Crispy chicken taquitos make for excellent appetizers or an easy Mexican-inspired main dish!
Taco seasoned shredded chicken, two kinds of cheese and salsa are rolled into tortillas and baked for a crispy and cheesy delight!
Easy peasy, and oh so cheesy!
Easy Crispy Chicken Taquitos!
- Simply delicious! Loaded with south-of-the-border flavor, this chicken taquitos recipe is the ultimate in delicious food!
- Personalize! Prep some with chicken or sub in black beans for vegetarian guests! And always load up on lots of cheese for super creamy taquitos!
- Tasty toppings! Chicken and cheese taquitos can be eaten on their own or served with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or nacho cheese sauce!
Ingredients and Variations
Chicken – Rotisserie chickens are perfect for cheesy taquitos! Use what you need and save the rest for chicken salad. Leftover shredded chicken, turkey, and ground beef can also be used and are easy on the budget!
Cheese – Let the cream cheese come to room temperature so it blends in easier. Mozzarella cheese is ooey and gooey delicious! Sub in some Pepper Jack cheese for a spicier touch, or use a Mexican cheese blend or crumbled Cotija.
Tortillas – Flour tortillas are more pliable and thicker than corn tortillas, but corn tortillas will bake up extra crispy, and are easy to find in gluten-free versions, too. Either will do, why not do a batch of both?
Variations – Drained black beans and rice can easily replace chicken (and are high in protein, too) for a meatless taquito. We also love diced avocados, chopped onions, sliced black olives, and even some finely diced broccoli to get in some extra veggies for the kiddos! Sliced jalapenos, green chiles, corn, and even shredded or diced potatoes will add texture and extra flavor to chicken taquitos!
How to Make Chicken and Cheese Taquitos
- Mix everything except tortillas and oil in a large bowl.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of mixture into the center of each tortilla and roll.
- Place the rolls seam-side down on a baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the taquitos with oil and bake (per recipe below) until golden brown. Serve hot.
In the Air Fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and place taquitos, seam side down in a single layer.
- Brush with oil and cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes.
On the Stovetop:
- Pan fry taquitos in oil heated to 350°F.
- Drain on paper towels before serving.
Tips for Success!
- Prep chicken taquitos in batches and freeze them for future meals! They can even be baked from frozen! Just remember the oil in step 4 so the tortillas don’t crack.
- Grate the mozzarella cheese yourself for the best melt. Packaged shredded cheese has anti-caking agents added that keep it from melting as well as it could – and this recipe is all about the cheesy taquito!
How to Store Chicken Taquitos
Keep leftover chicken taquitos covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Re-crisp them under the broiler or in the air fryer. Freeze cooled taquitos in a zippered bag, For the best flavor, use within one month.
Other Tex Mex Favorites!
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Chicken Taquitos
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl stir together softened cream cheese, salsa, taco seasoning, shredded chicken and cheese and mix well.
- Divide the mixture between the tortillas (about ¼ cup each). Spread the mixture along the center of each tortilla and roll.
- Place seam side down on a baking sheet and brush each tortilla roll with oil.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cover the ends of the taquitos with foil if they start to brown too quickly.
- Serve with sour cream, guacamole or salsa to dip in.
Notes
- Batch prepare chicken taquitos for future meals in a zippered bag for up to 1 month. Thaw first, or cook from frozen.
- Avoid using pre-shredded cheese, which has an anti-stick coating which also prevents it from melting very well. So grate the cheese fresh if possible!
- Refrigerate cooled leftover chicken taquitos in a covered container, or wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.
- Reheat leftovers under the broiler or in the air fryer.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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