Baked Chicken Taquitos

At a glance

What stands out: Baked chicken taquitos are fantastically crispy, without the oiliness or mess of the deep-fried version. A creamy, cheesy filling makes them irresistible, whether you serve them for a speedy dinner, snack, or party appetizer.

How long it takes: 28 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: baking sheet, parchment paper, mixing bowl
Servings: 6 (2 taquitos each)

These Look Like More Work Than They Are

For some reason, taquitos have always felt like one of those recipes you’d only make if you had a lot of time.

Turns out they’re quite straightforward.

If you can roll up a tortilla, you can make taquitos. The filling comes together in minutes, and the taquitos are baked instead of fried, so the oven takes care of the hard part.

What makes ours special:

• Crispy without frying: We're always honest with you, friends, and while it’s true that baked taquitos aren’t quite as crispy as the deep-fried version, they’re still crispy! The benefit is that they’re not saturated with oil, and you don’t have to stand over a stove deep-frying them.
• Creamy, cheesy filling: Chicken, cream cheese, and shredded cheese make every bite delectable with just a hint of Tex-Mex spice. We’re definitely serving up game day vibes here. Kids love taquitos, too!
• Great for meal prep: With a recipe like this that uses pre-cooked chicken, we like to have baked chicken breasts the night before and we make one extra to reserve for the next day’s recipe. You could also buy rotisserie chicken or frozen cooked chicken breasts to make these taquitos.

What goes in

You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card but here’s what you’ll need with a few helpful tips.

• Cooked shredded chicken: We prefer chicken breast meat in this recipe, but thighs are absolutely fine too. Consider cooking a big batch of Instant Pot shredded chicken and freezing it ahead to use for meals like these chicken taquitos, or cauliflower nachos.
• Cream cheese: Don’t forget to soften the cream cheese! It’s much easier to stir together the filling that way. Simply remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator an hour before you begin cooking.
• Shredded cheese: Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, or cheddar all work well. If you like a little extra spice, use pepper Jack cheese. After testing this recipe with varying amounts of cheese, we found that adding a bit more improves both texture and flavor, so don’t skimp.
• Salsa: Use a thicker, jarred salsa rather than fresh salsa. Fresh salsa tends to be more watery making the filling too wet, and you don’t want soggy taquitos!
• Seasonings: Chili powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, and coarse ground black pepper are straightforward pantry ingredients which amp up the flavor in the filling.
• Flour tortillas: We tested this recipe with both corn and flour tortillas (a few times), and flour tortillas were the clear winner. Corn tortillas cracked and fell apart when we rolled them, even when they were warm, and they also got too hard in the oven.
• Olive oil or avocado oil: Although these baked chicken taquitos aren’t deep-fried, they still need a little oil to help the taquitos crisp up. We lightly oil the baking sheet and brush oil on the taquitos before baking them. You don’t need much, just a couple of tablespoons.

How it comes together

Make the filling. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, shredded cheese, salsa, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until everything is evenly distributed within the mixture. Fold in the shredded chicken, making sure it’s all coated in the cheesy deliciousness. The mixture will be thick and should hold together.

Warm the tortillas. To make rolling easier, warm the tortillas briefly so they’re soft and pliable. We heat 4 tortillas at a time, so they don’t cool off too much while we're rolling the taquitos. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.

Fill and roll. Spoon the filling down the center of each tortilla, leaving a small border at the ends. You can pretty much shape the filling into a log which makes rolling quite straightforward. Roll each tortilla up tightly and place it seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. (Tight rolling is so important!)

Bake until crisp. Lightly brush or drizzle the taquitos with oil so they crisp up evenly. Bake in a 425°F oven for about 13 minutes, or until the outsides are golden and crisp and the filling is hot and melty.

Serve. Serve warm with your choice of salsa or dips.

Ways to change it

• Make it vegetarian. Instead of chicken, use a can of black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained. Refried beans are good, too; they make the filling extra creamy.
• Add more heat. Use a spicier salsa, add diced jalapeños, or increase the chili powder.
• Air fry the taquitos. These chicken taquitos work well in the air fryer too! Air fry them at 380ºF for 6 to 7 minutes.

What to Serve With Taquitos

• Dips and sauces: We like to serve baked chicken taquitos with guacamole, sour cream, and our from-scratch restaurant-style salsa. Chipotle salsa is good, too!
• Rice and beans: This straightforward Mexican rice recipe pairs well with any Tex-Mex recipe, and Instant Pot refried beans will boost the protein of your meal even more.
• Salad: Black bean and avocado salad is a nice contrast to the crisp taquitos. Taco slaw goes well, too.
• Additional appetizers: If you’re serving baked chicken taquitos at a party or get-together, consider serving them alongside Mexicali dip with tortilla chips or our popular ultimate seven-layer dip recipe. Hearty beef nachos or taco cups are good choices, too.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Store leftover baked chicken taquitos in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Reheat: Warm the taquitos in the oven or air fryer to refresh the crispiness. The microwave works, but they’ll be softer.

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• Yield: 6
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 13 minutes
• Total: 28 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, or cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
• ¼ cup salsa (thick style works best, not fresh)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast)
• 12 small (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or avocado oil)

For serving (optional)

• sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or any dip or topping you prefer

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, drizzle lightly with oil, about 1 tablespoon.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, salsa, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cream cheese is blended with the other ingredients. Stir in the chicken. The mixture will be very thick.
3. Warm the tortillas briefly right before you fill them, so they’re pliable. Microwave 4 tortillas at a time, wrapped in a damp paper towel, for about 15 seconds on full power. Fill them, then microwave 4 more, and so on.
4. Spoon a generous 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla, leaving ½-inch border on each end, roll tightly, and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Brush the taquitos lightly with olive oil, making sure all sides are coated for crispiness.
6. Bake for 13 minutes, until the taquitos are lightly browned and crisp, and the insides are hot and melty.
7. Serve warm with your favorite toppings or dips.

Notes

Chicken: You can use leftover chicken, either dark or white meat, or rotisserie chicken for the taquitos.

Vegetarian: Instead of the chicken, use a can (15 ounces) black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained. Refried beans are great, too.

Seasoning: The taquitos are not heavily seasoned. Feel free to add more heat by using a spicier salsa or pepper Jack cheese, increasing chili powder, or adding finely diced jalapeño peppers.

Air fryer: Prepare the taquitos as instructed. Place them in the air fryer basket with a little space between. Air fry at 380°F for about 7 minutes, checking frequently near the end of cooking time because they brown pretty quickly.