These easy chicken taquitos are one of my favorite appetizers to make for game day or weekend snacking. Shredded chicken, tomatoes, green chiles, and cheese are rolled up in tortillas then deep-fried to give them the crispiest crunch! Made with just 10 ingredients, my homemade recipe for chicken taquitos is always a hit with party guests, kids, and anyone who tries them.
Homemade Chicken Taquitos Recipe
Learning how to make my own chicken taquitos was both a blessing and a curse. Now I can have them any time I want…and I do eat them all the time! It’s so easy to grab some leftover shredded chicken to make the filling with just a couple of other ingredients, then quickly fry up some rolled tacos for a crispy bite. But for my own sake, I have included instructions for oven-baking these taquitos too.
The bulk of the ingredients list is a range of spices to get the most delicious Mexican-seasoned chicken, but you can always swap those out for some taco seasoning to simplify. And choose all your favorite toppings for serving, like guacamole, salsa, or sour cream.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store homemade taquitos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, bake in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp on the outside.
How to Make Ahead and Freeze
Taquitos made with shredded chicken are easy to make ahead and freeze, and can be cooked straight from frozen. Roll up the taquitos as instructed, place them seam-side down in a single layer on a baking sheet (do not fry them), and freeze until solid. Then place in a Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To bake, cover them with aluminum foil and bake in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp on the outside.
Notes and Tips
- To make the tortillas more pliable (so they don’t crack/tear while rolling), heat them up in the microwave with a damp paper towel.
- To secure the taquitos and make sure they don’t fall apart, hold each one closed with the tongs for a few seconds while placing in the hot oil.
- To bake these chicken taquitos instead: Preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. After rolling up the tacos, spray or brush them generously with cooking oil and bake, seam-side down, until golden brown and crispy, about 15-20 minutes.
Chicken Taquitos Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies 1 can, drained
- ½ lime juiced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- vegetable oil for frying
- 20 6-inch corn tortillas
For Serving (optional):
- sour Cream
- guacamole
- salsa
- cheese sauce
Equipment
- Dutch Oven AND
- Deep Fry Oil Thermometer OR
- Deep Fryer
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, shredded cheese, tomatoes and chiles, lime juice, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt, and peppers.3 cups cooked chicken, 1½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies, ½ lime, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a metal rack over the top; set aside.
- In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat ½-inch oil to 325°F-350°F. (You can also use a deep fryer.)vegetable oil
- While the oil is heating, place 4-5 of the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave 30 seconds on HIGH, flip the stack, and microwave an additional 30 seconds.20 6-inch corn tortillas
- Set one tortilla on a flat surface and spoon 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture 1-inch from one edge of the tortilla. Form the filling into a tube shape and, beginning at the edge closest to the filling, tightly roll up the tortilla. Secure it with toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Fry 4-5 rolled tortillas at a time in the hot oil, seam side down, for 3-5 minutes until they’re golden brown, flipping once.
- Transfer the fried taquitos to the prepared metal rack. Repeat with the remaining rolled tortillas, working as you go to prevent the taquitos from cracking.
- Repeat the process of warming, filling and frying the Taquitos. Remove the toothpicks and serve with your favorite toppings.sour Cream, guacamole, salsa, cheese sauce
Notes
How to Make Chicken Taquitos Step by Step
Make the Filling: In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken, 1½ cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese, and 1 can (10 ounces) of diced tomatoes with green chilies.
Add the Spices: To the filling, add the juice of ½ a lime, ½ teaspoon of dried oregano, ½ teaspoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper.
Prep for Frying: Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a metal rack over the top; set aside. In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat ½-inch of vegetable oil to 325°F-350°F.
(Note: We’re going to be warming tortillas and rolling taquitos in batches of 4-5 at a time. So the next few steps will be repeated with each batch.)
Warm the Tortillas: While the oil is heating, place (4-5) 6-inch corn tortillas at a time on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 30 seconds on HIGH, flip the stack, then microwave an additional 30 seconds.
Fill the Tortillas: Set the warm tortillas on a flat surface, and spoon 2 tablespoons (per tortilla) of the chicken mixture 1-inch from one edge of each tortilla. Form the filling into a tube shape so that they’re easy to roll.
Roll the Taquitos: Beginning at the edge closest to the filling, tightly roll up the tortilla around the shredded chicken.
Set Aside: Secure the rolled tacos with toothpicks and place them on the prepared baking tray. Then repeat the warming, filling, and rolling process with the remaining tortillas.
Fry the Chicken Taquitos: Fry 4-5 rolled taquitos at a time in the hot oil, seam side down, for 3-5 minutes until they’re golden brown, flipping once. Transfer them to the prepared metal rack. Then repeat with the remaining rolled tortillas. Be sure to let the oil come back to temperature between each batch so that they cook properly.
Serve: Serve them with your favorite toppings, dipping sauces, and more. Be sure to remove the toothpicks!
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