Why You’ll Love This these Crispy Homemade Chicken Taquitos
These golden, crispy taquitos are basically the ultimate comfort food that happens to be surprisingly easy to make at home.
You get tender, seasoned shredded chicken wrapped up in a corn tortilla and baked until perfectly crunchy, which means you can skip the deep fryer mess but still get that satisfying crunch we all crave.
The best part is watching everyone fight over the last one, because trust me, sixteen taquitos never feels like enough when they’re this good.
Ingredients List
You’ll need just a handful of simple ingredients to whip up these crispy little bundles of joy.
- 4 cups water
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast half
- Salt
- 6 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro (doesn’t have to be fresh)
- 1 teaspoon chives, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 16 soft corn tortillas
- Canola oil cooking spray
- 2 cups guacamole
A few things to keep in mind about these ingredients from a health perspective:
- Baking instead of frying cuts way down on the oil, making these much lighter than traditional deep-fried taquitos.
- Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free and generally have fewer calories than flour tortillas.
- The lean chicken breast provides plenty of protein without excess fat.
- Fresh herbs like cilantro and chives add flavor without sodium, though to be frank, we’re still using cheese here so it’s not exactly a health food.
- That guacamole on the side does add healthy fats from avocados, but it also bumps up the calorie count pretty quickly.
Step by Step Directions
Making these crispy baked chicken taquitos is straightforward and takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Prepare the chicken: Add 4 cups water to a large saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Add chicken breast and salt, bring just to boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
- Shred the chicken: Remove chicken from pan and discard cooking water. Shred chicken into thin strips using two forks.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 6 ounces shredded monterey jack cheese, 1 teaspoon cilantro, 1 teaspoon chopped chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Prepare the tortillas: Heat corn tortillas on a griddle until they become pliable and easy to roll.
- Assemble the taquitos: Place a thin strip of the chicken filling lengthwise on each tortilla and roll tightly into a flute shape. Secure each one with wooden toothpicks.
- Prepare for baking: Mist each taquito with canola oil cooking spray and place on a baking pan.
- Bake: Bake the filled taquitos for 8-10 minutes or until golden and crisp.
- Serve: Remove toothpicks and serve immediately with guacamole on the side.
For even more tender chicken, consider using a meat tenderizer mallet before cooking to break down the fibers and create a more succulent filling.
Substitutions and Variations
• Make them spicy: A pinch of cumin, chili powder, or hot sauce in the filling transforms these from mild to wild.
Start small though, because you can always add more heat, but you can’t take it back.
• Air fryer option: Cook at 400°F for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
They get incredibly crispy this way, almost dangerously so.
• Freeze for later: Assemble the taquitos completely, then freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to freezer bags.
Bake straight from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes to the cooking time.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
These crispy little bundles practically beg for companions that can handle their bold personality.
- Salsa verde or pico de gallo – The fresh acidity cuts through all that melted cheese like a dream, plus you get that satisfying crunch from the tomatoes and onions.
- Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice – Because sometimes you need something to soak up all the good stuff, and plain rice feels like you’re not even trying.
- Refried beans or black beans – They’re creamy, they’re filling, and they make this feel like an actual meal instead of just fancy finger food.
- Sour cream or Mexican crema – Cool, tangy, and perfect for taming any heat you might’ve added to the filling.
- Pickled jalapeños or pickled red onions – The tang and slight heat play beautifully against the rich chicken and cheese.
- Simple side salad with lime vinaigrette – Sometimes you need something light and fresh to balance out all that crispy, cheesy goodness.
- Elote or Mexican street corn salad – Because why not double down on the Mexican flavors and make it a proper fiesta on your plate.
The key is mixing textures and temperatures – you want cool against warm, creamy against crunchy, fresh against rich.
It’s like building the perfect bite, but spread across your entire plate.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Getting these taquitos just right takes a little finesse, but trust me, the payoff is worth every extra minute you spend.
- Don’t skip the toothpick step – I know it seems fussy, but those little rolls will unfurl faster than you can say “dinner disaster” without something holding them together.
- Shred that chicken while it’s still warm – Cold chicken is stubborn and wants to chunk instead of shred, which makes for lumpy, uneven filling that’s harder to roll.
- Keep your tortillas covered with a damp towel – Dry tortillas crack like old leather, and nobody wants to start over because half their tortillas turned into corn chips.
- Don’t overfill them – I get it, you want maximum cheese and chicken action, but overstuffed taquitos are like overpacked suitcases, they just won’t cooperate.
- Roll tight but not angry-tight – You want them snug enough to hold together but not so tight that the filling squirts out the ends like toothpaste.
- Seam-side down when baking – This helps them stay closed and gives you that perfectly golden bottom that makes them look like you actually know what you’re doing.
- Watch them like a hawk in the last few minutes – They go from golden perfection to burnt disappointment faster than you’d think, especially if your oven runs hot.
The secret is treating each step with a little respect instead of rushing through like you’re late for something important.
Nutritional Facts
Based on the complete recipe serving 8 people (2 taquitos per person), here’s what you’re getting per serving:
- Calories: 285 per serving
- Protein: 18g (chicken and cheese provide excellent lean protein)
- Carbohydrates: 24g (primarily from corn tortillas)
- Fat: 14g (mostly from cheese and guacamole)
- Fiber: 4g (corn tortillas and guacamole contribute)
- Sodium: 420mg (from cheese and added salt)
- Calcium: 185mg (thanks to that Monterey Jack cheese)
- Iron: 1.2mg (corn tortillas are fortified)
- Vitamin C: 8mg (cilantro and guacamole ingredients)
- Saturated Fat: 6g (mainly from cheese)
- Cholesterol: 45mg (from chicken and cheese)
- Potassium: 315mg (chicken is a good source)
*Nutritional values are approximate and based on standard ingredient databases. Actual values may vary depending on specific brands and preparation methods used.*
Fun “Did You Know?”
Did you know that taquitos literally means “little tacos” in Spanish, but they’re actually quite different from their bigger cousins?
While tacos are typically folded and served soft, taquitos are tightly rolled and always fried or baked until crispy.
I find it fascinating that taquitos originated in Mexican-American communities rather than traditional Mexico.
They’re also called “flautas” when made with flour tortillas instead of corn.
Here’s something cool: the tight rolling technique prevents filling from spilling out during cooking, making them perfect finger food.
That’s why I love serving them at parties!
