Description
These Baked Cream Cheese Chicken Tacos offer a delicious twist on traditional tacos by combining shredded chicken with a creamy, cheesy filling baked inside crispy taco shells. Perfect for a quick and flavorful meal, this recipe blends soft cream cheese, fire-roasted tomatoes, and spicy green chilies with seasoned chicken, all topped with melted Mexican blend cheese for a satisfying crunch in every bite.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained
- 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 10 hard stand and stuff taco shells
- 1 cup refried beans
- 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Sauté Onions: In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Cook Chicken Mixture: Stir in the shredded cooked chicken, taco seasoning, fire-roasted diced tomatoes (drained), and diced green chilies (drained). Let the mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly.
- Add Cream Cheese: Reduce heat to low and stir in the cubed cream cheese until fully melted and blended into the chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare Taco Shells: Arrange the hard taco shells upright in the greased baking dish.
- Assemble Tacos: Spread about 1 tablespoon of refried beans into the bottom of each taco shell. Spoon the creamy chicken mixture into each shell, filling them nearly to the top.
- Add Cheese: Generously top each filled taco shell with the Mexican blend shredded cheese.
- Bake Tacos: Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes until the taco shells are crispy and the cheese has melted.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, add your favorite toppings such as sour cream, salsa, or cilantro if desired, and enjoy your warm, cheesy baked chicken tacos!
Notes
- You can substitute shredded rotisserie chicken for a time-saving option.
- For extra heat, add diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce to the chicken mixture.
- Soft flour tortillas can be used instead of hard shells for a softer taco option.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best results.
- Feel free to customize with toppings like avocado, sour cream, or fresh cilantro to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
