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!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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!)
I’m excited to try these tomorrow for the big game day. Can these be baked instead?
Hi Rita! 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.
Can these taquitos be cooked in the oven instead of frying?
Hi Holly! 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.
Delicious. I shredded the chicken breasts in the stand mixer then tossed everything in there to mix, easy peasy. Warming tortillas, rolling and frying in batches made this take much longer than 30 minutes, but all your 30 min meals take me at least an hour, so I wasn’t bothered. It’s worth it. Also, I got 24 total. Two more dinners ready to go!
That’s a great idea, Courtney! Thanks for sharing.
Making these for gameday! Will swap tortillas for low carb so the Keto guests can have a GREAT snack. Thank you so very much!
You’re very welcome! I bet they’ll be great.
Just a note.
There is nothing in the directions indicating to add shredded cheese to the mixture.
Hi Sharon! Thank you for pointing that out, it has been fixed. I hope you love the recipe!
These are scrumptious!!! I made chicken enchiladas a couple of days ago and had enough tortillas, cheese, chicken, salsa left over to make these last night! My husband was doubtful at first (taquitos for dinner?) but once he took a bite he was sold on them! I made a simple sauce with salsa verde and sour cream to serve with them. I halved the recipe for the two of us and we are having the leftovers tonight. Easy peasy!
Yay that’s awesome! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed the Homemade Taquitos!
Delicious!!! Easier to make than I thought! Thank you! I found it quicker and easier to soften tortillas in the microwave, wrapped in a fully damp paper towel for 30 seconds. I heated 4 at a time, filled and fried. While the 4 were cooking, I heated 4 more, filled, etc. Worked much easier for me.
Thanks so much for sharing that, Chey! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
These were delicious! We loved the crunchy outside and creamy filling. I microwaved my corn tortillas one at a time for 10 seconds and then filled them. It’s another hit recipe from Natasha!
I’m so glad it was a hit, Yevone!
Hi Natasha,
These were easy and delicious to make except even though I rolled them up tightly, they started unrolling when placed in the skillet after placing them seem side down making a little mess, therefore next time I may try cooking in he oven or air fryer. Any tips you have I’d be happy to hear from you or others! I love all your videos and recipes and have your cookbook. Thanks!🙂❤️☃️
Hi Karen, I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the recipes in the cookbook. I haven’t tested it in an air fryer, but it should work. I would brush or spray the outside lightly with oil. This replaces the oil from frying and helps them crisp. You can try 380°F for 7–10 flipping halfway through. Let us know how it works out for you.
They were so delicious thank you we will make them again
I love this recipe ! Thank you so much . I will never buy store bought again . Judy In Georgia
Isn’t it the best when you can make it at home? I’m so glad you loved it, Judy.
These are amazing! I used our air fryer, sprayed w avocado oil and air fried on 400 for 8-10 minutes. The cheese leaked out a bit so I do wonder if a high heat in the oven would also work and be less messy. All that said- * AMAZING*!! I served it w.a coleslaw made with the hernandez brand roasted poblano pepper salsa. So,so good! I have never made one of your recipes and had my family and friends not love it!! 100%
Thank you for sharing that with us, Suzanne! Great to hear that it worked so well using the air fryer!
I made chicken taquitos today for lunch. They were delicious!
I’m so happy you loved them, Lois!
This taquiitos the are so good 👍
My husband loves it 😍
Thank you 🙏🏼😊
You’re welcome, Estela! I’m so happy you loved them.
So delicious!!! Easy & a family favorite
So glad to hear your family loved them, Shannon.
How many taquitos constitute a “serving” in the nutrition section?
Hi Barb! This recipe makes 16, the serving size is 1.
How long would you bake these in the oven and at what temperature? Thank you!
Hi Jessica! 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.
My Mexican grandmother always made us taquitos and with corn tortillas like this. Restaurants tend to use flour but that is usually called flautas. I love these.
Thank you for sharing that with me, Kathleen!
Could these work in an air fryer rather than using oil and frying?
Hi Claudia, I haven’t tested it in an air fryer, but it should work. I would brush or spray the outside lightly with oil. This replaces the oil from frying and helps them crisp. You can try 380°F for 7–10 flipping halfway through. Let us know how it works out for you.
Instead of frying, can you make them in an oven or air fryer?
Hi Olya! I haven’t tested it, but it should work. I would brush or spray the outside lightly with oil. This replaces the oil from frying and helps them crisp. You can try 380°F for 7–10 flipping halfway through. Let us know how it works out for you.
Can you use shredded pork shoulder instead of chicken?
We love it with chicken, but I bet it can work with shredded pork also. If you test it, I would love to know how you like it.
These were delicious!! Will try baking with light veg oil to make them pilable and bake the rest of the way. Will make again 😀
Thanks for trying the recipe, Terri! I’m so glad you loved it.
yes I make these in the oven and I spray with cooking spray
What temperature and for how long do you bake them in the oven?