Chicken Taquitos

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: taquitos

Chicken taquitos stuffed and rolled with shredded chicken and cheese, then baked or fried until crispy and golden brown. Ready in 30 minutes!

Ingredients

2 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken*
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon onion powder
fine sea salt, as needed
1 ½ cups shredded cheese*
18 corn tortillas
vegetable oil, about 2 cups for frying or 1-2 tablespoons for baking and air frying

For serving

shredded lettuce, Mexican crema or sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa

Instructions

Toss together the shredded chicken, chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, onion powder, and salt in a large bowl. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.
Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, flipping the tortillas halfway through until all of them are warm and pliable.
Put a spoonful of shredded chicken and cheese on each tortilla. Roll tightly and secure the seams with a toothpick. (See photo in blog post for example).
To fry: Pour enough oil into the bottom of a deep skillet or frying pan so that the oil reaches halfway up the taquitos. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. To test, drop a small piece of tortilla in the oil. If it sizzles, it's ready. Cooking in batches, add 3-4 taquitos and fry for about 1-2 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. Transfer them to a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
To bake: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the taquitos on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Lightly brush or spray the tops with cooking oil, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until they're crispy and golden brown.
To air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the taquitos in a single layer in the basket seam side down. Spray the tops with cooking spray, air fry for 5 minutes, flip and spray again, then air fry for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining taquitos.
Remove the toothpicks from the taquitos, and serve with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, Mexican crema, and guacamole.

Notes

Chicken: Any cooked and shredded chicken will work. To save time, I like using a store-bought rotisserie chicken and shredding it at home, but you could also make your shredded chicken if you prefer.
Cheese: Your favorite shredded cheese works great. I like using cheddar, pepper jack, Monterey jack, or Chihuahua for a more authentic taquito.

Nutrition