Taco Seasoned Chicken is a simple and Flavorful dish prepared Shake & Bake Style that will surely satisfy your taste buds. This delectable recipe is incredibly easy to prepare and bursting with Mexican-inspired flavors. It’s made in the same way as the Shake and Bake Chicken recipe, except Taco Seasoning is used.
To complete your Taco Seasoned Chicken Dinner, serve it alongside some delicious sides. Think of warm Corn on the Cob, flavorful Mexican Rice, Chourico Rice, Adobo Sazon Rice, or a refreshing Avocado & Tomato Salsa. You can even strip the meat off the bone and serve on some Toasted Tortillas with Sour Cream, Salsa, or Pico de Gallo and Cheese.
So, next time Taco Tuesday rolls around, make this Shake and Bake Taco Chicken the star of your dinner table. Its bold flavors and simplicity will leave you craving more. Enjoy, and Make that Belly Smile!
Taco Seasoned Chicken Ingredients
Chicken Quarters, Breading (Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, Flour, Sea Salt, Oil)
Chicken
For this Shake and Bake style Taco Chicken, we are after Chicken Quarters, Legs and/or Thighs. Once they are cleaned and trimmed of any excess skin or fat, place into a bowl of Water or Oil to toss and strain. This will moisten the chicken, so the coating can stick better.
Chicken Quarters
Separate the Leg from the Thigh, or just use Thighs and/or Legs.
Cleaning Chicken Thighs
Clean out the Internal organs from the Thigh backbone section for a cleaner tasting Chicken.
Taco Seasoning
Old El Paso Taco seasoning is the one that is used. You only need 1 pack to do 4 Chicken Quarters with the legs and thighs separated.
Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
You can also just season the Chicken directly with just the Taco Seasoning. Although it will only be enough to do about 4 pieces.
Shake and Bake Taco Chicken Coating
For a Shake & Bake Taco Chicken, combine 1 Pack of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning with the below ingredients to make the Shake & Bake Taco Chicken Coating. It’ll look like there is not enough, but does do 4 Chicken Quarters or 4 Thighs & 4 Legs. With just enough left behind to sprinkle over some missed or lightly seasoned areas. This includes adding some leftover seasoning to areas needed, after brushing the chicken with oil halfway through cooking.
- 2 Tbl of Flour — can be substituted with Corn Flour or Cornstarch
- 2 tsp of Sea Salt to account for added Flour and so the Chicken is sufficiently seasoned.
Keto Shake and Bake Taco Chicken Coating
For a Keto version, replace the Flour with Lupin Flour. The 1 pack of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning with a Homemade Taco Seasoning (about 2-3 Tbl). That doesn’t contain Starch, Flour, or Sugar and limited in Salt or drop the below salt amount to 1 tsp or less.
- 2 Tbl of Lupin Flour
- 2 tsp of Sea Salt
Shake and Bake Taco Chicken
Process the Chicken the same way you would with Shake & Bake. Moisten the Chicken by placing into a bowl with water or a bit of oil to toss and coat. Place Chicken pieces one at a time in a bowl with the seasoning to coat, shake, and coat well, then shake off any excess. Place in a casserole tray or broiler pan. Repeat for each piece. Start with the thighs first and then do the legs.
Taco Shake and Bake Chicken
Chicken Legs & Thighs coated in Taco Shake and Bake coating.
Brushing the Chicken with fat
With Shake and Bake Taco Chicken, most times the Taco Coating will cook on the Chicken with dry spots. To eliminate this, brush the Chicken with a bit of fat from the drippings halfway through baking. Cover the whole top of the Chicken pieces to eliminate any dry spots and assist in crisping even further. If there isn’t enough drippings, then brush with melted lard, butter, or neutral oil. This will promote a better skin and flavor than not brushing at all.
Taco Shake and Bake Chicken
With a Brush, Dab with Drippings or Fat halfway through cooking at about 20–25 minutes. Use any leftover breading to sprinkle over missed areas or areas where more breading is needed.
Chicken Tacos
You can even strip the meat off the bone and serve on some Toasted Tortillas with Sour Cream, Salsa or Pico de Gallo and Cheese. Just toast up some small tortillas over medium heat and assemble with your favorite condiments.
Chicken Tacos
Chicken Tacos with Stripped Taco Chicken meat, Sour Cream, diced Onions & Tomatoes.
Taco Seasoned Chicken Side Dishes
To complete your Taco Seasoned Chicken Dinner, serve it alongside some delicious sides. Think of warm Corn on the Cob, flavorful Mexican Rice, Chourico Rice Bake, or Adobo Sazon Rice, or a refreshing Avocado & Tomato Salsa.
Even a Salad or Taco Seasoned Fries. Just Fry the Fries and toss in the desired amount of Taco seasoning to toss well before plating.
Corn on the Cob
Corn on the Cob coated in Butter or butter popcorn seasoning.
Mexican Rice
Mexican Rice can be prepared stove top at the same time the Chicken is cooking.
Adobo Sazon Rice
The Adobo Sazon Rice is also prepared stove top while the Chicken is baking.
Chourico Rice Bake
A Chourico Rice Bake can be made at first and then set aside while the Chicken cooks and rest. You can place the rice back into the oven when it is off for when resting the Taco Chicken. So that both the Taco Chicken and Rice are warm, when it’s time to serve.
Equipment
- 1 Broiler Pan
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Small Bowl and Brush for brushing the chicken with fat halfway through
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Quarters - thigh and leg separated
- 1 Pack Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
- 2 Tbl Flour - can use Corn Flour, Starch or Lupin Flour
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F with the rack in middle position. Combine the Flour, Sea Salt and Taco Seasoning into a bowl and mix.
- Clean out the internal organs from the chicken backbone and trim the Chicken. Moisten the Chicken with Water or Oil. Toss each piece in the bowl with coating to coat the Chicken. Remove and shake off any excess and place on the broiler pan. Repeat for each piece. Start with the thighs first and then do the legs.
- Bake the Chicken for 45 minutes. Brush the Chicken with drippings or if there is not enough drippings, with a bowl of melted fat like butter, lard or neutral oil, about halfway through. After 45 minutes, shut the heat off, but leave the Chicken in the oven for 15–20 minutes before serving.