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Cheesy Baked Chicken Tacos

Baked Chicken Tacos are the perfect weeknight dinner. Made with shredded chicken, black beans, chiles and cheese then topped with all the fixings. 

Have you read the book Dragons Love Tacos? My kids love it. It’s actually one of my favorite children’s books too. The dragons love all kinds of tacos except for spicy. Those make them breath fire. It’s pretty cute. And it has made my kiddos love tacos even more, which is a great thing, because this mama LOVES tacos too. Especially these Cheesy Baked Chicken Tacos.

Tacos are pretty much a regular occurrence in our house. We’re talking weekly. We usually have fish tacos, shrimp tacos, fried avocado tacos or steak tacos. This is the first time however, that I have made baked tacos. And it is so not going to be the last.

These Cheesy Baked Chicken Tacos were a hit with the whole family and because they use already cooked chicken, they couldn’t be easier to make. 

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make them. 

Baked Chicken Taco Ingredients: 

  • OIL: You can use olive, canola or avocado.
  • SHREDDED COOKED CHICKEN: This is a great recipe if you have leftover chicken on hand. I used a mixture of shredded chicken breast and dark meat. 
  • CHILI POWDER: Will add a little bit of heat to the chicken but not much. 
  • CUMIN: Will add a warm, earthy flavor. 
  • OREGANO: Adds a peppery bite. 
  • GRANULATED GARLIC: You can also use garlic powder. If you use garlic salt, be careful of adding additional salt to the recipe. 
  • ONION POWDER: Adds a subtle onion flavor without overpowering. 
  • BLACK BEANS: Black beans make these tacos really hearty. It is important to make sure that they are drained well so they don’t add extra moisture to the tacos. 
  • DICED GREEN CHILES: Add a smoky, chili flavor to the taco filling. 
  • STAND AND STUFF TACO SHELLS: These tacos are hearty and work better if you use the stand and stuff tacos as they can fit more filling. 
  • PEPPER JACK CHEESE: Freshly shredded pepper jack cheese will melt better than pre-shredded cheese. 
  • ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS: These can be whatever you like to top your tacos with. We used sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole

Step by Step Photos and Instructions: 

Making baked chicken tacos is really easy! Simply make the filling, stuff the tacos, bake and top with your favorite toppings. Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions. 

  • STEP #1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place 10 – 12 taco shells in  9 x 13 baking dish. Warm shells according to package directions. 
  • STEP #2: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin, oregano, granulated garlic, onion powder. Mix to combine. Add in black beans and green chiles. Mix well and continue cooking until warmed through. 
  • STEP #3: Remove shells from oven and fill with about 1/4 cup of the filling. Top each with cheese.
  • STEP #4: Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake at for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. 
  • STEP #5: Remove from oven and top with your favorite taco toppings. Serve immediately. 

Storage and Leftovers: 

These tacos are best eaten immediately. However, you can make the filling ahead of time and fill the taco shells just before baking. 

Recipe Tips and FAQ:

Why do you bake the taco shells before adding filling?

After testing, I found that baking the taco shells empty then adding the taco shells and baking them again helped keep the tacos crisper for longer.

Why should you shred your own cheese?

Pre-shredded cheese has additives to prevent the cheese from clumping together in the bag. This means that the cheese won’t melt together as well and is why I always grate my own cheese.

Looking for more Mexican inspired recipes to round out your taco night, here are some of my most popular:

Not much beats warm Homemade Tortilla Chips on taco night!

Want to spice things up? Try making Habanero Salsa.

Strawberry Jalapeño Margaritas are the perfect way to wash down some tacos!

Note: Originally published in 2016. Updated in 2024 with a new recipe, photos, step by step photos and nutrition information.

Cheesy Baked Chicken Tacos

Baked Chicken Tacos are the perfect weeknight dinner. Made with shredded chicken, black beans, chiles and cheese then topped with all the fixings. 
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 656 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 15.5 ounces black beans rinsed and drained
  • 4 ounces diced green chiles
  • 10 - 12 standing taco shells
  • 2 - 2 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 8 - 10 taco shells in a baking dish. Warm taco shells according to package directions.
  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in chicken, chili powder, cumin, oregano, granulated garlic and onion powder. Stir in black beans and diced green chiles
  • Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Divide chicken filling evenly among taco shells. Sprinkle pepper jack cheese over the top. Bake in preheated oven for 5 - 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
  • Remove tacos from oven. Top each taco with your favorite toppings. Serve immediately.

Notes

Nutrition information is for estimation purposes only and will greatly depend on any additional toppings that you add. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacosCalories: 656kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 46gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 714mgPotassium: 590mgFiber: 9gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 924IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 702mgIron: 4mg
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Keywords: chicken, pepper jack cheese, tacos

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Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    debattinella
    February 26, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    The spicier the better for me! Great idea!

  • Reply
    Miryam, Eat Good 4 Life
    February 25, 2016 at 7:14 am

    Wow these look better than restaurant quality. So juicy and colorful!!

  • Reply
    Michelle @ The Complete Savori
    February 24, 2016 at 6:04 pm

    Great idea for the next Taco Tuesday dinner.

  • Reply
    Amy Stafford
    February 24, 2016 at 8:51 am

    I love tacos too, and its always my go to recipe during the week. Can’t wait to try your version.

  • Reply
    Kacey @ The Cookie Writer
    February 24, 2016 at 5:09 am

    Tacos are my weakness! Love the use of avocado oil (finally grabbed a bottle myself!) I would love to participate in taco night at your house!

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »

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