Baked shredded chicken tacos are crispy, melty and seriously delicious. They’re ready in less than 30 minutes and perfect for a dinner the whole family will love.
Ah, Monday... not super happy to see you, but alas, here we are.
The good thing about Mondays recently is that's when my 7-year-old son has his flag football practice and game. He loves it so much, and it's been really fun to watch them all running around. We've had great weather, too, so it's just an enjoyable way to spend the evening all around.
So I'll try to keep my focus on that instead of the mountain of work and projects that seem to be piling up...
On to the food!
Today I’m happy to be sharing an easy, delicious, family-friendly dinner recipe.
(Yes, yes, that’s about 70% of what I share here on Family Food on the Table. It’s what we all need more or after all, am I right?!)
These baked shredded chicken tacos are going to be a new taco night favorite in your house!
They are loaded with refried beans, steamed rice, a yummy shredded chicken mixture and topped with cheese then baked until crispy, melty and seriously delicious.
It’s the perfect way to serve tacos to a big family - or to a group of friends over for dinner.
It's a recipe that I included as part of my round-up of easy vacation meals because it's some basic ingredients, low key and can feed a crowd.
And if you love ALL the taco things, try this one pot taco pasta too!
Plus, these baked chicken tacos are really customizable. You can switch out the beans, use the rice or not, add some veggies to the mix, etc.
And of course, everyone can make their own plate special with their favorite taco toppings.
Another bonus? These tacos are ready in under 30 minutes. Super easy to pull together even on a busy night.
The whole family will be happy to come to the table when these are on the menu!
OK, let’s get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make baked chicken tacos. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making baked shredded chicken tacos:
- The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked, so please plan accordingly.
- You can use a rotisserie chicken from the store or make a rotisserie style roast chicken at home. Or use your own Instant Pot shredded chicken or crockpot shredded chicken. You could also swap in some Instant Pot chicken tacos shredded chicken to use here.
- Homemade taco seasoning is super easy to make and so much more flavorful, but of course, store-bought is fine, too.
- I prefer the stand-and-stuff taco shells because they are larger and easier to fill.
- I’m partial to homemade refried beans (I make mine quick and easy with Instant Pot refried beans), but a canned version is totally fine.
- Also, I’ve made these without the refried beans before and they were still delicious. It just adds a great creaminess.
- The rice is optional, but makes these a bit more filling. It needs to be cooked and ready to use for this recipe, so please plan accordingly.
(We also put rice in our go-to ground turkey tacos. My family insists.)
Speaking of filling, you could definitely add to this recipe if you want to incorporate some veggies or other add-ins.
Here’s a few ideas.
Other add-ins for baked chicken tacos:
- You could add some bell pepper, zucchini or wilted spinach to give these tacos a veggie boost. Sauté any vegetables along with the onion when prepping the recipe.
- Add in some corn, whether fresh, canned or frozen (thawed).
- Use black beans in place of or in addition to the refried beans in this recipe.
Very adaptable. Plus, you know I like helping you make a recipe your own!
Speaking of customizations, let’s talk toppings.
Tacos would not be tacos without toppings. Here’s a few to get you thinking…
Topping ideas for chicken tacos:
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage
- Extra shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Hot sauce or sriracha
- Pickled red onions
- Pickled or fresh jalapeños
- Fresh lime juice
Pick your favorites and let everyone dress up their own tacos!
OK, now we are ready to eat!
Let’s talk serving…
With all the toppings we add at my house, these tacos are a complete meal on their own.
However, you could add a side salad or some Mexican coleslaw if you’d like. It’s addictive!
And if you’re skipping the rice in your tacos, you could serve some on the side. Plain is always good but you could also make this cheesy brown rice or confetti brown rice.
Last thing, let’s chat about leftovers.
Now, leftover crispy tacos of course don’t keep well. That shell can’t be brought back to life after it’s been stuffed and baked the first time.
However, I have saved the filling from any leftover tacos before and that works great. It'll keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
You can reheat it in the microwave and use to stuff some freshly warmed taco shells or to stuff into wraps or soft corn or tortilla shells.
Or just serve it over some steamed rice for a little taco bowl.
It makes a really delicious lunch another day, so definitely don’t just toss any extras.
OK, I think we’ve covered everything.
I hope you give these a try for your next family taco night. They are going to be a huge hit.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. You might also want to browse my entire collection of chicken recipes ready in 30 minutes or less for more easy dinner ideas.
Baked Shredded Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 10 crispy taco shells (I prefer the larger stand-and-stuff kind)
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 (4.5 oz.) can green chilies, well drained
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup refried beans
- 1 cup steamed brown or white rice (optional)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend shredded cheese)
Optional toppings:
- Shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado or guac, salsa or pico de gallo, Greek yogurt or sour cream, hot sauce, pickled red onions, fresh lime juice, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325.
- Place taco shells in a 9x13 pan. You should be able to get six down the middle and two on each side to make them all fit. (See photo above.) Bake at 325 for 5 minutes then set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the shredded chicken, green chilies and taco seasoning. Stir well and reduce heat too low. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until warmed through. Turn off heat.
- Assemble the tacos. Add a spread of refried beans to the bottom of each taco shell. Top with a couple of spoonfuls of rice, if using. Divide the chicken mixture among the 10 shells. (Note: The taco shells will be full nearly to the top.) Top each taco with shredded cheese.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake at 325 for 6-8 minutes more, until everything is warmed through and the cheese is melted.
- Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- You could add some bell pepper, zucchini or wilted spinach to give these tacos a veggie boost. Sauté any vegetables along with the onion when prepping the recipe.
- Add in some corn, whether fresh, canned or frozen (thawed).
- Use black beans in place of or in addition to the refried beans in this recipe.
Video
Nutrition
Trish
This was fantastic! Thank you for sharing. I severed with the homemade refried beans and they were great too! I love the fact that I can make a lot of the meat up and freeze for later. That's a great timesaver! And it's ALL gluten free.
Kathryn Doherty
Yay, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it! And yes, it's so great for meal prepping and having some extra on hand for another time. Thank you so much for sharing!