Chicken Taquitos recipe
Servings: 8 taquitos
Calories: 275cal
These homemade chicken tacos are packed with classic Mexican flavors, a juicy shredded chicken filling, healthy veggies, and melted cheese. Serve with your favorite Mexican sides or garnishes for an easy dinner recipe the whole family will love!
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 1 green pepper (finely chopped)
- 1 red pepper (finely chopped)
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 lb)
- 1 package taco seasoning* (enough for 1 lb of meat)
- ½ cup tomato salsa (mild or spicy)
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup cream cheese (2 oz or ¼ package)
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 8-10 medium tortillas (flour or corn)
- sour cream, shredded lettuce, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, and any other garnishes you desire
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
- Add the onions and peppers, and sauté until crisp-tender.
- Add the chicken breasts (whole) along with taco seasoning, salsa, and broth.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F).
- Remove the chicken from the pan and shred it, then stir it back into the pan with the cream cheese. Allow the cream cheese to melt.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the dish to cool slightly (you can also prep this filling ahead and refrigerate it for up to 2 days).
- Divide the filling between 8–10 tortillas (the number of taquitos you get will depend on how large your tortillas are and how much filling you put in them). Sprinkle each with cheese. Roll them up tightly, ready to be cooked.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the taquitos on the prepared pan, coat lightly with non-aerosol oil spray and bake for 15 minutes, flipping once, until crispy. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Place taquitos in a single layer in the air fryer basket, lightly spray with non-aerosol oil spray and cook for 8–10 minutes, flipping once, until crispy. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat 1/2" of oil in a large skillet until a wooden spoon inserted into the oil creates small bubbles.
- Fry the taquitos on each side until golden brown and crispy. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Ingredients and Substitutions
Vegetables: feel free to skip the veggies or swap in ones you prefer. They do add loads of flavor! Without the vegetables, the yield will be less.
Chicken breast: you can swap the chicken breast for boneless skinless chicken thighs, or omit it and add in a can of black or white beans, sauteeing and then mashing slightly for a vegetarian option.
*Taco seasoning: If your family is sensitive to spice, start with half a package of taco seasoning and adjust the seasoning after the chicken is shredded and cooked.
Salsa: choose a thick salsa (not too watery), mild or spicy according to your tastes.
Tortillas: My tortillas are 7" and I get about 8-10 taquitos depending on how much filling I cram in each one. If your tortillas are larger, or smaller, you will get a different yield. Storage
Chicken breast: you can swap the chicken breast for boneless skinless chicken thighs, or omit it and add in a can of black or white beans, sauteeing and then mashing slightly for a vegetarian option.
*Taco seasoning: If your family is sensitive to spice, start with half a package of taco seasoning and adjust the seasoning after the chicken is shredded and cooked.
Salsa: choose a thick salsa (not too watery), mild or spicy according to your tastes.
Tortillas: My tortillas are 7" and I get about 8-10 taquitos depending on how much filling I cram in each one. If your tortillas are larger, or smaller, you will get a different yield. Storage
- Store Filling: Store your chicken taquito filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Store Cooked Taquitos: Keep assembled and cooked chicken taquitos wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow everything to cool to room temperature before storing it. The longer the assembled taquitos are stored, the soggy they will become.
- To Reheat: To reheat chicken taquitos, place them on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 15 minutes, or until they are heated through thoroughly and crispy on the outside. Alternately, reheat them in an air fryer for a couple of minutes.
- Freeze: You can either freeze the filling or the assembled taquitos. Place the filling or the assembled taquitos in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove the taquitos from the freezer and place them on a baking sheet or dish lined with parchment paper. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes, removing the foil halfway through baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 275cal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 915mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1302IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 204mg | Iron: 2mg