This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our Privacy Policy for details.
OH-SO-CRISP, CRISPY, CHEESE CHICKEN TACOS BAKED TO ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. A particularly easy weekday meal!
Super crispy, crunchy, cheesy chicken tacos that don’t require any kind of deep frying? Yes please! I know, it’s hard to believe these are baked but they are totally 100% baked from start to finish.
With a light chicken stuffing and the most fragrant spices, cilantro and a little cheese, these come together very quickly. And the little brush of oil before baking helps these bad boys soften in the oven so perfectly.
Ground pork or ground beef can easily be substituted for chicken, and you can even make these in miniature size using smaller corn tortillas (I used 5-6 inch corn tortillas here). Serve with your favorite toppings as desired – guac, pico and/or sour cream are all convenient choices here!
- 2 ½ spoons canola oil, divided
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ Medium sweet onion, cut into cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, ground
- 1 (4.5 oz) tin Chopped green chili
- 1 ½ teaspoons Chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Ground cumin
- ¼ Goblet Chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, taste
- 1 ½ cups Shredded Mexican cheese mix, divided
- 8 Flour or corn tortillas, warmed up
to serve
- Sour cream
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
-
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a Baking dish Or coat with non-stick spray.
-
Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil A large cast iron pan on medium high heat. Add ground chicken, onion and garlic, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken while cooking; Drain excess fat.
-
Mix in green chili, chili powder, paprika, oregano and cumin until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
-
Remove from the heat. Stir in cilantro and lime juice; Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix in 1 cup of cheese until a uniform mixture is obtained.
-
Working one by one, spread chicken mixture on half of the tortilla; Top with 1 tablespoon of cheese, fold to seal. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas to make 8 tacos.
-
Place tacos in one layer on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of canola oil.
-
Put in the oven and bake until they are toasted and crispy, about 12-15 minutes.
-
Serve immediately with the desired toppings.
