Baked Chicken Tacos

5 from 1 vote

Baked Chicken Tacos are the perfect combination of robust seasonings, savory chicken, and creamy cilantro-lime sauce, all wrapped up in piping hot corn tortillas.

Prep Time35

Cook Time16

Total Time51

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: baked chicken tacos

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $12.24

Equipment

Ingredients

Baked Chicken Tacos

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 pound ground chicken thigh meat if possible
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1-3/4 cups shredded Colby jack or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
12 stand up hard (crispy) corn tortilla shells

Optional: Cilantro-Lime Sauce

1 lime
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed
1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Toppings

Toppings as desired see note 1

US - Metric

Instructions

Zest limes with a zester to get 1/4 teaspoon zest. Juice the lime using a citrus juicer to get 2 tablespoons lime juice. Preheat oven to 400°F. Use a very large sheet pan or 2 smaller ones.
Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor and blend or pulse until smooth. Transfer sauce to a Mason jar and refrigerate while preparing everything else so flavors can intensify.
Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add olive oil to a large cast-iron pan and place over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add diced onion. Cook for 3–5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 20–30 seconds. Add chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon powder. Cook and stir the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Nothing should be burning; reduce heat if needed.
Press everything to the sides of the pan. Add ground chicken to the center. Crumble the meat into small pieces and cook until no longer pink but not cooked through all the way, about 4–5 minutes. This will take longer in a nonstick pan and you may need to drain off accumulated liquid here.
Add in the tomato sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits, this is where the flavor is! Let simmer for 3–5 minutes, or until fully cooked through, then remove from heat.
Add tortilla shells to pans, I can fit 9–10 in a 9 x 13-inch pan and add the rest to an 8 x 8-inch pan. Bake for 5 minutes to keep the shells from getting soggy quickly.
To the baked shells, add a heaping 1/4 cup of the taco meat filling and 2 tablespoons cheese on top. Repeat until all the shells are filled.
Bake for 8–15 minutes or until shells are crispy and cheese is very melted.
Add your favorite toppings on top of the tacos. I love topping these tacos with thinly sliced avocado, diced cherry tomatoes, sour cream, and lots of cilantro-lime sauce. Enjoy right out of the oven!

Notes

Note 1: I love to top these tacos with thinly sliced avocado, diced cherry tomatoes, sour cream, and lots of the cilantro lime sauce. You can also use guacamole, pico de gallo, jalapeno, cilantro, green onions, fresh lime, cotija cheese, or pickled red onions—tons of delicious options!

Nutrition Note: The nutrition information is calculated for 1 serving of 3 tacos.

Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge, keeping toppings separate, and reheat tacos in the oven before serving.

Nutrition