Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos
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OH-SO-CRISP, crunchy, cheesy chicken tacos completely baked to absolute PERFECTION. A super easy weeknight meal!
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Super crispy, crunchy, cheesy chicken tacos that do not require any kind of deep-frying? Yes, please! I know, it’s hard to believe that these are baked but they are completely 100% baked start to finish.
With an easy chicken filling and the most fragrant spices, cilantro and a little bit of cheese, these come together very quickly. And that little brush of oil prior to baking help these bad boys crisp up in the oven so so perfectly.
Ground pork or ground beef can easily be substituted for the chicken, and you can even make these miniature-size using smaller corn tortillas (I used 5- to 6-inch corn tortillas here). Serve with your favorite toppings as needed – guac, pico, and/or sour cream are all favorable choices here!
Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos: Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all! Ground beef or ground pork can be used instead of ground chicken.
We recommend warming the tortillas prior to assembly, about 30-60 seconds in the microwave, or until pliable.
You can serve with some of your favorite toppings – pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole, queso fresco or cotija cheese, shredded lettuce, jalapenos, lime wedges, or cilantro.
We love serving this with Mexican rice and homemade restaurant style salsa!
Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ medium sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
- 8 flour or corn tortillas, warmed
For serving
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Shredded lettuce
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
- Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add ground chicken, onion and garlic, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in green chiles, chili powder, paprika, oregano and cumin until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in 1 cup cheese until well combined.
- Working one at a time, spread chicken mixture on half of the tortilla; top with 1 tablespoon cheese, folding over to seal. Repeat with remaining tortillas to make 8 tacos.
- Place tacos in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil.
- Place into oven and bake until toasted and crispy, about 12-15 minutes.
- Serve immediately with desired toppings.
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Our new go to tacos! Chef’s kiss!
Excellent, and so simple! Liked it a lot.
Fantastic recipe! Pairs well with lime margaritas and MLB baseball.
I just made these last night and while they didn’t exactly look as crispy as in the recipe photo, they tasted absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making them again. 🙂
These were absolutely delicious! I will definitely make these again.
These were quick and easy to make for dinner! What is a good option for reheating any leftovers tacos?
These were delicious! Love that there is less prep work and clean up than traditional tacos. They are a little tricky to eat, but we will definetely be making them again.
Very good, very easy! Loved this.
First time cooking chicken tacos and they did not disappoint. So flavorful and delicious!!! Thank You for a wonderful recipe.
Can I use!
Can noise flour tortillas?