Chicken Taquitos Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on this site, I may earn a commission.
Read my Privacy Policy.
Looking for a healthier taquito recipe? These oven-baked chicken taquitos are packed with yummy flavor, made with clean ingredients, and amazing for meal prep. With ingredients you can find in your pantry plus some shredded chicken and your favorite tortillas, you’ll have a stocked freezer with kid-friendly food that you can have cooked and on the table in no time. You can even cook them in an air fryer to make your meal even faster. No deep frying needed.
Love these types of recipes? Don’t miss my Fish Tacos, my Breakfast Taquitos, or
my BBQ Burritos
I remember going to Costco as a teen with my mom and immediately finding the big, orange box of chicken taquitos. That nostalgic flavor was one I never got tired of. But now, I make them myself. I can make them at home without any chemicals or preservatives, and I love knowing there is always a healthier option available for my son with he gets hungry.
What Makes These “Clean”
Store-bought versions have soy, sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin, and any other number of undesirable ingredients added. This homemade version is made with ingredients you can pronounce and recognize. They are so much healthier and taste every bit as good. Chicken, herbs, and more make up this delicious alternative.
Pro Recipe Tip
Warm the tortillas wrapped in a damp paper towel in a microwave for about 1-2 minutes until they become warm and pliable. They will be much easier to roll this way.
What To Serve With Chicken Taquitos
Sides for taquitos are more about what you dip them in than anything you actually serve as a side. Try guacamole, sour cream, plain yogurt, or your favorite salsa. But if you really want a true side dish to round out your meal, try:
- Green salad
- Refried beans
- Rice
- Fresh fruit salad
FAQs
Can I Freeze Before Baking?
You sure can! Just be careful to wrap them really well so they don’t dry out in the freezer.
Can I Air Fry These?
You sure can!
Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray the taquitos with an oil sprayer. Use just enough to help them crisp without getting greasy.
Arrange them in a single layer in the basket, seam side down. Don’t overcrowd. Leave space between each taquito so air can circulate properly.
Air fry for 7–9 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.
Time may vary slightly depending on your model and the thickness of the taquitos. Cool slightly before serving. The fillings will be hot.
What Else Can I Use Instead Of Nutritional Yeast?
I used nutritional yeast to replace cheese. But if you don’t mind dairy, you can certainly use as much shredded cheese as you like.
What You Need To Make Chicken Taquitos
- Plain cream cheese
- Plain sour cream
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Onion powder
- Salsa
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Cooked and shredded chicken
- Corn tortillas
- Oil
How To Make Chicken Taquitos
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Gather all your ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Add sour cream, salsa, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder. Mix until well combined.
Stir in the shredded chicken and cheddar cheese until evenly combined.
Warm the corn tortillas in the microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds to make them pliable. Spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of each tortilla and roll tightly.
Place the rolled taquitos seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
Lightly brush the tops with oil.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the taquitos are golden brown and crispy.
Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces or toppings.
Storage
Store cooked leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezing
These are best frozen before baking. Pack them well and freeze for up to four months.
Reheating
Reheat in a microwave or in a low oven until warmed through.
Neet To Reset Your Eating Plan?
If you’ve just gotten back from vacation or need to reset your eating plan for whatever reason, then try The Real Food Reset (Dinner Edition). Five dinners with a shopping list and lots of tracking pages. Check it out here on Etsy!
Chicken Taquitos Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 oz. cream cheese (softened)
- 3 tbsp. sour cream
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic granules (or garlic powder)
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ¼ cup salsa (no sugar added)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 12 standard corn tortillas
- 2 tbsp. oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add sour cream, salsa, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder. Mix until well combined.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and cheddar cheese until evenly combined.
- Warm the corn tortillas in the microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds to make them pliable. Spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of each tortilla and roll tightly.
- Place the rolled taquitos seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly brush the tops with oil.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the taquitos are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces or toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted on 6/12/11.
I have made these several times and they are a hit with the family. I used your clean taco seasoning and have made them with chicken and steak. I cook the meat in the slow cooker and chill before making.
They freeze well, bake about half done. Cool then freeze on the sheet, then place in freezer bags. Reheat at 400 for 15-20 minutes from the frozen state. Great for a quick meal on busy nights.
Kelly – That’s wonderful! Thanks for the tips!
Katy – Thanks. I use nutritiondata.com and I know they are not always very accurate. Good to have some other info as well.
Kate – What’s quest fresco?
Lsvrcek – You could, but it would be a little dry.
When buying “clean eating corn tortillas” what should you look for?
When buying “clean eating corn tortillas” what should you look for?
Felicia – They are tough to find these days. But generally, they have only corn, water and lime.
Felicia – They are tough to find these days. But generally, they have only corn, water and lime.
Thank you for this! We love taquitos, but haven’t had them since starting clean eating! I am so making these this week!
gonna have to this ;]
We are new to clean eating. I made these last night, and my super-duper-picky-eating, chicken-nuggets-only-please kids LOVED them! Thank you so much for a recipe that was clean AND so very tasty!
My pleasure!
I always cook meat to temperature. It’s far safer. (And thermometers are cheap!) Cook until it reaches at least 165 F.
Please explain clean eating? I have poly cystic ovarian syndrome and I have to eat very healthy this would be great to start.. Thank you for this recipe! 🙂
Here you go: https://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/
Forgive me for saying so, but putting the chicken in the food processor sounds gross. Wouldn’t shredding the chicken then adding the other ingredients work just as well? Granted, it would be a little more trouble.
Do whatever works for you. I put it in the processor because it made the texture of the chicken more like regular taquitos.
These look great! What is considered clean salsa??
You have to read labels to find a clean salsa. Here’s some info on how to do that: https://www.thegraciouspantry.com/reading-labels-for-clean-eating/
I love these and so do my grandkids. easy to make and clean up
I have been making these for a couple of years now for my kids tweaking the recipe here and there but I today substituted garbanzo beans for the chicken and used fresh pico de gallo instead of jared salsa. They are absolutely amazing and a great vegan alternative!
Oh yummy!!!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I made them (a half batch) exactly as written and they turned out so yummy! Quite easy too! Now on to make more of your delicious and clean recipes – can’t wait!
Jennlovinglife – Wonderful! Glad you liked them! 🙂
In step 1, it says to bake the chicken at 350 but doesn’t say for how long…… please advise. I could eyeball it, but I’d rather pinpoint a time. 😉
LBJ – Depends on if you cook them from raw or frozen.