Description
Crispy on the outside and creamy, cheesy on the inside, these chicken taquitos are a delicious Mexican-inspired snack or appetizer that can be baked, pan-fried, or air-fried to perfection. Filled with seasoned shredded chicken, cheese, and salsa, they are perfect for serving with guacamole, sour cream, or fresh salsa toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
- ⅓ cup chunky style salsa
- ⅓ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ 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 for frying
Toppings (optional)
- Greek yogurt or sour cream (thinned with a little milk for drizzling)
- 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, kosher salt, garlic powder, ground cumin, and chili powder until well combined. Fold in the shredded cheese to complete the filling mixture.
- Warm the tortillas: If using corn tortillas, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and warm each tortilla for 15 to 30 seconds per side until soft and pliable. Flour tortillas do not need warming.
- Assemble the taquitos: Place about one-sixth of the filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Secure with a toothpick if necessary to hold the shape.
- Choose cooking method: For baking, preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly mist taquitos with cooking spray and bake for 18 minutes until light golden and crispy at the edges. For pan frying, heat about 1½ inches of peanut or similar frying oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot and sizzling. Fry taquitos in small batches, turning to crisp all sides, then drain on paper towels. For air frying, preheat air fryer to 380°F, arrange taquitos seam-side down in a single layer without overlapping, mist with spray, and cook for 12 minutes until crisp.
- Serve: Remove toothpicks if used. Serve hot with desired toppings such as thinned Greek yogurt or sour cream, chopped cilantro, guacamole, and diced tomatoes or salsa.
Notes
- You can use either flour or corn tortillas based on preference; warming corn tortillas helps prevent cracking when rolling.
- Ensure the oil is hot enough when pan frying to achieve a crispy outer layer without absorbing excess oil.
- The filling can be customized by swapping in different cheeses or adding spices to taste.
- Air frying is a healthier alternative that still produces crispy taquitos.
- Use toothpicks to secure the rolled taquitos if they tend to unravel during cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taquito
- Calories: 253 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 500 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
