Description
These Perfect Baked Chicken Tacos are an ideal quick and delicious meal for busy weeknights. Tender baked chicken breasts seasoned with taco spices are stuffed into crispy taco shells and topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, creamy avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, and cilantro. The final bake melts the cheese and crisps the shells for a satisfying crunch, making these tacos a flavorful and easy dinner everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 1 pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
- 2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning (pre-made or homemade blend)
For the Tacos
- 12 pieces Crunchy Taco Shells (traditional or baked)
- 1 cup Shredded Cheese (blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack preferred)
- 1 cup Shredded Lettuce
- 1 cup Diced Tomatoes
- 1 ripe Avocado (sliced)
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ¼ cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the chicken and later melting the taco cheese.
- Season Chicken: In a mixing bowl, thoroughly coat the boneless, skinless chicken breasts with the taco seasoning to infuse them with flavorful spices.
- Bake Chicken: Place the seasoned chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
- Rest and Shred: Allow the baked chicken to rest for a few minutes after cooking. Then shred the chicken using two forks to create tender strands perfect for filling tacos.
- Crisp Taco Shells: Arrange the taco shells on a separate baking sheet and bake them for about 5 minutes to enhance their crunchiness before assembling.
- Assemble Tacos: Fill each crispy taco shell with shredded chicken, then top with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, a drizzle of sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro for layered freshness and creaminess.
- Melt Cheese and Finish Tacos: Return the assembled tacos to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the taco shells are golden brown for a perfect texture and warm finish.
- Serve: Serve the baked chicken tacos immediately while warm and enjoy a flavorful, comforting meal perfect for busy weeknights.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add some sliced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
- You can substitute chicken breast with chicken thighs for juicier meat.
- Use gluten-free taco shells if required to make the recipe gluten free.
- This recipe can be doubled for larger families or gatherings.
- Leftover shredded chicken can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for later use in other dishes.
