This healthy Crispy Baked Chicken Taquitos recipe is made in the oven. Dip into an avocado cream sauce for a gluten free party appetizer!
My recipe for Chicken Taquitos Recipe was first published on Sunday Supper Movement where I am a contributor.
It's no secret that I love tacos. If you know me personally or have read this blog at all you've heard me wax poetic about tacos or have seen me stuff my face with them. I branched out recently and discovered the joy of taquitos - These Baked Chicken Taquitos to be exact.
These things are great because you can enjoy them as a party or game day appetizer, for dinner, or freeze them and pull them out as needed when you're feeling peckish.
They're crunchy and totally addicting. Pair them with an avocado crema and/or some pico de gallo and you're good to go!
You can find chicken taquitos on the menu of lots of popular restaurant chains out there but homemade is ALWAYS better. This recipe is easy and if served at a party your guests will love it.
Because, face it, who doesn't like tacos?
Jump to:
What Are Chicken Taquitos?
Taquito is a Spanish word meaning 'little taco'. It consists of shredded meat such as chicken or beef tightly rolled into a tortilla and then baked or fried until crispy.
They are often topped with condiments such as guacamole, avocado crema, salsa, or pico de gallo. If you like tacos, you'll LOVE taquitos.
The deep-fried version is delicious but baking them is a much healthier option. A taquito is similar to a flauta but flautas are usually larger and made with flour tortillas instead of corn.
How To Make Crispy Baked Chicken Taquitos
The first step is to prepare the meat - I used chicken tenderloins for this recipe but you can use chicken breasts, grilled chicken, leftover slow cooker shredded chicken, or rotisserie chicken. All of these options would be delicious!
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place 1 ½ – 2 lbs. of chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with a heaping Tbsp. of olive oil. Sprinkle 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. chili powder, and ½ tsp. of kosher salt and pepper over the chicken. Toss until completely coated.
- Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes (cooking times will vary slightly). When the chicken is finished cooking, remove the pan from the oven.
How To Make Chicken Taquito Filling
- Once the chicken has cooled, shred it with two forks and place in a mixing bowl.
- Add 1 cup of shredded cheese and ½ cup salsa to the chicken. Mix until combined.
I used cheddar cheese but you can use ANY type of cheese you like for this recipe. Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack would be delicious.
You can use any type of salsa you like - Mild, medium, hot, or even salsa verde would be great.
Love Southwest flavors? Check out these recipes!
- Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
- Southwest Crockpot Beef Chili
- Cheesy Beef Enchiladas
- Grilled Guacamole Burgers
- Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
- Black Bean Mushroom Burgers
- Chipotle Chicken Panini
How Do You Keep Corn Tortillas From Cracking?
The next step is to spoon the chicken filling onto corn tortillas.
RECIPE TIP: To prevent the corn tortillas from cracking, wet a few paper towels, wrap a stack of corn tortillas in the towels, and microwave them for a minute. This will make them pliable so they won’t break as you roll them.
I love corn tortillas (especially because they are gluten free) but they crack easily. Moistening them in the microwave helps hold them together as you roll them.
- Place a couple of spoonfuls of the chicken filling into each tortilla and roll them tightly.
- Spray a baking sheet generously with cooking spray. Place the taquitos seam-side down on the sheet. Spray the top of the taquitos with cooking spray as well.
- Place the baking sheet(s) in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the taquitos are crisp. Remove from the oven when finished baking.
How To Make Avocado Cream Sauce
This stuff is the best so I highly recommend not skipping this step! The avocado crema can be prepared while the chicken taquitos are baking in the oven.
- Place 2 ripe avocados in a food processor
- Add ½ cup sour cream
- 1 jalapeno (remove seeds and membranes for less heat)
- Add the juice of 2 limes
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- Pulse until creamy
What To Serve With Chicken Taquitos
Crispy Baked Chicken Taquitos are versatile, just like tacos. You can enjoy them on their own or with any variety of dipping sauce.
If serving as an appetizer for a party they are great with salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, Roasted Poblano Avocado Dip, or avocado cream sauce. I definitely recommend this homemade avocado crema! It sends them over the top.
You can dip the chicken taquitos into the crema or drizzle it over the top for a more decorative presentation. This is a great option if you are serving them at a party.
These taquitos go great with Southwest Baked Egg Rolls and Chipotle Rice Balls.
If serving as a meal, I love them with a side of Cheesy Spanish Rice and beans. Taquitos are perfect served with fresh ingredients like Grilled Corn Salad or Black Bean Corn Salad.
A coleslaw like this Smoky Southwest Coleslaw or Kohlrabi Slaw makes a great pairing.
Can You Freeze Baked Taquitos?
Yes!
You can whip up a batch of these homemade taquitos and stick them in the freezer for those nights when you just need a quick meal or appetizer.
How To Freeze:
Prepare the taquitos as described. Once baked, allow them to cool completely, and place them into a freezer-friendly plastic bag in a single layer.
How To Reheat:
They can be reheated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or in a 400 degrees F oven for 10 minutes or so.
Note: Do not freeze taquitos with the avocado crema on top. The avocado crema does not freeze well so prepare that just before serving.
Recipes like this one are just fun. They're fun to make and definitely fun to eat. I know if I saw these babies at a party I'd make a beeline straight for them!
Love tacos? Check out these recipes!
- Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos
- Cajun Shrimp Tacos
- Roasted Veggie Tacos
- Skillet Chipotle Chicken Tacos
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
- Air Fryer Fish Tacos
- Slow Cooker Barbacoa Tacos
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Sweet Potato Tacos
Looking For More Party Appetizers? Don't Miss These:
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Delicious Cocktail Meatballs
Greek Filo Parcels with Tzatziki
Baked Chicken Taquitos with Avocado Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½-2 lbs. chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheese of choice
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 package corn tortillas
- cooking spray
For The Avocado Crema:
- 2 ripe avocados
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 jalapeno peppers remove seeds and membranes
- 2 limes juice only
- ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Drizzle a heaping Tbsp. of olive oil over them. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. each of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder long with ½ tsp. of kosher salt and pepper. Toss until completely coated.
- Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes (cooking times may vary depending on thickness of chicken). Remove from oven when finished baking.
- Once the chicken has cooled shred it with two forks and place in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese (any variety) and ½ cup of salsa. Toss until completely combined.
- Fill The Tortillas: Place a stack of corn tortillas in a couple of wet paper towels (it's important that they're wet) and microwave for a minute. This will make them pliable and they won't break apart when rolling them.
- Place a couple spoonfuls of the chicken filling into each tortilla and roll it up like a cigar.
- Generously spray the bottom of a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the rolled tortillas onto the baking sheet seam-side down. Generously spray the top of the taquitos with more cooking spray.
- Place the pan(s) in a 400 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes or until crispy. Remove from oven when finished baking.
For The Avocado Crema:
- Place 2 ripe avocados, ½ cup sour cream, the juice of 2 limes, 1 jalapeno (seeds removed), and ½ tsp. salt in a food processor. Pulse until creamy.
- Serve the chicken taquitos with avocado crema, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, or any type of dipping sauce you like.
Leave a Reply