Baked Shredded Chicken Tacos

Close up of taco shells in a casserole dish filled with rice, shredded chicken and loaded with cheese, avocado and salsa for toppings.

5 from 1 vote

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Yield: 10 large 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!

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Notes

Taco seasoning: Homemade taco seasoning is super easy to make and so much more flavorful, but of course, store-bought is fine, too.

Other add-ins:

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.

Leftovers: Leftover crispy tacos of course don’t keep well. That shell can’t be brought back to life after it’s been stuffed. 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.

Video

Nutrition

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