Chicken Taquitos (Baked or Fried)

These chicken taquitos are stuffed with seasoned shredded chicken and cheese, then baked or fried to crispy perfection. Serve these taquitos with your favorite dipping sauces for a fun party snack or meal!

Chicken taquitos are an easy yet unexpected appetizer that’s perfect to feed a crowd  – I’ve included instructions for both baking and frying these crispy bites of goodness!

I have to admit, for the longest time I thought of chicken taquitos only as a food you buy in the freezer section of the grocery store for a quick snack. Homemade chicken taquitos are SO much better than the store bought frozen kind, and they’re fun to assemble too!

How to make chicken taquitos

The first thing you’ll need to make chicken taquitos is cooked shredded chicken. You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, whatever you have on hand is fine! The chicken is mixed with spices and a blend of cheeses to make the filling for your tortillas.

After your filling is ready, it’s time to stuff the tortillas! You’ll want to put a few tablespoons of the meat mixture on one end of each tortilla, roll them tightly, then secure them with a toothpick. The toothpicks ensure that the taquitos won’t unroll during the baking or frying process.

The final step is to cook them up! You can either bake or fry these chicken taquitos. Baking the taquitos is healthier and less messy, but you won’t get the same deep golden crispy crust as you will with frying. The taquitos take just 4-5 minutes to fry up in oil, but if you choose the baking route it will take more like 15-20 minutes before they’re ready to eat.

The taquitos shown in these pictures were fried, although I’ve made this recipe both ways so it’s really up to your personal preference! You’ll want to remove the toothpicks before you serve them, and you can add any variety of toppings and dipping sauces.

I like to add a drizzle of sour cream and some fresh pico de gallo to my chicken taquitos. Other great options are ranch, guacamole, grated cotija cheese, chopped cilantro leaves, there are so many possibilities!

I also love that these taquitos make great leftovers; simply warm them in the oven or toaster oven until hot and crispy. My kids adore these chicken taquitos so I make them quite frequently. No need to buy the frozen version when you can have fresh, hot taquitos any time!

More mexican favorites

• Mexican Caesar Salad
• Mexican Pizza
• Carne Asada Tacos
• Pico de Gallo
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole

4.75 from 4 votes

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Chicken Taquitos (Baked or Fried)

These chicken taquitos are stuffed with seasoned shredded chicken and cheese, then baked or fried to crispy perfection. Serve these taquitos with your favorite dipping sauces for a fun party snack or meal!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 314 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 12 small corn tortillas
• oil if frying
• cooking spray if baking

Instructions

1. Place the chicken, salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese in a bowl. Stir until combined.

2. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and place on a plate. Microwave for 1 minute or until tortillas are warm and pliable.

3. Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface and divide the chicken and cheese mixture among the 12 tortillas. Roll up each tortilla tightly and secure with a toothpick.

4. To fry the taquitos: Heat 3/4 inch of oil in a deep pan to 350 degrees F. Add 3-4 taquitos and fry until crisp and golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Repeat with remaining taquitos.

5. To bake the taquitos: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the taquitos in a single layer on a sheet pan coated with cooking spray. Spray the tops of the taquitos with the cooking spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

6. Remove toothpicks, then serve.

Recipe Notes

1. Nutritional information is for the baked taquitos as it is difficult to determine how much oil the taquitos will absorb during the frying process.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Taquitos (Baked or Fried)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 314 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 14g 22%

Saturated Fat 7g 35%

Cholesterol 73mg 24%

Sodium 365mg 15%

Potassium 277mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 24g 8%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Protein 23g 46%

Vitamin A 9.6%

Calcium 26.1%

Iron 7.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.