Baked Chicken Tacos

easyhealthyrecipes.com/baked-chicken-tacos/

Crunchy taco shells stuffed with seasoned shredded chicken, refried beans, salsa, and shredded cheese, then baked until warm and melty. The easiest taco night entrée ever!

Prep: 15

Cook: 15

Total: 30

Recipe makes approximately 10 chicken tacos

Equipment Needed

Oven
stovetop
Large skillet
large wooden spoon (or silicone spatula)
9x13 baking pan
spoon

Ingredients Needed

For the Baked Chicken Tacos

1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil (avocado oil, olive oil, etc.)
½ cup diced white onion
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (see Notes)
8 ounces refried beans (black or pinto; half of one can)
1 cup salsa (any variety)
1 tablespoon taco seasoning (store-bought or make your own)
10 hard taco shells
2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend

Suggested Toppings (All Optional)

diced cilantro
sliced avocado (or guacamole)
sour cream

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
Add 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil to large skillet and place skillet on stovetop over medium heat. Tilt and swirl skillet occasionally to distribute oil across entire surface, and continue heating skillet until oil is hot and shimmery.
When oil is hot, add ½ cup diced white onion to skillet. Stir to incorporate, then sauté onions 3 minutes or until softened.
Once onions have softened, add 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken, 8 ounces refried beans, 1 cup salsa, and 1 tablespoon taco seasoning to skillet. Stir ingredients together until well incorporated, with seasoning fully absorbed.
Simmer taco filling mixture over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning, until mixture is warmed through. When filling is warm, reduce heat under skillet to very low.
Arrange 10 hard taco shells upright in baking pan, positioning shells to remain upright during baking.
Spoon equal amounts of filling mixture into each taco shell, being careful not to break or split shells.
Divide 2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend evenly, then top each filled taco with cheese.
Place baking pan in preheated oven. Bake tacos 6 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and edges of taco shells are golden brown.
When tacos are ready, carefully remove pan from oven and set aside. Let tacos cool slightly, then add preferred toppings if desired and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Shredded Chicken: Rotisserie chicken works great here, or you can use any leftover chicken you have on hand (as long as the flavors work!). If you want to cook chicken specifically for these tacos, use this recipe and method for the best shredded chicken ever.
Taco Shells: This recipe uses prepared crunchy taco shells. It won't work with flat flour tortillas or flat corn tortillas. You can use regular hard taco shells or use the ones that are flat on the bottom so they stand up more easily.
Make it Dairy Free: Replace the shredded cheese with a similar dairy-free cheese.
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free crunchy taco shells and make sure your salsa, taco seasoning, beans, and cheese don't contain any hidden gluten.
Make it Vegetarian: Omit the chicken entirely or replace it with a vegan chicken substitute.
Make it Vegan: Omit the chicken entirely or replace it with a vegan chicken substitute. Replace the shredded cheese with a similar dairy-free cheese.

Nutrition Info (Approximate)