Chicken Taquitos Recipe
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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.
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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.
YUM!!! Dinner is planned 🙂 Thank you 🙂 I have really enjoyed exploring your website and learning all about clean eating.
Jennifer – Thanks! I hope you enjoy them!
made these this past weekend and they turned out okay…mine weren’t so tight, however I couldn’t find the nutritional yeast so I added cheese instead I’m assuming that’s why. But they were a hit anyway.
Melissa – Glad they turned out okay!
Dumb question, would you freeze after baking or before? 🙂
Briana – I do it after baking. Enjoy!
Am new to nutritional yeast, i live in the woods and cant get it at my locl stores:( i wanted to know what is a good brand to buy that is msg and gluten free. I went to order it n amazon and there are just far too many options! Help pleeeease
Kelsey – It’s hard to say when looking at online products, but I know that the following two brands are pretty reputable companies:
http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Nutritional-Flakes-10-Ounce/dp/B000MGR1N6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1384840768&sr=8-5&keywords=nutritional+yeast
http://www.amazon.com/Frontier-FRT23261-Nutritional-Yeast-Flakes/dp/B00016XJM4/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1384840789&sr=8-7&keywords=nutritional+yeast
Thanks so much- im going for my first gf dairy free thanksgiving, wish me luck! 🙂
Ps these look delicious! Looking forward to trying them as well
Kelsey – My pleasure! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
mmmmm. Now how about a vegetarian version? We often get the black bean taquitos from Trader Joe’s. I’d love to make my own though.
Lisa – Black beans and organic tofu would be a good sub.
I like the idea of using garbanzo beans instead of chicken. Would you use about three cans?
I never had taquitas much, but ate a beef and bean burrito at work lunch for two years.
The only clean corn tortillas I can find are 8″ so may take a little more filling.
Gail – I wouldn’t know. I haven’t tried it myself so you’d have to improvise. Let me know how they turn out!
Did you use Nutritional Yeast Flakes or Powder?? I am making these tonight for my family and want to grab the correct form.
Kimberly – It was the flakes.
I made these last night and they were delicious! I ended up putting the tortillas in a steamer and that helped them roll easier. They were still not very crunchy and crisp. I wonder what would happen if I put some egg wash on them? Or maybe I just need more oil. Any ideas Tiffany? Thanks for the great recipe.
Kristina – That’s odd. Maybe they didn’t bake long enough to get crispy? You could always try putting them under the broiler for 30 seconds or so. But you’ll have to watch them carefully so they don’t burn. My guess is that your oven just bakes a little different and that you need to bake a bit longer.
Can you make the “dough” and then prepare the taquitos the next day? Or it all needs to be done at once? Thanks!
Tiffany – You mean the filling? Sure! You can make that ahead of time. I wouldn’t do more than 1 or 2 days ahead though.
I made these and they were amazing! All of the crunch and soooo much less oil. Still tasted authentic to me!
Bernadette – Fantastic!! So happy you enjoyed them! I should make a batch before Mini Chef goes back to school. Talk about packing a fast and easy lunch! LOL!