These Mini Baked Chicken Tacos are really simple and delicious. Filled with a creamy and somewhat spicy mixture of taco-seasoned chicken and shredded cheese. They bake up quickly in the crispy taco shells. This dish, which only requires a few ingredients and can be prepared in 30 minutes, tastes great with my simple, protein-rich homemade dipping sauce, which also makes these tacos even more delicious.
Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425F. Brush both sides of the taco shells with olive oil before placing them in the baking dish. Fill only one side of each tortilla with the chicken mixture. Place the cheese on top and fold the other side of the tortilla over the filling.
The tortillas should be golden brown and the melted cheese should begin to crisp after 8 to 12 minutes of baking. Take care not to burn.
After removing the tacos from the baking pan, give them some time to cool. While the tacos are still soft, fold them in half with a spatula as soon as they come out of the oven.
Add your preferred garnishes, including salsa, shredded lettuce, cilantro, sour cream, and jalapenos. And have fun!
NOTES
Add a Layer of Cheese. Before baking, cover the filling with a layer of shredded cheese. In addition to adding flavor, this keeps the baked chicken tacos from opening up while baking.
You can keep these warm in the oven while serving if you're preparing them for a large group of people or a party. Typically, we keep them in a baking dish covered with foil and lower the oven temperature to around 250°F.
Avoid using excessive amounts of oil. Apply a thin layer of neutral oil to the tortillas. Tacos will become mushy if you use too much oil.
Make use of corn tortillas. This dish works well with corn tortillas! We prefer to use little corn tortillas, but you can use larger tortillas if you want tacos that are heartier and more substantial.
The shell will shatter if it cools down too much, so fold right away. To give yourself a little extra time and keep the shells malleable for a few more seconds, you can tent the sheet pan with foil for 30 seconds.