Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos
Surprisingly crispy and full of flavor, these oven baked crispy chicken tacos are the perfect weeknight dinner. Loaded with seasoned ground chicken, fresh cilantro, and melted cheese then baked to a crispy bite, these chicken tacos will quickly become a family favorite.
If you are looking for an easy, family friendly dinner recipe that comes together quickly then you need to try these oven baked crispy chicken tacos. These chicken tacos are perfect for nights when you need a quick dinner that is healthy and that you know the entire family would love to see on the dinner table.
These crispy chicken tacos are loaded with a flavorful ground chicken mixture, layered with cheese, and taste delicious when dunked in healthy dips like this cilantro avocado yogurt dip. Plus, they get their crispy bite from the oven… no deep frying needed!
My husband called them “restaurant status.” My toddler ate two tacos. I loved the minimal clean up, the healthy ingredients, and the flavorful bite of these oven baked chicken tacos. Trust me, this easy dinner recipe will be well loved in your household too!
Let’s get to the recipe!
Why you’ll love these crispy chicken tacos:
You’ll love these crispy tacos with ground chicken because they are:
Full of flavor: Fresh cilantro, lime juice, taco seasoned meat, and a can of green chiles give these crispy tacos a flavor filled bite that your entire family will love.
Easy to make: This is one of my go to recipes on busy weeknights because these come together really quickly. Simple prep your ground chicken filling (this can be done ahead of time), load your tortillas, and bake your tacos until crispy!
Oven baked: No frying needed for these crispy tacos. All you’ll need is a little oil, a large sheet pan, and a hot oven to get the perfect amount of crisp on your tortillas!
Family friendly:.My toddler loved his “crunchy chicken quesadilla” and had even more fun dipping it in the assortment of healthy condiments that I served it with.
Filled with ground chicken: I love stuffing these crispy tacos with ground chicken because it is a lean meat, loaded with protein, and cooks really quickly. If you don't have ground chicken on hand then you can easily swap it for ground turkey or ground beef instead.
Delicious with any dip: Pair these tacos with salsa, guacamole, cottage cheese taco dip, or my greek yogurt cilantro avocado dip for an extra boost of flavor and nutrition.
You’re going to love these oven baked tacos! Now let’s get into the flavorful ingredients you will need to make them:
Greek Yogurt Cilantro Avocado Dip
Pair your crispy sheet pan tacos with this tasty dip!
Ingredients you’ll need:
Here’s what you’ll need to add to your grocery list:
Ground chicken: Ground chicken is a fantastic protein to keep in your refrigerator because it is lean meat, high in protein, and cooks much faster than a thick chicken breast will. If you prefer a different type of meat then you can make these with ground turkey or ground beef.
Garlic: Freshly minced.
Sweet onion: Finely diced.
Mild green chiles: I recommend buying the can of mild green chiles if you want to keep the spice level to a minimum. If you prefer spicier tacos then you can buy the medium or hot green chiles.
Taco seasoning: I used an entire packet of taco seasoning for this recipe and stuck with the packet to keep it easy. You could also make your own taco seasoning if you prefer!
Cilantro: This adds a nice burst of fresh flavor.
Lime juice: Another burst of fresh flavor and I highly recommend you use fresh lime juice for this recipe.
Cheese: I used a shredded cheddar blend but you could use any shredded cheese you prefer.
Flour tortillas: Fajita size.
Avocado Oil Spray: The key to crispy oven baked tacos is to spray your tortillas with 100% avocado oil spray. You can also lightly brush them with oil if you did not have the spray.
Dip of choice: I highly recommend you serve these crispy chicken tacos with my greek yogurt cilantro avocado dip.
That’s all you’ll need!
Step by Step Instructions:
You’ll have these sheet pan crispy chicken tacos ready to enjoy in no time. Here’s how you make them:
1) Add your garlic, chopped onion, ground chicken, taco seasoning, and the can of mild green chiles to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until your chicken is fully cooked through and your onions have soften, about 15-20 minutes.
2) Stir in your freshly chopped cilantro.
3) Line your largest sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and spray with avocado oil spray. Lay down your tortillas, add a thin layer of cheese, then scoop about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture to one half of the tortilla. Be careful not to overfill your tacos.
Fold your tortilla over to form a taco shape, pinching along the crease line to help them maintain their shape if needed. Spray the tops of your tortilla with avocado oil (or brush with a little bit of oil) and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until they reach your desired level of crispiness.
4) As the tacos bake, some of the tortillas may lift up. Simply press them back down with a spatula, pressing any meat mixture back into the tortilla as needed.
Serve your oven baked crispy chicken tacos immediately and pair them with a tasty dip like a greek yogurt cilantro avocado dip or some fresh salsa.
Swaps, substitutions, and serving suggestions:
Some other ways that you can serve up these crispy chicken tacos would be to:
Add more veggies: You can easily add some diced bell peppers, jalapeños, corn, and beans to your ground chicken mixture if you want to add some color to your meal.
Swap your meat: These crispy chicken tacos are made with ground chicken but they can easily be made into crispy beef tacos or crispy turkey tacos by choosing ground beef or ground turkey instead.
Add some spice: Add diced jalapeños, cayenne pepper, or a choose spicy green chiles instead of mild to add some heat to your tacos. .
Make them jumbo: Choose a burrito sized tortilla and adjust your fillings as needed if you want XL crispy chicken taco.
Pair them with different dips: You can add tons of flavor and nutrition to your tacos by pairing it with a healthy dip option like a cottage cheese taco dip, my healthy cowboy caviar, or my high protein cilantro avocado yogurt dip.
And more! Make these oven baked crispy tacos your own and tag me on instagram with any fun ideas you come up with!
Recipe FAQ:
Can I meal prep these crispy chicken tacos?
These tacos are best baked and served immediately, especially if you want a crispy taco! You can definitely bake them and store the leftovers, but your tortilla may lose some of its crispiness when its reheated.
To best maintain the crispy edges of your tacos, reheat them in a hot skillet or in the oven. The microwave will make your tortilla softer.
Is ground chicken safe to eat?
Ground chicken is a fantastic protein to keep in your refrigerator or freezer. It is high in protein, low in fat, and cooks really quickly. To make sure it is safe to eat, be sure to cook it to 165 degrees and ensure there is no pink left in the middle.
Help, my filling fell out!
As the cheese melts in the oven your filling may slide slightly out of the top. Ways to overcome this are to avoid overstuffing your tacos, keep the tops of the tortillas pressed down as they bake, and then simply slide the stuffing that has moved back into the tortilla.
Other easy dinner ideas:
Looking for other weeknight dinner ideas? I have a few on my blog that I think you will love:
Barbecue Chicken Flatbread
Salsa Verde Pork (Crockpot Recipe)
Grinder Salad Wrap
Viral Honey Beef Bowls
Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos
Surprisingly crispy and full of flavor, these oven baked crispy chicken tacos are the perfect weeknight dinner. Loaded with seasoned ground chicken, fresh cilantro, and melted cheese then baked to a crispy bite, these chicken tacos will quickly become a family favorite.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees then finely dice your onion and cilantro.
- Add your garlic, chopped onion, ground chicken, diced green chiles, and taco seasoning to a large skillet. Brown over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until your chicken is fully cooked through and your onions have softened. Remove from heat then stir in your chopped cilantro.
- Line your largest sheet pan with parchment paper, spray with avocado oil spray, and lay out your tortillas. Layer a thin amount of cheese to each tortilla and add about 1/3 cup of ground chicken mixture to one half of the tortilla. Be careful not to overfill the tortillas, you should be able to easily fold over the tortilla.
- Fold over the other half to form a taco and press down, pinching along the crease of the tortilla to maintain its shape if needed. Repeat until all of your tortillas are filled.
- Spray each tortilla with avocado oil or brush with oil of choice.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tortillas are crispy. Serve immediately and pair with a cilantro avocado dip, salsa, or ranch.
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Hey! I’m Lauren
I’m a Registered Dietitian and busy toddler mom committed to bringing you delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make recipes!