Baked Chicken Tacos | The Recipe Critic

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By Alex

• Aug 03, 2026 • 0 Comments •

4.9

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Servings

4 People

These baked chicken tacos are loaded with seasoned chicken, cheese and salsa. The perfect easy dinner for a busy day!

Chicken Taco Salad is another light and tasty meal that will be a crowd-favorite. Also try a Taco Casserole for a quick and easy complete meal that will be a huge hit!

Baked Chicken Tacos

I don’t know about you, but my family would eat tacos for every meal if I let them! These baked chicken tacos are an easy dinner that the family is sure to love, with minimal effort on your part. This is the best way to make tacos for a crowd, I often make a double batch and serve them as an entree at parties.

This recipe starts with cooked, shredded chicken. I typically use a rotisserie chicken to make life a little easier, but you could really use any leftover chicken. The chicken is tossed in taco seasoning and lime juice and stuffed into taco shells. I like to use the taco shells with the flat bottoms for this recipe, that way they’ll stand up in the pan. Typically 10 tacos can fit inside a standard 9″x13″ pan. Top them with a generous helping of shredded cheddar cheese, then bake to crispy cheesy perfection!

Ingredients for Easy Chicken Tacos:

I make these baked chicken tacos almost every week, using store bought chicken means that I can have this meal on the table in about 20 minutes. You can customize this recipe by switching the type of cheese (pepper jack would be a great choice), or even by swapping out the type of meat. I’ve made this recipe with shredded pork with amazing results! This recipe is sure to become a family favorite in your house just like it is in mine.

Taco shells: The hard taco shells with a flat bottom work best and can be easily stacked in the pan.
Shredded chicken: Buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save yourself time or make your own slow cooker shredded chicken.
Lime Juice: Adds a fresh lime taste to the chicken mixture.
Taco seasoning: Easy to make homemade seasoning is simple to make and stores well for several weeks.
Ground cumin: Signature taco flavor that is unmistakable!
Garlic powder: Adds even more rich flavor to the chicken filling.

Additional toppings:

Shredded cheddar cheese: Sharp, pungent taste that melts perfectly on top of the tender chicken.
Chopped cilantro: Great color and citrusy flavor.
Shredded romaine lettuce: Great crispy freshness.
Pico de gallo or salsa: Loaded with flavor from lime, cilantro, and juicy chunks of tomato and onion!

How to Make Baked Chicken Tacos:

Tacos are quick and easy to make and are filled with warm seasonings and ooey gooey cheese. This will be a family favorite meal that is effortless and one of the best taco recipes you will make!

Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the taco shells inside a 9″x13″ pan.
Combine chicken and seasonings: In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, lime juice, taco seasoning, cumin and garlic powder. Stir until chicken is coated with the seasonings.
Fill shells with chicken mixture: Divide the chicken mixture among the taco shells and top with cheese.
Bake: Bake for 10 minutes or until tacos are warmed through and cheese is melted.
Add toppings: Sprinkle with cilantro. Then, divide the lettuce and pico de gallo among the tacos and serve immediately.

Variations of Tacos:

Baked Chicken Tacos are super versatile. Change your toppings or ingredients based on what your family loves and the items you have handy. These tacos are no-fail and will be amazing no matter how you customize them!

Toppings: You can these tacos as is with just a sprinkling of cilantro, but I like to add more toppings. Let’s face it, tacos are all about the toppings. Sour cream, diced avocado, sliced olives and jalapenos are all great choices!
Serve with: Homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, mango salsa or blender salsa
Filling: Swap out the shredded chicken for shredded pork or ground beef.

Storing Chicken Tacos:

These Chicken Tacos will store well and reheat easily for fantastic leftovers. Simply allow the tacos to cool completely and store them within 2 hours of baking. Place your tacos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, place them on a baking sheet and heat for a few minutes in the oven at 400 degrees until they are warm throughout.

More Fun Taco Recipes:

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Spicy Paprika & Lime Chicken Tenderloins

These Spicy Paprika and Lime Grilled Chicken Tenderloins are a great addition to your BBQ repertoire. Take your taste buds to the Caribbean, Mexico or Spain on a little holiday! Can be cooked outdoors or on a stove. Paleo, Whole30, Keto, gluten-free.

Paprika & Lime Grilled Chicken Tenderloins

Whether you’re heating up the BBQ on a warm summer’s day or you need to give your skillet a bit of a workout, this is a fabulous chicken recipe that I know you will love.

My paprika lime chicken tenderloins are tender and juicy. The spices and citrus used in the marinade will take your taste buds on a little holiday to the Caribbean, Mexico or Spain – your pick!

I used chicken tenderloins because I find the meat more tender than the rest of the chicken breast and it’s easier to work with than the chicken thighs. You can use any chicken meat you like, just adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the pieces. This marinade will also work well with turkey, pork, quail, prawns and even beef.

What Are Chicken Tenderloins?

Still confused about what chicken tenderloins are? They are short, thin cuts taken from beneath the breast of the bird. You might find that some grocers will sell thinner slices of breast meat and call it chicken tenderloins or tender. They tend to be softer than chicken breast when cooked BUT should not be overcooked, they don’t need as long as the chicken breast.

Nutritionally speaking, they are the same as chicken breast meat – high in protein, minerals, low in calories and fat.

Make-Ahead Tip For Paprika Lime Chicken

The chicken tenderloins can be marinated ahead of time for an even more robust flavour; keep uncooked in the fridge for maximum of 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months and simply defrost overnight in the fridge before you want to use it.

More Delicious Chicken Recipes:

Description

Grilled paprika and lime grilled chicken tenderloins are great with any side dish and can be used in salads, tacos, and wraps. Can be cooked outdoors or on a stove.

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Rinse the chicken and cut larger pieces in half.
Using your hands, rub the chicken with the marinade. Leave in the bowl, wrap with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge for at least one hour before grilling.
If using a grill plate or a skillet on your stove, heat one teaspoon of coconut oil until sizzling hot. Fry the chicken pieces for 4 minutes on each side and then remove to a plate to rest. Make sure not to overcrowd the frying pan or you will end up with too much meat juice and stewed rather than grilled chicken.
If using a BBQ, heat the plate to sizzling hot and either spray with olive oil or brush with coconut oil. Place chicken pieces on the plate with a little space in between and cook for 4 minutes on each side on medium/high heat with the lid on.
Remove cooked chicken to a serving plate and drizzle with lime juice before serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2-3 tenderloins
Calories: 331
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 783.6 mg
Fat: 16.4 g
Carbohydrates: 4.4 g
Fiber: 1.3 g
Protein: 41.3 g
Cholesterol: 131.4 mg

Keywords: Tenderloins, Chicken, Paprika, Lime, BBQ, Grilling, Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30