Description
These crispy and cheesy Chicken Taquitos are a flavorful, crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack. Made with shredded chicken, spices, and cheese wrapped in tortillas, they can be baked, pan-fried, or air fried to a perfect golden crisp. Serve with your favorite toppings like guacamole, sour cream, or salsa for a delightful Mexican-inspired treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
- 1/3 cup salsa (chunky style recommended)
- 1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup freshly shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese
Assembly
- 6 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
- Olive oil spray (or nonstick cooking spray, or oil if frying)
Serving Toppings
- Greek yogurt or sour cream (thinned with a little milk to drizzle)
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Guacamole
- Chopped diced tomatoes or additional salsa
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the shredded chicken, salsa, Greek yogurt, salt, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder until well combined. Fold in the shredded cheese to evenly distribute.
- Warm tortillas (for corn tortillas only): Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Warm the corn tortillas for 15 to 30 seconds on each side until soft and pliable. Skip this step if using flour tortillas.
- Assemble the taquitos: Working with one tortilla at a time, place about one-sixth of the filling mixture down the center. Roll tightly and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Secure with a toothpick if needed. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- Choose your cooking method:
- Baking: Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly mist the tops of taquitos with cooking spray. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden and crispy on the edges.
- Pan frying: Fill a large, high-sided skillet with about 1 1/2 inches of peanut or fry oil over medium-high heat. When hot (test by dropping a small tortilla piece – it should sizzle immediately), fry taquitos in small batches, turning frequently, until crispy and hot all over. Drain on paper towels.
- Air frying: Preheat air fryer to 380°F. Arrange taquitos in a single layer seam-side down, mist with spray, and cook for 12 minutes until crisp. Work in batches if needed and do not overlap.
- Serve: Remove toothpicks if used. Serve taquitos hot with drizzled thinned Greek yogurt or sour cream, chopped cilantro, guacamole, and diced tomatoes or additional salsa as desired.
Notes
- Use either flour or corn tortillas depending on your preference; warming corn tortillas makes rolling easier.
- To make taquitos extra crispy, ensure oil is hot enough before pan frying and don’t overcrowd the pan.
- These taquitos freeze well before cooking; freeze rolled taquitos on a tray, then transfer to a bag to cook from frozen with extra bake or air fry time.
- For a lighter option, baking or air frying reduces oil usage compared to pan frying.
- Substitute shredded chicken with cooked shredded turkey or a plant-based alternative for variations.
- Adjust spices to taste for milder or spicier flavor profiles.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taquito
- Calories: 253 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
