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Isha Joe

Homemade Taquitos

Homemade Mexican Taquitos are crunchy on the outside with a tender shredded chicken and cheese filling – you’ll love making and eating these chicken taquitos! They also keep well in the fridge and freezer, which is perfect for meal prep. They re-crisp beautifully so you can make them ahead for the perfect Super Bowl or game day party appetizer.Makes 14-16 Taquitos, depending on how you fill them.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 16 taquitos
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex
Calories: 197
Ingredients Method Notes

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
  • 1/2 cup salsa verde, or green enchilada sauce
  • 16 small corn tortillas, 6-inch, white or yellow corn
  • neutral high-heat cooking oil, for frying

Method
 

  1. Make the filling – In a large mixing bowl, add 3 cups shredded chicken, 4 oz diced cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, 1/2 cup salsa verde, and 2 tsp taco seasoning.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Optional Toppings to serve:
 
  • 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
Make-Ahead and Storage:
 
  • 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.