Crispy on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside, and full of big, bold Tex-Mex flavor, these Chicken Taquitos are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! Make them for dinner or as an appetizer, with options for baking, pan-frying, and the air fryer.
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Crispy chicken taquitos are irresistible!
Taquitos: fun to say, but even more fun to eat because they’re crispy, toppable, dippable, and filled with deliciousness!
And for these chicken taquitos, that deliciousness comes in the form of shredded chicken, creamy sauce, and melty cheese. Ooh, yes.
- Like my Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Taquitos, these taquitos are made without deep frying, but they’re still every bit as crispy-crunchy as you want them to be, just without the fuss (and the greasy fingers). Hooray!
- Skipping the deep frying isn’t the only way these chicken taquitos are lightened up. I also use Greek yogurt instead of the more commonly used sour cream or cream cheese, delivering a creamy filling with less fat and more protein.
- I totally love making these chicken taquitos in the air fryer, but there are three different cooking options here to suit your preferences: the oven, the stovetop, and the air fryer.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Cooked Shredded Chicken. You can use rotisserie chicken to streamline your prep time or make my Crockpot Shredded Chicken.
- Salsa. I recommend chunky salsa for more texture in the filling and to keep the taquitos from going soggy on you.
- Greek Yogurt. Plain nonfat Greek yogurt adds a nice tanginess and creaminess to the filling.
- Seasonings. Chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, and kosher salt for the Tex-Mex vibes.
- Cheese. Freshly shredded cheese will give you the best melt! It’s not essential, but it’s worth it if you have time. Use Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese.
- Tortillas. Both flour or corn tortillas will work; corn tortillas are more traditional, but flour are easier to roll.
- For Serving. Greek yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little milk until it’s drizzle-able, cilantro, Guacamole, diced tomatoes, or salsa.
How to Make Chicken Taquitos
Make the Filling. Stir together the chicken, salsa, and yogurt with the seasonings, then fold in the cheese.
Warm the Corn Tortillas. If you’re using corn tortillas, warm them in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat until they’re soft and pliable. (Don’t skip this! Corn tortillas will break when you roll them if they’re not warm.)
Roll the Taquitos. Divide the filling onto the tortillas and roll tightly. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If they’re unrolling, sticking a toothpick in them can help.
Cook. Bake, fry, or air fry your taquitos according to the instructions in the recipe card until they’re crispy and golden.
Serve. Serve the chicken taquitos with toppings and ENJOY!
Make-Ahead Freezer Option
You can keep taquitos in your freezer for all those last-minute game day parties.
- Make the filling and roll the taquitos, then secure them with toothpicks.
- Instead of cooking them, place them on a baking sheet and pop them in the freezer.
- Once the chicken taquitos are frozen solid, take out the toothpicks and place the taquitos in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Cook according to the recipe instructions, adding a few minutes to the cooking time.
What to Serve with Chicken Taquitos
- Rice. Make a meal out of your chicken taquitos by serving them with Cilantro Lime Rice and a drizzle of Cilantro Lime Crema.
- Beans. Both Instant Pot Black Beans or Instant Pot Refried Beans would be perfect!
- Corn. This Mexican Street Corn Salad would be the perfect side, or spoon Corn Salsa over the top.
- Salsa and Chips. Like my Salsa Roja with crispy Air Fryer Tortilla Chips!
Chicken Taquitos
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
- ⅓ cup salsa chunky style recommended
- ⅓ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup freshly shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese
- 6 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
- Olive oil spray or nonstick cooking spray, or oil (if frying)
For serving (optional):
- Greek yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little milk (to drizzle)
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Guacamole
- Chopped diced tomatoes or additional salsa
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the shredded chicken, salsa, Greek yogurt, salt, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Fold in the shredded cheese.
- If using corn tortillas, heat a nonstick skillet over medium. Warm the tortillas on each side for 15 to 30 until they are soft and pliable (you do not need to heat flour tortillas).
- Working with one tortilla at a time, place about one-sixth of the mixture down the center of a tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Secure with a toothpick if needed.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- TO BAKE: Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly mist the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until light golden all over and extra crispy at the edges.
- TO PAN FRY: To a large, high-sided skillet, add about 1 ½ inches of peanut oil or similar fry oil to a large skillet. Heat over medium-high. Once the oil is hot (if you drop a piece of tortilla into the oil, it should sizzle immediately), carefully fry the taquitos in small batches (if you crowd the pan, the oil temperature will drop and the taquitos won't crisp properly). Fry on all sides for a few seconds per side until they are hot and crispy all over. Let dry on a paper towel-lined plate.
- TO AIR FRY: Preheat air fryer to 380°F. Arrange taquitos in a single layer in the basket seam-side down, mist with spray, and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, until crisp. Do not overlap and work in batches if necessary.
- Serve hot with desired toppings.
Notes
- TO STORE: Transfer the chicken taquitos to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm in a 400ºF oven or a 350ºF air fryer until the filling is heated through. The microwave works, but the outside won’t be as crispy.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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These look SO GOOD. As a Buffalonian I love all things Buffalo chicken. I’ve actually never had a taquito before, but you’ve won me over with this recipe!!! :)
This looks so good! Can I do it just like with the prepared chicken? I’m cooking more for my husband and trying to use recipes like yours. I already did your banana bread and it was good!
Hi Hazel! I’m glad you loved the banana bread. I included directions for cooking the chicken in the Buffalo sauce and suggest doing it this way for maximum flavor and juiciness. I hope you and your husband enjoy it!
Omg I want this right now! (:
I never thought I would call something buffalo chicken related “adorable” (tasty, appetizing, yes, but not adorable) but now it’s happened. These are adorable, and they look/sound like they taste just as good.
LOL! I love that you called these adorable. I thought the same myself as I was chowing down ;-) Thank you so much!
I’ll be honest, there really is no love like my love for buffalo chicken. These are totally incredible.. and the chicken is so versatile! Can’t wait to make this!
Thank you so much Karly! It sounds like you and Buffalo chicken are meant to be (though I may compete with you for the chicken’s affection ;-) )
We had these for dinner tonight (minus the green onion)(along with a side of broccoli) and it was so yummy! My husband was impressed because I don’t cook and actually found a good/ super easy recipe for us to make. lol We used a sweet wing sauce and it worked well with the spices. My kids 2 & 5 ate it and liked it also.
Love your site and am excited to try (well give to my husband to try) more recipes :) We are trying the skillet mushroom recipe tonight!
Hi Christy! YAY, I’m so excited that this recipe was a hit for you and your family! Thank you so much for taking the time to report back how it turned out, as well as for the kind words about my site. :) It really means a lot that people make my recipes and enjoy them! I hope you love the other recipe too!
I made these for Super Bowl and doubled the recipe. Thank goodness I did as they were FANTASTIC and everyone one of them were gone. I had one friend that can’t eat carbs so she just ate the chicken. This is an easy and very tasty recipe. This is also the first receipe of yours I have tried and can’t wait to try another.
Woohoo! I’m so happy to hear these were a hit, Kathy. I really appreciate your taking the time to leave this great review, and I’d love to hear what you choose to make next!
Hi,
I would like to make this but we are dairy free. What alternative could we use in place of the greek yogurt?
Thanks and I love your recipes!
melissa
Hi Melissa, thank you so much for your kind words! I think using a dairy-free yogurt alternative like coconut yogurt or almond milk yogurt would be ideal. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
This looks amazing. How would you make it in an instant pot?
Hi Amanda! If your Instant Pot has a slow cooker setting, you could try using that for this recipe. I hope you enjoy it if you try it!
Can I use sour cream instead of the plain Greek yogurt?
Hi Carrmin, yes you can. Hope you enjoy it!
This was easy and tasted great! I whole family loved it.
Great to hear, thank you Robin!