These Chicken Taquitos are crisp and crunchy on the outside, with a moist, cheesy center. It’s a crowd-pleasing, kid-friendly meal that’s so easy to make and tastes way better than anything from the store. You’ll love how easy it is to make the filling with rotisserie chicken, and they cook in minutes. Make these for a quick dinner or to serve as an appetizer for game day!
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Taquitos Video
My kids love these chicken taquitos, and since they keep well in the refrigerator, they crisp back up perfectly when reheated.
Easy Chicken Taquitos Recipe
My sister, Svetlana, taught me how to make this easy Chicken Taquitos recipe since my kids used to ask me to buy them from the freezer section at the grocery store. Now I make them at home, so they are so much better tasting, and I love that I can use better ingredients and high-quality oil to cook these.
Our family loves Tex-Mex meals, like Shrimp Tacos, Beef Burritos, Chicken Fajitas, and Enchiladas, so this 30-minute chicken taquitos recipe was an exciting one to add to our rotation. It’s also well loved for our Super Bowl parties because they are easy to grab and munch.
Taquitos Ingredients
These chicken taquitos come together with just 7 ingredients, so they are perfect for a weeknight meal! Chicken taquitos are gluten-free (check the labels!), and you can even make them low-carb with an easy tortilla swap.
- Cooked Chicken – this is about 1 lb of cooked chicken (light or dark meat). You can use leftover Baked Chicken Breast, Instant Pot Whole Chicken, or leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Cream cheese – half a brick of cream cheese makes the filling perfectly moist and creamy. Dice it up for easier mashing.
- Shredded cheese – I like Mexican shredded cheese or Colby Jack here for the best melting and flavor.
- Taco Seasoning – Use store-bought or my Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe. For gluten-free, be sure to check labels.
- Salsa Verde or Green Enchilada sauce – adds moisture and flavor to the chicken. Select gluten-free if needed.
- Corn tortillas – use the small 6-inch white corn or yellow corn tortillas. You can use Flour Tortillas in a pinch, but they won’t be as authentic.
- Oil for frying – choose neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable oil, avocado oil or extra LIGHT olive oil.
How to Make Taquitos
This homemade chicken taquito recipe takes under 30 minutes from start to finish, about as long as it takes to heat the store-bought kind! You’ll love the fresh flavor so much better!
- Make the filling – Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and mash together with a fork.
- Warm the tortillas: Place tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat for 15-30 seconds per side. This makes them easier to roll, and you can move step 3 as you heat them.
- Assemble – In the center of a warmed tortilla, add 3 Tbsp of filling and spread, leaving space around the edge. Roll the tortilla over the filling.
- Heat the oil – Add 1/2″ of oil to a saucepan or heavy skillet and heat until 250°F (medium).
- Fry chicken taquitos – Use tongs to put the rolled tortilla seam-side-down into the hot oil, where it should sizzle. Fry for 2-3 minutes and then flip and fry the other side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
Pro Tip:
You only need a 1/2″ of oil in the sauté pan, or enough for the oil to reach halfway up the sides of the taquitos. You can cook 3-4 taquitos at a time. Be sure to hold each rolled taquito with tongs in the oil for the first few seconds so they don’t unroll.
How to Serve Chicken Taquitos
Serve the crispy chicken taquitos immediately so they are warm and crisp. I like to assemble them restaurant-style: sprinkle shredded lettuce on a plate, line up the taquitos on the plate, and then stop with more shredded lettuce and your favorite toppings. Here are some more serving ideas:
- Sauces – Pico de Gallo, sour cream, Mexican crema, Homemade Salsa, salsa verde, hot sauce (Cholula and Tabasco are my favorites)
- Veggies – shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, Guacamole, chopped jalapeños, cilantro
- Cheese – shredded cheese, Cotija cheese
30-minute, homemade chicken taquitos are a family favorite of ours, with a crispy, crunchy outer tortilla stuffed with a creamy, shredded chicken filling. No deep fryer needed, and they are so easy to serve alongside your favorite Mexican toppings. Try this recipe today!
Homemade Taquitos
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, light or dark meat chicken
- 4 oz cream cheese, diced
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican shredded cheese, or Colby Jack cheese
- 2 tsp taco seasoning, to taste
- ½ cup salsa verde, or green enchilada sauce
- 16 small corn tortillas, 6-inch, white or yellow corn
- neutral high-heat cooking oil, for frying
Instructions
- Make the filling – In a large mixing bowl, add rotisserie chicken, diced cream cheese, shredded cheese, salsa verde, and taco seasoning.
- Warm the tortillas – Corn tortillas must be warmed before rolling, so they don’t crack. Set a medium skillet over medium heat and warm the tortillas one at a time. Don’t brown them, just warm them for 15-30 seconds per side, or until they are pliable and easily rolled up. I do them one at a time and add the next one while I'm rolling up a taquito to keep the assembly line moving. You can also stack warmed tortillas in a kitchen towel to keep them soft and pliable.
- Assemble – Spread 3 Tbsp of chicken mixture onto each tortilla and spread it out in the center. Avoid having it hang over the side, or the filling will fall out while frying. Roll the tortilla over the filling.
- Heat the oil – Fill a saucepan or heavy skillet with ½ inch of oil and heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F on a thermometer. The taquitos should sizzle when placed in oil.
- Fry taquitos – Place filled tortillas seam-side down first, using tongs to initially hold them down in hot oil so they don’t roll and open up. Once they are steady, add more to the pan. Fry 3-4 at a time until golden brown, then flip and fry the other side, about 2-3 minutes per side. The oil only needs to come about halfway up the taquitos while frying. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then serve warm with your desired toppings.
Notes
- Sauces: Sour cream or Mexican crema, Salsa verde, Homemade Salsa, Hot sauce, Guacamole
- Veggies: Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and avocados, Pico de Gallo, cilantro
- Cheese: Mexican cheese, Cotija cheese
- Prep Ahead: Roll, cover in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before frying.
- To store leftovers in the Fridge/ Freezer: Cool the fried taquites then transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat from frozen.
- Reheating taquitos: You can re-crisp taquitos in an air fryer at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, or in an oiled skillet.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Mexican Recipes
If you loved these homemade taquitos, you’ll love these Mexican-inspired recipes. These are the ones we make on repeat and can’t get enough!
- Ceviche
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
- Beef Burritos
- Fish Tacos
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Churros (for your sweet tooth!)
It’s delicious and easy to follow. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Rose! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I cooked these today and they were delicious🔥
I’m so happy you loved them!
I made these today with leftover rotisserie chicken. They were fantastic! I baked them on a parchment lined baking sheet sprayed with avocado oil. I rolled them up and placed them on the baking sheet and sprayed them with avocado oil. Baked at 425º for 25-30 minutes. They were crispy and golden. I also used a different method for warming the tortillas. I placed them in a damp flour sack towel, 2 at a time, and microwaved for 45 seconds. They were limp and pliable.
I’m happy to hear you loved them, LeAnn!
Natasha, this recipe was delightful. Our children thoroughly enjoyed it, and my husband has requested it for tomorrow’s lunch. Thank you for sharing your excellent recipes with us.
Sincerely,
Rita.
You’re very welcome, Rita! I’m so happy to know that your family enjoyed the taquitos!
I made these and Love, love them ! Thanks for the recipes . You are my absolutely
favorite now . Judy
You’re welcome, Judy! I’m so happy you love them.
Hi Natasha,
Can you bake these taquitos if so, at what temperature and for how long?
Thank you,
Hi Nathalie! I haven’t baked them in the oven. It should would, I would brush or spray them lightly with oil. Try 400-425 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Keep an eye on them. Let us know how they turn out.
Absolutely wonderful!! I made 4 just as the recipe states and then I added chipotle powder to the rest of the chicken mixture because my bunch likes some spice. Oh my 🤤 The chipotle added a wonderful flavor. Next time I will try the medium salsa verda instead of mild as well. My husband tried them and said, “I’m normally not a taquito fan but those are really good!”
Natasha’s egg rolls are really good as well!! Give them both a try!
These Taquitos are popular for good reason, I’m so glad you thought so too, Kacey!
These turned out great. I don’t usually use Salsa Verde and I’m wondering if you have a suggestion for another red sauce or salsa in the filling?
Hi Sandra! You can replace it with regular tomatoes salsa. Alternatively, you could even try a different type of sauce like red enchilada sauce. Just added it to taste start with a little bit so it’s not overpowering and add more as needed.
Even better than my favorite Mexican restaurant! Thank you for another great recipe! Your shrimp tacos are also amazing!
We lean towards shredded beef taqueria in restaurants . What adjustments would you make to turn them towards beef ? Can’t wait to try?!
Hi Sally! You can use an equal amount of shredded beef in this recipe without making any adjustments. Hope you love it!