Description
These crack chicken tacos are irresistibly delicious, featuring creamy ranch-flavored shredded chicken mixed with crispy bacon and melty cheddar cheese, all wrapped in charred corn tortillas and baked to perfection. Perfect for an easy and flavorful dinner that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Filling
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie recommended)
- 6 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (from 1 ½ cups total)
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning (about 2 ½ tablespoons)
- ⅔ cup cooked, chopped bacon (about 10 slices)
- ⅙ cup sliced green onions (half of ⅓ cup)
Tacos
- 10–12 corn tortillas
- 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable oil spray
- Remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (from 1 ½ cups total)
- Remaining ⅙ cup sliced green onions (half of ⅓ cup) for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and baking dish: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix the chicken filling: In a large bowl, combine 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken, 6 ounces softened cream cheese, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, ⅓ cup sour cream, 1 packet ranch seasoning, ⅔ cup cooked, chopped bacon, and half of the sliced green onions. Mix until well combined.
- Prepare the tortillas: Brush both sides of each tortilla (10-12) lightly with 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Carefully char each tortilla over a gas stove for 10-15 seconds on each side to soften and add flavor. Alternatively, wrap all tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds before brushing with oil.
- Assemble the tacos: Spoon about ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture into each tortilla and fold carefully into tacos, keeping tortillas warm to prevent splitting. Stand the tacos upright in the prepared baking dish so they support each other.
- Add cheese and bake: Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese over the tacos. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the taco shells are crisp and the cheese is melted.
- Garnish and serve: Top the baked tacos with the remaining sliced green onions and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Store leftover filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat filling in the microwave in 30 second bursts or in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Note that taco shells may soften and not fully crisp again after refrigeration.
- You can make the filling up to 2 days ahead of time. Warm briefly before spooning into tortillas to make filling easier.
- To prevent tortillas from splitting, keep them warm while assembling tacos.
- Using rotisserie chicken saves time and adds great flavor.
