This Mexican-inspired recipe is flavorful and an absolutely delicious crowd-pleaser! Chicken taquitos are savory, rolled tortillas filled with seasoned shredded chicken, that develop a crunchy exterior when baked. They are perfect for snacking or as appetizers and are great served with salsa, guacamole, sour cream and chili sauce for dipping. It's a great option for casual gatherings, game day and 5 de Mayo.
Though I think of this Mexican-inspired dish as an appetizer for a 5 de Mayo celebration and game day, it's also perfect for brunch or a light lunch served with this salsa or a salad.
Do you have leftover chicken? Shred it and make taquitos!
Do you like spicy food? You can easily up the spice level.
The baked tortillas develop a fantastic crunchy exterior that crashes when you bite and find the creamy and juicy chicken filling.
The best of two worlds if you ask me.
They can be made ahead and frozen, so you have them handy for hectic weeknights or as a back-to-school meal.
Ingredient list
- Chicken: you can use breasts or things.
- Chicken broth or stock.
- Cheese: I favor cheddar, but other melting cheeses can be used.
- Cream cheese.
- Cayenne pepper.
- Smoked paprika: I use sweet because there are other spicy ingredients, but you can use hot paprika and up the spiciness level.
- Salt.
- Ground cumin.
- Black pepper.
- Onion: yellow or red.
- Garlic cloves.
- Chili sauce: use store-bought or our homemade red chili jam.
To serve: sour cream, avocado, salsa, extra chili sauce and cilantro, optional but a good idea.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
What tortillas should you use?
They all work perfectly well for this recipe. It's just a matter of personal taste and time.
- Homemade: the dough is very easy to make and requires few ingredients, but a tortilla press comes in handy (not always a relevant expense unless you make them regularly) unless you want to roll them by hand, and that takes a little bit more time.
- Store-bought: quick and easy and also quite cheap.
- Flour or corn: both work well. I love my corn tortilla recipe, but sometimes grab a packet of flour ones from the grocery store.
Steps to make baked taquitos
Compact the chicken filling well. This helps the taquitos hold their shape during baking and prevents them from falling apart.
Baking time can vary depending on your oven and the thickness of your taquitos. Check them around the 8-minute mark to ensure they're not browning too much.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Spicy taquitos: this recipe is normally spiced. If you want a hotter filling, use more cayenne or hot paprika, or add an extra tablespoon of hot sauce. Or serve it with a very hot sauce option so the rest of the family and guests can make it more or less spicy.
- Make ahead: the chicken can be cooked and shredded in advance and kept for 3 days in the fridge (with some of the broth to prevent dryness) or frozen for a month. Always in an airtight container. The filling can be made several hours before assembly. The taquitos can be baked up to a day before and reheated.
- Freezing taquitos: they can be frozen before baking. Arrange the assembled tortilla on a baking sheet and freeze for several hours until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. To eat, bake directly from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
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Baked Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken, breasts or thighs (or a mix) Or use shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅔ cup cheese, shredded (I use cheddar or Monterey jack cheese)
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground smoked sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chili sauce
- 8 corn or flour tortillas, if small, you might need 10-12
- To serve, optional: avocado, sour cream, chili sauce, cilantro, hot sauce, lime wedges, refried beans and chopped green onion.
Instructions
For the shredded chicken:
- Place meat in a medium saucepan or pot and cover with broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the chicken cool completely in the broth. This will keep it juicy.
For the filling:
- Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir for a minute until softened.
- In a large bowl, mix the onion and garlic with the shredded chicken, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, spices, salt, chili sauce, lime juice, and fresh cilantro.
- Fill each tortilla with a strip of chicken mixture, making a log. The filling should be well compacted so the taquitos stay put after bake.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil. Arrange the taquitos in a single layer, seam side down. The more space you leave in between, the crispier they’ll get.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until nicely golden and dry.
- Serve with your favorite Mexican toppings such as guacamole or avocado, sour cream, fresh tomato, corn salsa or pico de gallo, refried black beans and lime wedges.
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