Chicken Taquitos are a Mexican-inspired dish perfect for any occasion. Made with shredded chicken, cheese, and spices, then rolled up in a soft tortilla and fried to crispy perfection!
Chicken and Cheese Taquitos
If you’re struggling with what to make for dinner tonight, look no further than these fried chicken taquitos. They’re easy to make and even easier to eat!
This little finger food is so easy to make, and it’s the perfect appetizer for game day or any party. Keep it simple with shredded chicken and cheese, but feel free to add some toppings into the mix.
Why You’ll Love these Fried Chicken Taquitos:
- Crispy: Frying taquitos makes the tortilla amazingly crispy, so you get that beautiful crunch with every bite.
- Freezer-Friendly: It’s time to fill your freezer with something the whole family will enjoy. The kids can even heat these up in the microwave, straight from the freezer!
- Snackable: When you’re hungry but don’t want to cook a big meal, these taquitos are the perfect snack.
I love too serve these up on a platter covered with shredded lettuce, tomatoes or pico de gallon, sour cream, and guacamole. Makes them look and taste even better!
How to Make Chicken Taquitos
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Combine shredded chicken, spices, and cheese.
- Soften tortillas by heating in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
- Then place chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.
- Roll tortillas up and place in a pan with oil.
- Fry until golden brown.
- Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole!
Taquitos are a Mexican dish consisting of deep-fried rolled-up meat-and-cheese-filled tortillas.
Yes. To bake these taquitos, preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. 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.
You can use any chicken you like. This is a great recipe to use up leftover cooked chicken. I like to use rotisserie chicken in my taquitos because it’s so easy to shred. You can easily make shredded chicken in the crockpot, too!
If your tortillas are cracking while you’re rolling your taquitos, they probably need to be heated up again in the microwave. The main reason that tortillas crack is because they’re not warm enough.
I like to use toothpicks to keep my taquitos closed, but you can also hold each taquito closed with tongs for a few seconds in the hot oil, and they should stay closed after that.
These crispy chicken and cheese taquitos are the perfect easy meal or snack. They’re packed with flavor and sure to please everyone in your family. Be sure to make a double batch, because they’ll go fast!
Make Ahead Instructions
Make the taquito filling up to 1 day in advance and store in the refrigerator. Roll the taquitos before frying.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover 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.
Freezing Instructions
Taquitos are easy to freeze and can be baked/reheated right from frozen. Roll up the taquitos, place them seam-side down in a single layer on a baking sheet (do NOT fry them!), and freeze until solid. 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.
Substitutions
Feel free to change up the fillings to meet your tastes. Try shredded beef or pork instead, or try flour tortillas for a different flavor!
Tips for Perfect Taquitos
- Do not overfill your taquitos. The filling will leak out and ruin your frying oil. Keep the filling to 2 tablespoons.
- Keep the taquitos closed by securing them with toothpicks or holding them tightly with tongs until they have a chance to set in the oil. Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving!
- Reheat the tortillas as needed to avoid cracking while rolling the taquitos.
These EASY Chicken Taquitos are perfect for a quick and easy meal. They’re easy to make and perfect for satisfying your craving for Mexican food. What’s your favorite way to enjoy these?
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Chicken Taquitos Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 10 ounces tomatoes and 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
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, shredded cheese, tomatoes and chilies, lime juice, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt, and peppers.3 cups cooked chicken, 1½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, 10 ounces tomatoes and 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 fat 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
- Feel free to change up the meat to pork or beef.
- Try flour tortillas for a different flavor!
- Do not overfill your taquitos. The filling will leak out and ruin your frying oil. Keep the filling to 2 tablespoons.
- Keep the taquitos closed by securing them with toothpicks or holding them tightly with tongs until they have a chance to set in the oil. Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving!
- Reheat the tortillas as needed to avoid cracking while rolling the taquitos.
- Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
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