These Shredded Chicken Tacos are warm, flavorful, and a breeze to whip up! Bake them to tender perfection in the oven for deliciously crispy shells and irresistibly gooey, melted cheese.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Is This Chicken Taco Recipe Healthy?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Craveable Baked Chicken Tacos
- Taco Topping Options
- More Ways to Use Shredded Chicken Taco Meat
- What to Serve with Baked Chicken Tacos
- Common Questions
- More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Baked Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe
Why You’ll Love These Shredded Chicken Tacos
If you’ve never tried baked tacos, you’re going to adore this recipe! It’s perfect for busy weeknights and the best way to feed a crowd for Taco Tuesday. Made with lean chicken and tons of flavor, it comes together in one dish so you’re not stuck cleaning in the kitchen all night long. Plus, they’re super easy to customize with all your favorite toppings! No matter how you serve your shredded chicken tacos, they’re guaranteed to have your guests running back for more.
Is This Chicken Taco Recipe Healthy?
Yes! You won’t believe how such simple ingredients can create such an incredible taste. Thanks to the use of chicken breast, these tacos are super high in protein. Then, we added black beans and veggies for tons of fiber and nutrients to keep you full. With a drizzle of olive oil, it’s even got healthy fats, too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The secret to keeping your chicken tacos tender is to use plenty of liquid. Then, we bulked them up with extra ingredients and spices for tons of flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken – Chicken breasts work best. Just be sure to pound them out until they’re thin so they bake evenly.
- Seasonings – Black pepper and a packet of taco seasoning are all you’ll need. Or, create your own with a homemade version like this.
- Olive Oil – High-quality olive oil helps lock in the flavor and keeps your chicken moist.
- Black Beans – We love to include black beans for added texture and fiber to keep you full.
- Veggies – A combination of diced red onion, diced tomatoes, and chipotle peppers adds tons of color and a hint of spice.
- Tortilla Shells – Corn tortilla shells work best to create a crisp, crunchy taco. Flour tortillas are likely to become too soggy as they bake!
- Cheese – You can never go wrong with cheddar cheese on top! We love to load our tacos up with shredded cheddar but use whatever cheese you like best. You could even top off your tacos with our queso dip.
How to Make Craveable Baked Chicken Tacos
Once you learn how easy and convenient it is to make baked tacos, you’ll never go back to the stovetop version again!
- Preheat the oven.
- Place the chicken, seasonings, and oil in a baking dish. Then, add the veggies and beans, and stir to combine.
- Cover, and bake until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Shred the chicken.
- Arrange tortillas in a slightly larger baking dish, and fill them with the chicken mixture. Add your shredded cheese and green onions, and bake again until the cheese is melty.
- Serve with all your favorite toppings and fixins and dig in!
Taco Topping Options
When it comes to tacos, our philosophy is the more toppings the better. Go ahead and load them up! You really can’t go wrong. For example, some of our favorite options include:
- Greens – Shredded iceberg lettuce, romaine, or even arugula add a nice pop of color and extra nutrients.
- Jalapeños – These are great to amp up the heat!
- Pico de Gallo – Refreshing and delicious, this lightens up the whole dish.
- Salsa – There are endless salsa variations to add a little extra texture and spicy flavor to your tacos.
- Guacamole or Avocado Crema – The creamy texture and cool flavors are perfect for balancing out the spice.
- Cilantro – Add just a sprinkle for a zesty garnish.
- Onions – Chopped or pickled onions are a great way to add a little crunch and just a bit of zip.
- Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream – These are great for a cooling, creamy taste! For added protein and less fat, use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream to achieve the same flavor.
More Ways to Use Shredded Chicken Taco Meat
Feel free to make a big batch of shredded chicken taco meat to enjoy throughout the week. Just hold off on adding it to your tortillas! Instead:
- Sprinkle it over lettuce for a Mexican-inspired salad.
- Serve it over rice or cauliflower rice for an easy
meal prep bowl. - Layer it over tortilla chips for the best nachos you’ll ever taste!
- Wrap it up in flour tortillas for soft tacos on the go.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Tacos
If you want, you can definitely serve this recipe all on its own. However, it also pairs awesomely with all your favorite sides like:
Common Questions
Yes, you can use different types of chicken, such as chicken thighs or a rotisserie chicken.
Absolutely! We use taco seasoning but you can add other ingredients like lime juice, cumin, or chili powder to the chicken.
You can definitely make this dish ahead of time and store it in the fridge. It’s perfect for meal prep!
Dry chicken is typically the result of overcooking. Keep an eye on the clock and check the chicken temperature with a meat thermometer.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
On the search for more simple dinner ideas full of Mexican-inspired flavor? Take a look at our favorite spins on classic Mexican-style meals!
- A weeknight staple, you’ll make this Instant Pot Chicken Fajita recipe again and again!
- Shockingly simple, these Mini
Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos are the most delightful treat. - A slow cooker variation of a traditional Mexican recipe, this Beef Birria is simmered long and slow with warm spices for a hearty recipe perfect for stew, tacos, and more!
- Bring all the flavor of your favorite restaurant dish to the comfort of your own home with this Easy One Pot Fajita Seasoned Rice.
Baked Shredded Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 16 ounces chicken breasts pounded thin
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons taco seasonings
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 12 ounces canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 14 ounces rotel or petite diced tomatoes
- 3 chipotle peppers canned, chopped
- 16 crunchy yellow or white corn tortilla shells we used the "stand and stuff"
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- your favorite taco toppings!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a 11×7 baking dish add chicken breasts, seasonings, and drizzle with olive oil.16 ounces chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 3 Tablespoons taco seasonings, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Add onions, black beans, rotel, and chipotle peppers. Stir to combine. Cover, and bake for 50-55 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.1 small red onion, diced, 12 ounces canned black beans, 14 ounces rotel or petite diced tomatoes, 3 chipotle peppers
- Shred chicken with two forks. Arrange the taco shells in an 13×9 baking dish. Add a couple of Tablespoons of the chicken mixture into each shell. Top with shredded cheese and green onions.16 crunchy yellow or white corn tortilla shells, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until the cheese melts. Top with garnishes of choice, and enjoy!your favorite taco toppings!
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Nutrition
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Made the filling part of this recipe and used it for chicken nachos. It was such a hit! Put the shredded chicken on top of tortilla chips topped with cheese, popped it in the oven for the cheese to melt and then added nacho toppings! Thanks for this recipe. It’s a keeper!
That’s such a good idea, Melissa! Thank you for trying it out and sharing with us. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
So simple and so delicious! I always serve mine with a little sour cream and guacamole. Love that you can prep the filling ahead of time and it makes dinner time so fast especially after a long day at work.
Yesss! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Sienna!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Literally so good!! We all loved it! Will be making it again next week!
Yay! Glad it was a hit! xo, Alia & Radwa
This recipe was easy and delicious! I let everyone dress their tacos how they wanted, instead of putting them in the oven, but it was still a hit!
Any tips to help the tacos from becoming soggy and falling apart? We love this recipe in my house but the falling apart always seems to happen. I know I’m doing something wrong I just need to know what lol
Oh no! When scooping the chicken mixture into the shells, be sure not to add a lot of the liquid in order to prevent it from getting soggy! Hope this helps! -Alia & Radwa
This is a fabulous recipe! Super easy and the flavors are amazing. I definitely recommend this one!
Hi Jen-
We are so glad to hear it was a hit!
xo,
Alia & Radwa
Delicious! I reduced the salt and pepper to half the recommended amount and only used one packet of taco seasoning, but these were perfectly delicious for Cinco de Mayo! Next time I think we’ll try them with flour tortillas instead. Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe!
Very yummy, easy to make, and kid friendly.
I guess that you mean3 chipotle peppers and not 3 cans?
Yes, you are correct, it is 3 peppers, we made the adjustment!
Delicious. Restaurant quality recipe. Definitely adding to my rotation!
Tried this tonight – the flavor was great, but my tacos were really soggy at the bottom – and fell apart. Did I miss something? (And yes, I drained the beans first). Thanks!
These tacos are so flavorful, and extremely easy. I’ve shared the recipe with several mom friends. My boys gobble it up every time I make it!
I did not use chipotle peppers and it’s still super tasty.
This is a perfect weekday meal that comes together easily.
Thank you, Alia and Radwa for another favorite family recipe. 😊
Yay, this makes us so happy! So glad the boys loved it too! <3
Can you recommend a cooking time if i wanted to make the ‘chicken bake’ on an all-day setting for an InstaPot?
If you are doing an all-day setting, do you mean in a slow cooker? If so, you can set on low for 6-8 hours or high on 2-3 hours.
I can’t wait to make this tonight! So far I have loved every recipe I’ve tried, the one pot rigatoni being my favorite new thing to make! I was wondering if I could make this without pounding the chicken? If I just leave the breasts as they are, will the cook time be very different? I just don’t have anything to pound the chicken with, so maybe if I flip it halfway through? Love you both so much, I had no idea you were in Minnesota! I just moved to St. Louis, MO from St. Paul less than 2 months ago! So happy I found you two!
Hi Katie – Thank you for your kind words! So glad you liked the one pot rigatoni! You don’t have to pound the chicken but it will definitely take longer to bake. Not sure how big the pieces are. Just a tip – you can place the chicken breast in a ziplock bag and pound it with a pan or pot. You don’t need a meat pounder or a specific tool. Let us know if that help!
We are sorry to hear that you left the frozen tundra :)! It’s bitter outside today! Enjoy St. Louis! – Alia and Radwa
Just made this for dinner – found the recipe on Pinterest because their videos are addicting to watch- I wanted to try something new and this looked amazing!
I have a three month old baby and made this with one hand. So simple and beyond delicious! This will be a big hit with the family. I plan to even make this for our friends when we host.
Great as tacos or a dip or a wrap. It’s so simple!
That is SOOO awesome to hear! Doing the happy dance right now!
These were super good! My family ate them all up! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! So glad it is approved!
I went overboard on the spice. I put red pepper flakes on the chicken and used the rotel with peppers along with the chipotle. Way too hot. Other than that the tacos were delicious. lol
That’s too funny! Sounds delicious if you can handle some heat lol! Thanks for trying the recipe!
So EASY and DELICIOUS!! Perfect for Taco Tuesday night!