Description
These baked chicken tacos combine shredded rotisserie chicken with flavorful taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and refried beans, all layered inside crisped hard taco shells and topped with melted Mexican cheese blend. Perfectly baked until bubbly and golden, they are finished with fresh toppings like jalapeños, sour cream, lettuce, cilantro, and salsa for a deliciously satisfying taco night.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken recommended)
- 1 ounce taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ cup diced onion
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, fully drained (1 can)
- 4.5 ounces diced green chiles, fully drained (1 can)
- 8 ounces refried beans (½ can)
Taco Assembly
- 10 hard taco shells (Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff recommended)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Toppings (optional but recommended)
- Sliced jalapeños
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Shredded lettuce
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray to prepare for baking the taco shells.
- Sauté Onion: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until it becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Add Chicken Mixture: Stir in the shredded cooked chicken, taco seasoning, fully drained diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer Filling: Reduce heat to low and let the chicken mixture simmer gently for 5-8 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld properly.
- Arrange Taco Shells: Place the taco shells standing upright in the prepared baking dish. Fit 10 shells by placing two shells on each side if needed.
- Crisp Taco Shells: Bake the empty taco shells in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp them up and prevent sogginess.
- Add Beans and Chicken: Remove the dish from the oven and spoon about 1 tablespoon of refried beans into the bottom of each taco shell. Then, fill each shell almost to the top with the cooked chicken mixture.
- Top with Cheese: Generously sprinkle each taco with the shredded Mexican blend cheese, adding as much as you like for gooey, melted goodness.
- Bake Tacos: Return the taco dish to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the edges of the shells turn golden brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Carefully remove the tacos from the oven and top with sliced jalapeños, sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped cilantro, and salsa according to your preference before serving.
Notes
- Make sure to fully drain canned tomatoes and green chiles to prevent soggy taco shells.
- Using rotisserie chicken saves time and adds great flavor, but cooked shredded chicken breast works as well.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of taco seasoning to taste depending on your preferred spice level.
- If you want softer shells, skip the initial crisp baking step; however, this helps prevent sogginess when filled.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven for best texture.
