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Crispy chicken tacos arranged atop a parchment paper lined baking sheet are topped with Good Foods Chunky Guacamole, pickled red onions, shredded lettuce, and Good Foods Plant Based Queso Style Dip. The tacos are garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges. The baking sheet pan is surrounded by a container of Good Foods Chunky Guacamole, fresh cilantro, and a bowl of shredded lettuce. A gray and white striped linen napkin rests underneath the sheet pan.

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: Mexican & Tex-Mex, American
  • 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 & 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, & 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, & quesadillas…seriously, what’s not to love about that?! 

Since they’re so quick & 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. 

Refer to the blog post, above, for some meal prep tips & some easy recipe variations with different proteins or accommodate a vegan or vegetarian diet. ♡ Happy cooking!

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 & 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 & prep ingredients according to the Ingredients List, above.Baked crispy chicken taco ingredients arranged on a creamy white textured surface: shredded chicken breast, chili powder, ground cumin garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, corn tortillas, olive oil, pepper jack cheese, Good Foods Chunky Guacamole, Good Foods Plant Based Queso Style Dip, pickled red onions, and shredded lettuce.
  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, & ground black pepper as desired. Set aside for taco assembly.How to make crispy chicken tacos, step 1: Season the chicken. Shredded chicken breast & spices fill a large glass mixing bowl that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. A silver spoon rests inside of the bowl for mixing.
  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 & set aside for taco assembly.Corn tortillas wrapped in a damp paper towel rest atop a small white ceramic plate that sits atop a creamy white 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, & sprinkling the remaining cheese over the chicken. Fold the tortillas, creating a taco around the chicken & cheese filling.Assembled & partially assembled crispy chicken tacos rest atop a metal baking sheet pan that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. Surrounding the sheet pan is fresh cilantro, a bowl filled with seasoned shredded chicken breast, a ceramic bowl filled with shredded pepper jack cheese, a small pinch bowl filled with olive oil with a small pastry brush inside, and a small plateful of steamed corn tortillas atop a damp paper towel.
  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 & carefully, use a spatula to flip the tacos. Return to the oven & bake 8-10 minutes longer, until golden & crisp. Remove from the oven & allow to cool 2-3 minutes – the baked chicken tacos will get even crispier as they cool.Six baked crispy chicken tacos rest atop a metal baking sheet pan. The sheet pan sits atop a creamy white textured surface. A gray and white striped linen napkin is tucked underneath the sheet pan.
  6. Serve the baked crispy chicken tacos warm, finishing with whatever toppings your taco-lovin’ heart desires – guacamole, queso, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, chopped cilantro, etc. Enjoy!Crispy chicken tacos arranged atop a parchment paper lined baking sheet are topped with Good Foods Chunky Guacamole, pickled red onions, shredded lettuce, and Good Foods Plant Based Queso Style Dip. The tacos are garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges. The baking sheet pan is surrounded by a container of Good Foods Chunky Guacamole, fresh cilantro, a bowl of shredded lettuce, and a container of Good Foods Plant Based Queso Style Dip.

Notes

  • Ingredient Notes:
    • Option #1: Store-bought shredded chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a great quick & easy store-bought shortcut for these baked tacos. Simply shred it up & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & ground black pepper as desired. Cover & 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/