Baked Chicken Taquitos
This Mexican-inspired recipe is flavorful and an absolutely delicious crowd-pleaser! Chicken taquitos are savory, rolled tortillas filled with seasoned shredded chicken and baked until crispy. They are perfect for snacking or as appetizers and are great served with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for dipping. It's a great option for casual gatherings, game day and 5 de Mayo.
Servings 8 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.
Notes
Leftover chicken: this is a great recipe to use grilled or rotisserie chicken leftovers. Simply shred it and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
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.