Homemade Chicken Taquitos. They're crunchy and full of wonderfully creamy chicken seasoned with warm taco spices and store bought enchilada sauce. These taquitos crisp up in the oven or the air fryer. No deep frying needed!
And, the Avocado Jalapeño Ranch? Out. Of. This. World.
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When you make this chicken taquitos recipe, you are gonna have so many happy customers. Everyone, and I mean everyone, will love this recipe. And, what's not to love? They're crunchy handheld taco rolls that are flavorful and wonderful. And, don't forget about that avocado jalapeño ranch! It really does send these taquitos over the top!
These super simple, super delicious Chicken Taquitos recipe are a fantastic 30 minutes meal on those busy night when you want something fun for dinner. I love to make this recipe for my kids as an after school snack. Have a get together with friends? These Chicken Taquitos are a winner every single time.
Whatever you do, don't skip out on the avocado jalapeño ranch. It is incredible.
what goes in it
Chicken - Naturally. This is a quick and easy recipe, so I reach for the rotisserie chicken nearest me. If you want to cook some, go for it!
Taco Seasoning, Cream Cheese, Red Enchilada Sauce - The base of the creamy, delicious, taquito filling. It would make a shoe taste good.
Monterey Jack Cheese and White Corn Tortillas - To make the taquitos ooey-gooey and the corn tortillas are the perfect vehicle to get nice and crunchy.
Mayonnaise, Sour Cream, Buttermilk - The classic base for any self-respecting ranch dressing.
Green Onions, Avocado, Jalapeño, Cilantro, Granulated Garlic, Dried Dill Weed - To take the ranch over the top.
Limes - For more tang. Tang is good. We like tang.
let's roll...the taquitos...get it?
The Chicken
Not only is this chicken taquito recipe super easy, but its also really fun to make. I always let my girls get in the kitchen when make this. They are veteran taquito rollers from way back!
I will forever sing the praises of a rotisserie chicken. They're delicious, cut down on prep time, and I save the carcasses for bone broth. It's a poultry win-win.
To begin, debone and shred the rotisserie chicken. I like to do this when the chicken is still warm. It's sooooo much easier. We'll only need about half for this recipe, so save the other half for things like chicken salad!
The Mixture
Next, sauté the chopped whites of the green onion in a little avocado oil for just a few minutes. Then toss the chicken with a bit of taco seasoning, cream cheese, and red enchilada sauce and warm through. I told you it was easy!
This mixture is good enough to eat on its own, but just wait until you have it in a crispy corn tortillas oozing with melted cheese.
The Corn Tortillas
Now, this is very important. Before we roll the taquitos, the corn tortillas need to be warmed - this makes them pliable and less likely to crack or tear.
I love, love, love our insulated tortilla warmer. They are super affordable and work so well! I even give these as gifts!
Also, after you have warmed the corn tortillas, you need to coat both sides in a little bit of avocado oil. This will help them get crispy. If you don't do this, you don't get crispy chicken taquitos. And, no one wants that!
I use a little bit of avocado oil spray and just spritzed both sides of the tortilla. Use your fingers to spread the oil evenly and all over the tortilla. Now, time to roll!
Rolling
To roll the taquitos, add about a tablespoon of the chicken mixture to the warmed, oiled tortilla and spread in long thin line along the bottom third. Add a little cheese and carefully roll. Roll and repeat. Repeat and roll until you run out of the chicken mixture.
Place these seam side down for the first 10 minutes of cook time. About halfway through the cooking time carefully turn them over so the other side can get crispy. That's it!
Now, on to the ranch!
The Avocado Jalapeño Ranch Dressing
This avocado jalapeño ranch dressing is possibly one of my favorite dressings ever. You have to make this. You are required to make this. Even if you don't want a taquito and you just need a good salad dressing for the week, you have to make this.
What's even better, all you have to do is throw everything into a food processor and blitz it up! That's it!
And, as always, if you don't like cilantro, leave it out. You'll still end up with a fantastic dressing!
For the jalapeño, if you don't like heat, leave it out. Or just remove the ribs and seeds.
But, whatever you do. Make this. It would make cat food taste good. I said it.
recipe frequently asked questions
Is this recipe gluten-free?
As written, this chicken taquito recipe is completely gluten-free. Just make sure your corn tortillas are certified GF.
Can I use other tortillas for the taquitos?
I will forever tell you to make my recipes your own. You do you. If you like flour tortillas, use those! Almond flour, cassava flour, you can even use wonton wrappers! Just use what you have and what you love!
Speaking of wonton wrappers, this recipe would make a fantastic egg roll! Just follow the instructions for my Cheeseburger Eggrolls and swap the filling and dipping sauces!
Should I cook these taquitos in the oven or the air fryer?
Either one! I've made this recipe in both the oven and the air fryer. The result is fantastic no matter what you choose!
For the oven: The taquitos need 20-25 minutes on 425°, turning half way.
For the air-fryer: Cook the taquitos 10-15 minutes on 400°, turning those halfway.
Can I freeze the chicken taquitos and cook at a later time?
This recipe would be such a good one to double and freeze for easy meals in the future. To freeze, I would make the taquitos as instructed, but do not cook them. Place them seam side down on a baking sheet and let them freeze. Once frozen, store them in the freezer in a zip top bag.
To cook from frozen, simply add a few minutes of cooking time! That's it!
My Instant Pot Taco Chicken recipe would also make a wonderful filling for these Crispy Chicken Taquitos!
tips, tricks, and storage instructions
- Use any protein you like for the filling. Ground beef, leftover pork tenderloin, and even shrimp would be fantastic!
- Store the leftover Chicken Taquitos in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, you can either crisp them up in the air fryer or the oven. Reheating in the microwave works as well, but they will not be crispy.
- The Avocado Ranch will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
what to serve with it
If you're needing a few ideas for serving, I got you.
For a side dish idea, try my Mexican Street Corn or Instant Pot Pinto Beans.
For a dipping situation, Pico De Gallo or Salsa Verde would be my go-to.
And, if you need something really over the top and delicious, make my Queso Fundido. Tip those Chicken Taquitos in that and then drizzle it with the ranch. Tell me that's not the best thing ever. I dare you.
Recipe
Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
The Taquitos
- 1-1½ lbs cooked chicken, shredded I used half of a rotisserie chicken
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 bunch green onions, whites separated and chopped reserve the green parts for the ranch
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup red enchilada sauce I used a mild one
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 16-20 white corn tortillas
- avocado oil spray
The Avocado Jalapeño Ranch
- 1 avocado, cut into chunks
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed optional
- ¼-½ cup fresh cilantro, rough chopped optional
- tops of the green onion, rough chopped
- juice of 1 lime
Instructions
The Taquitos
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- In a large skillet, sauté the chopped, white part of the green onions in a little avocado oil for a few minutes.
- Add the chicken, taco seasoning, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce. Stir until combined and warmed through. Set aside.
- Warm the corn tortillas to prevent cracking. Using a little avocado oil spray, coat each side of the tortilla. Add 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture to the bottom third of the tortilla. Top with a little shredded cheese and carefully roll the tortilla.
- Place the taquito seam side down on a baking sheet and into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes and carefully turn the taquitos over. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crispy.
- Dip into that lovely ranch dressing and enjoy!
The Avocado Jalapeño Ranch
- Put all of the ranch ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Check for salt and pepper. Add any if necessary. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Dip away and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you guys make these Homemade Chicken Taquitos, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and will always do my best to respond to each and every comment!
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Homemade Chicken Taquitos recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or review. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
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Tim Allen says
These are BOMB! And that avacado ranch would taste good on a flip-flop!
Rufus says
Thank you so much!