The Cozy Cookbook is here! 
This Baked Taco Recipe can be made with ground beef or shredded chicken! They’re topped with cheese and served with your favorite taco toppings!
Be sure to try my Chicken Enchiladas and my Chicken Taco Soup recipes next!
Baked Tacos
These Baked Tacos are the EASIEST way to whip up a big batch of tacos for a 30-minute meal that your family will love every time.
You will love the flavor of the seasoned meat mixture (which can be made with ground beef or shredded chicken).
I love to add a dab of softened cream cheese to the meat mixture to add a cool, creamy offset to the taco seasoning.
How to Make It
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Line 8-10 taco shells in a casserole dish and bake at 400° for 5 minutes.
- Cook/crumble ground beef and diced onions until softened and cooked through. Drain grease and add taco seasoning, undrained diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the cream cheese until melted and combined.
- Spoon rinsed/dried black beans in the bottom of each taco shell, then fill with ground beef mixture.
Top with shredded cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add desired toppings. Serve!
To Make with Chicken:
- 3 cups shredded chicken may also be used and seasoned/sautéed on the stovetop as outlined.
- I recommend that you cook the chicken over medium heat instead of medium-high, as it can become tough if rapidly cooked/boiled.
Taco Toppings
- These baked tacos can be topped with salsa, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced avocado or guacamole, diced onions, and chopped cilantro!
Keeping the Taco Shell Crunchy
- I like to spoon black beans along the bottom of the taco shells to create a barrier between the meat mixture and the taco shell. (This works really well.)
- Refried Beans can be used in addition to or instead of black beans.
Storage
- These are best if served immediately for a nice crunchy taco.
- If you do have leftovers, wrap each leftover taco shell with foil and store in the fridge. Bake in a 350° oven for about 8 minutes to reheat.
Try These Next
-
- Chicken Taco Soup
-
- Taco Salad
-
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
-
- Steak Fajitas
-
- Chicken Enchiladas
-
- Taco Spaghetti
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Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Baked Tacos
Ingredients
- 8-10 hard taco shells, I recommend "Stand 'N Stuff"
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 lb. ground beef, see notes for using chicken
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 oz. packet taco seasoning
- 10 oz. diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- ¼ cup beef broth, can sub chicken broth or water
- 1 Tablespoon softened cream cheese, optional
- 1 ¼ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Optional Toppings:
- Salsa
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Avocado/Guacamole
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the black beans. Set them on a paper towel lined plate to dry.
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line 8-10 taco shells along a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and bake for 5 minutes if using a light colored dish, 3 minutes if using a dark dish.
- Meanwhile, cook and crumble the ground beef and diced onions over medium-high heat until softened and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Drain grease.
- Add taco seasoning, undrained diced tomatoes, and beef broth. Bring to a boil and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the softened cream cheese until melted and combined. By now most of the liquid should have evaporated, with just enough moisture to ensure the meat isn't dry.
- Spoon black beans onto the bottom of each taco shell, then top with ground beef mixture.
- Top with cheese and bake, uncovered, for 7-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add desired toppings. Serve!
Notes
- 3 cups shredded chicken may also be used and seasoned/sautéed on the stovetop as outlined.
- I recommend that you cook the chicken over medium heat instead of medium-high, as it can become tough if rapidly cooked/boiled.
- Monterey Jack is another great cheese option to combine with or use instead of cheddar.
- Refried Beans can be used in addition to or instead of black beans.
- I use Old El Paso Stand 'N Stuff Taco Shells for this recipe. They're nice and thick and can stand up without leaning on each other.
Fantastic! Make them at least once a week! Super easy and super delicious!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying the Baked Tacos Kayla! This is one of my go to’s when I need to feed the family fast! Thanks so much for the great review!😍
Fantastic – super easy and quick to make and who doesn’t already love tacos? This is a great and surprisingly way to elevate dinner!
Thanks so much for the great comments and review Tas! It’s so true, pretty much everyone loves tacos and this is such an easy way to make a lot of them!😃
This is amazing! We’ve had this twice and it’s a favorite. Thanks for sharing great recipes!
You’re very welcome Anna! I’m so happy you’re enjoying these. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️
My son LOVED these, so much so he asked for them again the next night! My question is, I really want to try these with chicken, would I add the taco seasoning to the chicken? Or could I do shredded salsa chicken?!
Hi Abbey, I would add the taco seasoning to the chicken!
Family favorite
Yayyy! This is a popular taco tuesday meal in our house. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!😍
The flavor of these tacos was amazing! I plan on using this recipe over and over again. Loved it. I’m not sure if it was user error though because my shells came out soggy. I had leftover meat and used the filling with crunchy shells the next day. 10/10. Delicious.
Hi Debbie!! I don’t know what could be the cause of the soggy shells, I did have one reader say the same thing and it did turn out to be user error, did you ever go through the recipe again to see if perhaps you missed something? Did you bake the shells by themselves first? And line the bottom with black beans? (They shouldn’t be wet)….just a few questions, you don’t have to answer them! I am glad that you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂 -Stephanie
I did put beans in the bottom (great addition by the way) and I did bake the shells before hand (maybe I didn’t bake them long enough?). It wasn’t the bottom it was the sides. Looking at your picture it looks like you used stand and stuff shells which don’t need to lean on each other to keep from falling over. So maybe I’ll try that next time. Thank you for the feedback! Still a great recipe and I will still be using it again.
Hi Debbie! Thank you so much for your response! I am going to update the recipe to indicate “stand and stuff” tacos, that will help I think, I should have done that in the first place! 🙂 Thank you soo much!! I hope you had a great weekend! -Stephanie 🙂
I was in a dinner rut and my family threatened to boycott if I made another pasta recipe. This was quick and easy, perfect for a busy weeknight. Everyone devoured them! Thank you!!
😂 That’s funny your family threatened to boycott lol. Sounds like a tough crowd! Happy to hear everyone enjoyed this. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
I made both the beef and chicken and they were both delicious! Will definitely make them again!
I am so happy to hear that Sandy, thank you so much for sharing how they came out! 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that Sandy! I love switching it up between chicken and beef😋. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
I never would have thought of baking tacos like this… BRILLIANT! It’s so easy. I used ground beef but I can’t wait to try it with chicken. I have my sons birthday party coming up and I might do this instead of ordering a bunch of pizza!
I think it would be great to make these for a party😃 I make them for my husband and his friends when they are watching football. It’s so easy and they devour them! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Made these tonight. The kids inhaled them all and want them every week. Really revved up our Taco Tuesdays. Excellent!!
I’m so happy to hear that Nesha! Taco Tuesdays are the best and this is such an easy way to make a bunch of tacos. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!😃