These Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos are crunchy, delicious and make the perfect weeknight meal or serve them for Taco Tuesday and Cinco de Mayo! They're ready to eat in an hour and will be your new, go to taco recipe.
If that colorful photo doesn't entice you to make these, I don't know what will. They are crispy & fresh with all those toppings and really everything you would want from a taco!
My husband's family introduced me to frying crispy corn shells at a young age (we've been together forever). Shortly after, I experimented with frying the flour tortilla. I love them both for different reasons, but for these baked tacos, I highly recommend the flour tortilla for the best crunch! For another crispy favorite, check out these BBQ Pork Egg Rolls!
If you love easy taco recipes, make sure to check out my Thai Shrimp Tacos, Baja Shrimp Tacos, Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers & Walking Taco Bake too!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- The chicken is marinated in a homemade Mexican spice blend with lime to make it nice and juicy
- These flour tortillas steal the show with a perfect crunch
- It only takes about an hour, including the marinade
- Everyone loves a taco, especially when you can add all your own toppings
For more easy dinner ideas with similar flavor, try my Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas, Chicken Enchiladas and Fajita Wraps.
Ingredients:
Chicken Breast: Sliced thinly, marinated and then sautéed. If you've made my recipes before you know I love the Smart Chicken brand. It's always super clean right out of the package and tastes amazing. They don't pay me to say that, I just really love it.
Taco Seasoning: This Taco Seasoning only takes 2 minutes to make with only 7 common spices. You can also use a store bought taco packet instead.
Olive Oil: To spread the seasoning and provide extra moisture into the chicken.
Lime Juice: For a citrus flavor and to tenderize the meat.
Flour Tortillas: It might be an unpopular opinion, and I usually get yelled at on social media for it, but there's a place for flour tortillas and it is in this recipe. They are fried, then filled and baked.
Vegetable Oil: Used to fry the tortillas into bubbly, crunchy goodness.
Cheddar Cheese: Melted in the oven
Optional Toppings: Chopped Lettuce, roma tomato with seeds removed and diced, chopped red onion and lime wedges for serving. This Sour Cream Sauce is delish too, or take it up a notch with my Avocado Crema, Lime Aioli, Spicy Mango Salsa or Creamy Poblano Sauce.
Variations and Substitutions:
Like a lot of spice? Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and additional hot sauce into the marinade. Also, shake on some more hot sauce when serving. If you love spicy and smoky flavor, try my Southwest Seasoning Blend.
If you don't want to make the homemade taco seasoning, a taco seasoning packet is fine to use.
Not big on cheddar cheese? Monterey jack, pepper jack or colby cheese would be yummy and melt similar to cheddar cheese.
If you want more toppings, try jalapeño, cilantro, guacamole and salsa.
Love corn tortillas? You can use them for the recipe, but don't get mad at me when they crack. They're just harder to work. Sorry, I said it.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos:
**If you're making my chicken taco seasoning recipe, prepare that first.
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise, into two thinner breasts. Add into a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lime juice and taco seasoning. Toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Step 2: Prep the Taco Toppings
Prepare all of your taco toppings and set aside for serving.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken
Into a large skillet over medium heat, add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and allow it to heat up. Place the chicken into the pan and saute for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Place the cooked chicken breast on a cutting board and tent with foil.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 4: Fry the Tortillas
Into a large skillet on medium high heat, add in the vegetable oil. Allow it to heat up for at least 3 to 5 minutes until it's really hot. To test the oil, dip a corner of the tortilla into the oil and listen for a loud sizzle. Once it's hot, add in a tortilla. Cook for 20-30 seconds, then flip with tongs and fry the other side.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 5: Drain Grease from Tortillas
Fold the tortilla in half with tongs while it is still hot in the pan, and place on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with all the tortillas.
Step 6: Dice Chicken
Chop the chicken breast into cubes or strips, whatever you prefer.
Step 7: Assemble Tacos
Carefully open each tortilla and spoon on chicken and sprinkle with cheese.
Step 8: Bake
Close each shell back up and place them on a cookie sheet with a rack. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until nice and crispy.
Step 9: Add Toppings and Serve
Add all of your favorite taco toppings and serve. Enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Don't allow the chicken to marinate more than an hour. Because of the high lime content, it could break down the meat too much.
- If the seasoning starts to burn when sautéing the chicken, drop the heat to medium low.
- The vegetable oil needs to be really hot and sizzle when the tortilla shell is added. Watch it closely, as it only needs 20 to 30 seconds to cook on each side.
Need a Cocktail Recipe to pair with these tacos? Try these Strawberry Lime Margaritas, Tajin Margaritas or Mango Mojitos!
Recipe FAQs:
Chicken tacos pair perfectly with rice, black or refried beans, or mexican street corn salad. For drinks, try my spicy pineapple margarita!
After assembly of these chicken tacos, hold off on the baking until right before the party begins. They will be hot and fresh out of the oven.
Storing and Reheating:
Wrap the tacos in foil and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Unwrap, place on a cookie sheet, and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
More Recipes You'll Love:
If you tried this Crispy Chicken Taco Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10 tacos 1x
Description
These Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos are crunchy, delicious and make the perfect weeknight meal or serve them for Taco Tuesday and Cinco de Mayo! Plus, they only take an hour to make.
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ lbs chicken breast, trimmed and patted dry
- 1 batch of homemade taco seasoning or store bought packet
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice from one lime
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 10 flour tortillas
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- Optional taco toppings: chopped lettuce (I prefer romaine hearts or iceberg for the extra crunch factor), diced roma tomatoes, minced red onion, sour cream, and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- If you're making my homemade taco seasoning, prepare that first.
- Slice the each chicken breast in half lengthwise, into two thinner breasts. Add into a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lime juice and taco seasoning. Toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Prepare all of your taco toppings and set aside for serving.
- Into a large skillet over medium heat, add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and allow it to heat up. Place the chicken into the pan and saute for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Place the cooked chicken breast on a cutting board and tent with foil.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Into a large skillet on medium high heat, add in the vegetable oil. Allow it to heat up for at least 3 to 5 minutes until it's really hot. To test the oil, dip a corner of the tortilla into the oil and listen for a loud sizzle. Once it's hot, add in a tortilla. Cook for 20-30 seconds, then flip with tongs and fry the other side.
- Fold the tortilla in half with tongs while it is still hot in pan, and place on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with all the tortillas.
- Chop the chicken breast into cubes or strips, whatever you prefer.
- Carefully open each tortilla and spoon on chicken and sprinkle with cheese.
- Close each shell back up and place them on a cookie sheet with rack. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until nice and crispy.
- Add all of your favorite taco toppings and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Don't allow the chicken to marinate more than an hour. Because of the high lime content, it could break down the meat too much.
If the seasoning starts to burn when sautéing the chicken, drop the heat to medium low.
The vegetable oil needs to be really hot and sizzle when the tortilla shell is added. Watch it closely, as it only needs 20 to 30 seconds to cook on each side.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Marinating Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: mexican
Josie
These are so good! That crispy shell is everything!
Tara Smithson
Thanks Josie! I could eat 10 of these!