Description
These Baked Chicken Tacos offer a quick and delicious way to enjoy a crispy taco shell filled with seasoned shredded chicken and melted cheese. Perfect for a crowd or a casual dinner, this recipe uses simple ingredients and a straightforward baking method to deliver flavorful, handheld tacos topped with your favorite garnishes like salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb. cooked, seasoned shredded chicken
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated Colby-jack cheese
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated Pepper-Jack cheese
- 20 street taco corn tortillas
Additional Ingredients
- Olive oil OR Olive oil cooking spray (for brushing tortillas)
- Salsa (for serving)
- Diced tomato (for serving)
- Guacamole (for serving)
- Sour cream (for serving)
- Cilantro (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Heat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Prepare tortillas: Lay the corn tortillas flat on the lined baking sheets. Brush both sides of each tortilla with olive oil or spray evenly with olive oil cooking spray to ensure they crisp up nicely during baking.
- Add filling and cheese: Place about two tablespoons of the shredded chicken down the center of each tortilla. Then, evenly distribute about two heaping tablespoons of the grated Colby-jack and Pepper-Jack cheese blend on top of the chicken.
- Start baking: Bake the tacos in the preheated oven for 2 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt and becomes gooey.
- Shape and finish baking: Remove the baking sheets carefully from the oven. While the tortillas are still warm, fold each tortilla in half to form a taco shape, gently pressing the edges together. Return the tacos to the oven and bake for an additional 12 to 14 minutes, or until the corn tortillas are crispy and golden on the outside.
- Serve and garnish: Remove the baked chicken tacos from the oven and serve immediately with your choice of toppings such as salsa, diced tomato, guacamole, sour cream, and fresh cilantro for added flavor and freshness.
Notes
- You can prepare the shredded chicken ahead to speed up the assembly process.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- For extra crispiness, brush a little more oil on the tacos before the final baking.
- Feel free to substitute cheese varieties according to your preference or dietary restrictions.
- If you prefer, warm the toppings beforehand for a contrast between hot tacos and cool garnishes.
- These tacos are best enjoyed immediately for optimal crispness.
