My crispy shredded chicken taquitos are surprisingly easy to make at home! I roll juicy shredded chicken, tomatoes, green chiles, and plenty of cheese into corn tortillas, then fry them until crunchy. They’re the perfect snack for game day or Cinco de Mayo, but my kids love when I make these for dinner too.
Crispy Fried Chicken Taquitos
My homemade chicken taquitos are so much better than the frozen kind, but they’re just as easy to make! I start with leftover shredded chicken to make the taquito filling, then combine it with green chiles, Mexican blend cheese, and simple seasonings. I roll everything up in corn tortillas, fry them up in oil in about 4-5 minutes per batch, and out comes the crispest, golden taquitos.
Much like my chicken flautas, these rolled tacos are a breeze to make and always a hit with crowds. I love to serve them fresh out of the fryer with guacamole, salsa, or sour cream! And if you don’t want to fry them, I’ve included instructions for baking and air-frying too.
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Prevent Cracked Taquito Shells!
Corn tortillas crack easily, which can cause your taquitos to fall apart in the oil. To prevent this, I microwave mine in a stack covered with a damp paper towel to steam and soften the tortillas just enough to roll them without tearing. This helps them stay sealed as they fry. For extra assurance, you can hold your chicken taquitos closed with tongs for the first few seconds of frying, too.
Shredded Chicken Taquitos Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Deep Fryer
- Deep Fry Oil Thermometer
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (*)
- 1½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles (1 can, drained)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (from 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
- vegetable oil (for frying)
- 20 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Optional Toppings:
- sour cream
- guacamole
- salsa
- cheese sauce
Instructions
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a metal rack over the top; set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, shredded cheese, tomatoes and chiles, lime juice, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt, and peppers.3 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 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
- 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
- Don’t overfill the tortillas with the chicken mixture. I found that 2 tablespoons was the perfect amount of filling.
- Roll quickly to avoid tearing the tortillas. No worries if any of your taquitos have small tears after rolling. You can still go ahead with the frying process.
- Fry the taquitos in batches to make sure they have enough room to cook. My favorite pan fits about 4 at a time.
- 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.
- Monitor the oil temperature and ensure it comes back to 350°F between batches. Otherwise, your taquitos will turn out soggy and undercooked.
- Keep warm in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven.
- Oven: 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.
- Air Fryer: Preheat Air Fryer for 5 minutes at 400℉. Place taquitos into the Air Fryer basket. Spray taquitos lightly with avocado or canola oil. Cook for 4 minutes. Turn, and cook for an additional 4 minutes.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Chicken Taquitos Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this homemade chicken taquito recipe. 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.
Make the Taquito Filling: In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken, 1½ cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese, and 10 ounces (1 can) of drained diced tomatoes with green chilies.
Add the Spices: To the filling, add the juice of ½ a lime (about 1 tablespoon), 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. If you’re feeling lazy, you can swap all of the spices for 2½ teaspoons of taco seasoning.
Warm and Fill 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. 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. Take care not to overfill!
Roll the Taquitos: Beginning at the edge closest to the filling, tightly roll up the tortilla around the shredded chicken. Work quickly to prevent cracking! Secure the taquitos with toothpicks and place them on the prepared baking tray seam-side down. Then repeat the warming, filling, and rolling process with the remaining tortillas until you have filled all 20 of them.
Fry the 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 and remove the toothpicks from each taquito. Repeat with the remaining taquitos. Be sure to let the oil come back to temperature between each batch so that they cook properly.
Garnish and Serve: Serve your shredded chicken taquitos with your favorite toppings, dipping sauces, and more.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Let homemade chicken taquitos cool before storing in an airtight container or resealable bag.
- Fridge: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: To reheat, bake in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp on the outside.
- Freezer: Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, covered, in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking for an extra 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp.
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