EASY BAKED FIESTA RANCH CHICKEN TACOS PILED WITH REFRIED BEANS, FIESTALICIOUS SLOW COOKER MEXICAN CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN, LETTUCE, TOMATOES, AND TOMATILLO AVOCADO RANCH IS A HEAVENLY SYMPHONY OF FLAVORS AND TEXTURES IN EVERY BITE!
Your family will love these crunchy baked chicken tacos and YOU will love how easy the dump and run Ranch Cream Cheese Chicken makes this chicken taco recipe!
Did you grow up on Baked Tacos in the crispy shell? The ground beef variety were a staple at our house along with Chicken Divan, Sloppy Joes and Whipped Potatoes with Sauce. My mom always kept a few packages of hard shells on hand for quick, easy dinners – the kind that come together so quickly you actually feel somewhat guilty but should just feel smart instead because everyone loooooooves Baked Tacos night!
These Baked Tacos could be stuffed with all sorts of meat fillings from my Mexican Chicken to Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken to Carnitas, to Sweet Chipotle Pork and even my Burrito Filling would actually be crazy good, but for these tacos, I chose my AH-mazing Slow Cooker Fiesta Ranch Cream Cheese Chicken! Its creamy, packed with spices and the tang of ranch. Think Mexican Ranch Chicken and think DE-licicous!
How to make Baked Chicken Tacos
To make these easy baked chicken tacos, you first make your Fiesta Ranch Chicken in the slow cooker which only requires adding ingredients and stirring – sooooo easy. You could even make this chicken a day/days ahead of time and keep it on hand for when you are ready to make these tacos – just reheat before assembling. While your Tacos are baking you can whip of some Mexican Rice and your whole family will be singing your praises.
To make, line up your taco shells in a 9×13 casserole dish – I use the Stand N’Stuff Taco Shells which are super convenient and such an improvement over the traditional ones that I always tried to keep upright as a kid. Layer your shells with creamy refried beans….
Stuff with can’t-stop-eating Fiesta Ranch Chicken…
Top with lots of cheeeeeeese…
Bake for 15 minutes while you prep your favorite toppings…
Pile with lettuce, tomatoes and any of your favorite toppings from avocados to cilantro, to salsa verde, to pico de gallo to hot sauce…
And marry it all together with something creamy, either sour cream, avocado dressing, guacamole, avocado crema 5 Minute Blender Tomatillo Avocado Ranch and if you are feeling extra gourmet, top it all off with my Homemade Salsa or Pico de Gallo ! You won’t be sorry.
This Tomatillo Avocado Ranch makes absolutely everything better. It tastes like creamy, velvety avocado ranch with a Mexican fiesta flair added by the avocado, tomatillo, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime and smoked paprika. Layers of herbs, layers of spice, layers of luscious goodness that just make these Fiesta Ranch Chicken Tacos that much more obsessive worthy.
These Fiesta Ranch Chicken Tacos have it all – from the crunchy shell, to the creamy beans, to the tender, flavor exploding chicken, to the fresh lettuce and tomatoes and the velvety tangy Tomatillo Ranch. And with one bite they will have your heart…
If you love everything Tacos, be sure to check out some of my favorites from Chili Lime Chicken Tacos, Red Curry Beef Tacos, Baja Fish Tacos, Blackened Fish Tacos, Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos, Buffalo Chicken Tacos, Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos, Taco Pasta, Taco Spaghetti, Taco Soup and on and on…
Looking for more Mexican recipes?
- Smothered Baked Chicken Burritos
- Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Blue Cheese Cilantro Ranch
- Chili Lime Chicken Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa
- Best Beef, Bean and Cheese Burritos
- Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Chipotle Lime Crema
- Chipotle Shrimp Burrito Bowl
- Wet Burritos
WANT TO TRY THESE BAKED FIESTA RANCH CHICKEN TACOS?
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Ingredients
Tacos
- 1 Recipe Slow Cooker Fiesta Ranch Cream Cheese Chicken
- 11 stand up hard taco shells
- 1 16 oz. can refried beans
- 2 cups Mexican cheese blend or 1 cup Monterrey and 1 cup sharp cheddar
- 1 Recipe Tomatillo Avocado ranch (optional but recommended)*
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker Fiesta Ranch Cream Cheese Chicken according to directions.
- (optional) Meanwhile prepare Tomatillo Ranch according to directions. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with standing taco shells. Spread 2 tablespoons refried beans on the bottom of each taco shell. Top beans with chicken and a generous amount of cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.
- Top cheesy tacos with lettuce and other desired toppings and highly recommended Tomatillo Avocado Ranch or, if not using, top with sour cream or traditional ranch.
Notes
**These tacos would also be delicious stuffed with: Mexican Chicken, Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken, Carnitas, Sweet Chipotle Pork, Burrito Filling
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laura says
Jen, love your recipes! Do you use bone in, skin on chicken breasts in the slow cooker? Can’t wait to try this.
Jen says
Hi Laura, thank you for trying my recipes! I love hearing you are enjoying them! I use boneless skinless chicken breasts 🙂
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
My family loves baked tacos! I always make the chicken in my slow cooker too! Love it! I need to try your Fiesta Ranch recipe!
Jen says
Baked tacos are the best and I agree slow cooking chicken is the way to go! I hope you like this version!
Teri Giese says
Sweetie,nothing you create could ever be boring!lol!!Made your million dollar mac and cheese;the 19 year old LOVES it!!Have made no less than 6 baked,4 crockpot,4 stovetop mac and cheese recipes.This was the best!As well as , having made every Mexican recipe on your blog,(I think).Time to make your pork carnitas,they are calling my name!Then onto these tacos.Love baked tacos,since I reprinted this entire post,am good to go!THANKS DOLL!!xoxo
Jen says
LOL! The creative process in recipe development is one of my favorites! I am so honored/flattered that you love the Mac and Cheese so much after all the recipes you’ve put to the test! It is definitely one of my favs as well 🙂 That is so awesome you have also made all of my Mexican recipes, I am excited for you to add this one to the list! Thanks so much Teri, you are the best!
Layne Schwabedissen says
I haven’t had tacos like this in the longest time! Memories! Loved the unique chicken too 🙂
Jen says
Right?! It had been forever since I had hard taco shells too – but now that they are back on my radar – so many possibilities!!!
Jen says
HI Jen, It’s Jen … Belnap, from church. I’m making this meal tonight, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.
I’ve had so much fun reading lots of your posts on this site. Hopefully I will see you in the hallways at church (I’m still in primary) soon!
Jen says
Hi Jen, it is so nice to hear from you! That is awesome you discovered my site and made this recipe last night – I hope it was a winner with the whole fam! Let’s get together soon!
pamela says
I just want to say jen I made the baked fiesta ranch chicken tonight and the sauce that u recommended it was awesome my husband loved tomatillo avocado ranch dressing was very good on the taco’s thanks again 4 a great recipe will be making this again
Leanne says
Are these good leftover or would it be better to only make what I plan on eating at that time?
Jen says
Hi Leanne! I think they reheat well. Like all leftovers, they lose a little moisture so you may want to stir in a splash of milk when reheating but I would recommend it!