked chicken tacos is easy and straightforward. We recommend it for a quick weeknight meal or taco Tuesday recipe that feeds a crowd.

Ingredient List & Substitutions

Easy ingredients go into these baked chicken tacos. Following is a list of ingredients used to make this delicious dish, but there might be some occasions where you want to substitute particular ingredients for various reasons.

Below are some ideas for possible ingredient substitutions.

Boneless skinless chicken breast. Chicken breast is the lean meat of a chicken. Although chicken breast is recommended for use, you can also substitute any cut of chicken in its place.

For less preparation time, consider using an already cooked rotisserie chicken.

Salt. Salt helps to give the dish a delicious flavor. We don’t recommend leaving the salt out, although you can use a salt substitute if desired.

Pepper. Pepper also helps to bring out the flavor of the dish. Although you can leave pepper out if desired.

Taco seasoning. Taco seasoning is what gives this dish its unique flavor. Use prepared salsa in its place for another unique flavor.

Red onion. Red onions add a nice purple color to the visual appeal of the dish. But you can also substitute yellow onion, white onion, green onion, or sweet onion in its place.

Petite tomatoes. Our recipe calls for a can of diced petite tomatoes, but you can also use a can of rotel tomatoes or even fresh salsa or Pico de gallo in its place.

Black beans. Black beans add some extra protein but using refried beans will also keep in line with the same Mexican flair. When using refried beans, you can mix them in with the meat or use them as a first layer barrier on the bottom of your taco.

Chipotle peppers. Chipotle peppers will give the authentic Mexican flavor, but you can substitute green peppers or red peppers for a milder flavor.

Shredded cheddar cheese. We recommend using shredded cheddar cheese, but you can also use Mexican cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, Colby jack cheese, or Velveeta cheese in its place.

Tortilla shells. Hard taco shells, soft tortilla shells, or your favorite kind of corn taco shells can be used for this recipe.

Olive Oil. Vegetable oil or canola oil can be used in place of olive oil. The purpose of the oil is to help brown the tortilla shells.

Sour Cream. Greek yogurt makes a good substitute for sour cream when needed. If you need a dairy free substitute, use your favorite dairy free yogurt alternative.

Guacamole. Use chopped fresh parsley or chopped fresh cilantro for an added green color as a substitute for guacamole.

What You’ll Need

To make this recipe, you’ll need the following supplies and ingredients.

Baking dish

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt

pepper

taco seasoning

red onion

petite tomatoes

black beans

chipotle peppers

shredded cheddar cheese

tortilla shells

olive oil

sour Cream

guacamole

Useful Tools for This Recipe:

If you have an electric mixer, it works well for shredding boneless, skinless chicken. Just chop your cooked chicken into workable pieces and add them to the mixer with a paddle attachment for easy shredding.

Other Fantastic Tacos for Taco Night:

Here are some other fantastic tacos for taco night.

Easy Rolled Chicken Taco Recipe
Canned Tuna Fish Taco Recipe
Cheese Roll Up Taco Recipe
Grilled Stuffed Nacho Recipe

How to Make Air Fryer Tacos

Our recipe above can be modified and cooked in an air fryer rather than a conventional oven, if desired.

Use the same temperatures and cook times. However, be sure to not fill your air fryer basked too full for the best results.

How to Make Baked Chicken Tacos (Step by Step)

We’ve included detailed step by step instructions below in our recipe card for how to make chicken tacos. You’re sure to find the outcome simple and delicious.

And if you make this recipe, be sure to let us know how you liked it by submitted a review at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients You’ll Need

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons taco seasoning

1 small red onion, diced

1 can diced petite tomatoes (16 ounces)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (12 ounces)

3 chipotle peppers, diced (optional)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Tortilla shells

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sour Cream, as garnish

Guacamole, as garnish

Instructions: Here’s what you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Place chicken breasts in a baking dish. Add salt, pepper, taco seasoning, diced onion, drained tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and rinsed and drained black beans.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until chicken is done. Chicken is done when a meat thermometer reads 165F degrees in the thickest part of the chicken.

Remove from the oven and use a fork to shred the chicken.

Fill the taco shells or tortilla shells, add cheese if desired. Brush the outsides of the shells with olive oil to help them brown.

Put back in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes at 375F degrees, until heated through.

Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped cilantro, sour cream, and guacamole if desired.

Is This Chicken Taco Recipe Healthy?

Yes, this chicken taco recipe is nutritious. See the nutrition facts below for more information. And be sure to calculate nutrition facts according to the brands of ingredients you’ve used.

Nutrition Facts

Following are the estimated nutrition facts for our recipe.

Calories 182

Total Fat 9.7g

Saturated Fat 5.4g

Cholesterol 49mg

Sodium 475mg

Total Carbohydrate 7.8g

Dietary Fiber 2.1g

Total Sugars 1.3g

Protein 15.8g

Calcium 180mg

Iron 1mg

Potassium 239mg

How to Make Craveable Baked Chicken Tacos

To make craveable baked chicken tacos, you need to know what those who gather around your table like to eat.

Is it spicy foods, mild foods, guacamole, Pico de Gallo, salsa, black beans, cheesy cheese, or something else? Knowing what your people like will help you make tacos that everyone wants more.

More Ways to Use Shredded Chicken Taco Meat

Perhaps you have leftover shredded chicken taco meat to use up. Here are some suggestions for how to use it:

Ultimate Dorito Nachos
Use your leftover shredded chicken taco meat and whip up a batch of these delicious ultimate nachos.

They’re great for watching a weekend game or for a casual meal anytime. Get the recipe here.

Amazing Walking Taco Casserole with Enchilada Sauce
Instead of using ground hamburger for this walking taco casserole, use your shredded chicken taco meat instead.

It makes for an easy and delicious one pot meal with a Mexican flair. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken Nachos Recipe
Creamy chicken nachos can be made with shredded or pulled chicken taco meat.

You can minimize the cook time and simply heat the mixture through since your chicken is already cooked. Get the recipe here.

The Best Mexican Trash Casserole
Though this recipe calls for ground beef, you can easily use shredded chicken taco meat in its place.

Then load it up with all your favorite Mexican toppings. Since your meat is already cooked, you can minimize preparations and cook time as a result. Get the recipe here.

What to Serve with Baked Chicken Tacos:

Looking for a few sides or the perfect dessert? We’ve got you covered. Here are some ideas of what to serve with baked chicken tacos.

Easy Side Salad

Mango Pineapple Smoothie

The Best Marshmallow Cones

Tres Leches Cake Recipe

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes:

If you love Mexican food, here are some more Mexican-inspired recipes for you to try! We’ve included more Chicken Mexican recipes we love.

Roasted Chili Corn Salsa Chipotle

Avocado Cream Sauce

Mexican Chicken Salad

Southwest Chicken Soup Chilis

Taco Bell Fiesta Taco Salad

Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadillas Chilis Copycat

Easy Chicken Fajita Casserole

Frequently Asked Questions

Following are frequently asked questions that relate to baked chicken tacos. If you have a question that’s not answered here, feel free to drop it to us in the comments box below and we’ll be happy to answer it.

What chicken is best for shredding?

Cooked chicken that is well done is best for shredding. We prefer it done so well that it’s tenderly juicy and falls off the bone. It’s a matter of personal preference as to whether you use light meat or dark meat.

Is pulled chicken the same as shredded chicken?

The terminology for pulled chicken and shredded chicken is used differently. They’re technically not the same in culinary terms. Pulled chicken refers to chicken that’s cooked in the crockpot, shredded chicken is chicken that’s pulled apart.

How long do shredded chicken tacos last?

Shredded chicken tacos can last for up to 3 to 4 days when stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can be sealed in a freezer bag and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months without compromising quality.

Can I freeze leftovers?

Yes, leftover baked chicken tacos can be frozen for up to 2 months. We recommend placing them in a zipped freezer bag in the freezer.

How should I reheat my tacos?

The three best ways for how to reheat the baked chicken tacos are using an air fryer, a conventional oven, or a toaster oven. Simply heat them for a few minutes until they’re warmed through. Then serve and enjoy.

Recipe Variations

If you’d like to vary this recipe, you might also like to try baked soft shell chicken tacos, baked soft chicken tacos, jeviko baked chicken tacos

Some flavor variations include, baked buffalo chicken tacos, baked bbq chicken tacos, baked ground chicken tacos, and old el paso baked chicken tacos.

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