These shredded chicken taquitos are a crispy, golden snack that’s 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. My fried chicken taquitos are always a hit on game day and Cinco de Mayo. But my kids also love these homemade taquitos for a fun family dinner. With just 10 ingredients and a few simple steps, these Mexican chicken taquitos couldn’t be easier!
Fried Chicken Taquitos
Similar to my favorite chicken flautas, these Mexican chicken taquitos are rolled. However, I use smaller, all-corn tortillas to make my taquitos the perfect bite-sized snack; whereas, flautas are generally much larger and made with flour tortillas (although I make mine with flour and corn tortillas). These taquitos are well-suited to an appetizer setting, but I do still love them as a finger-food dinner!
One of the best things about these easy chicken taquitos is how versatile they are! You can use leftover shredded chicken, a rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken to speed things up. The seasoning blend gives the filling that classic Tex-Mex taste, but you can shortcut with taco seasoning if you’re pressed for time. I love to serve them fresh out of the fryer with guacamole, salsa, or sour cream!
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Warm the Tortillas to Make them Pliable
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 listed ingredients for shredded chicken taquitos. If you don’t have any leftover chicken, you can make this Instant Pot shredded chicken in a jiff! 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 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.
How to Cook Chicken Taquitos (Fryer, Air Fryer, or Oven)
Fried 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 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.
Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos: Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400℉. Place the taquitos seam-side down into the air fryer basket in a single layer with a little bit of space between so the air can circulate. Spray them lightly with avocado or canola oil and air fry for 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for an additional 4 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy.
Baked Chicken Taquitos: Preheat your oven to 425°F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray (or line with parchment). After rolling up the taquitos, spray or brush them generously with cooking oil and bake, seam-side down, until golden brown and crispy, about 15-20 minutes.
Garnish and Serve: Serve your shredded chicken taquitos with your favorite toppings, dipping sauces, and more.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store homemade chicken 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. You can also freeze these taquitos for up to 3 months in a Ziplock bag. 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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