Shredded Chicken Taquitos Recipe
These crispy homemade taquitos are filled with shredded chicken, tomatoes and green chiles, and cheese, then deep-fried for the perfect crunch! Oven-baking and Air-frying instructions included.
Servings: 20 taquitos
Calories: 126kcal
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
Video
Notes
*Use any cooked chicken in this recipe. Shredded chicken, leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or canned chicken all work well.
For convenience, you can swap the listed spices for 2½ teaspoons of taco seasoning.
Becky's Top Tips
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1taquito | Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1mg