These yummy Chicken Taco Taquitos are baked but still cheesy and loaded with delicious goodness! Perfect for an appetizer, a snack or even lunch.
Let me just get this out of the way and say don’t be afraid to make taquitos at home, stop buying those frozen taquitos! Nothing beats homemade and you can bake them.
I make taquitos all the time, they’re a favorite at my house. All you need are a few simple ingredients that you can probably find in your pantry right now.
WHAT ARE TAQUITOS
Taquitos are a Mexican dish consisting of a small tortilla that is rolled around a filling of meat and cheese, then deep-fried. My taquitos are even better than that because they are baked!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN TACO TAQUITOS
These taquitos are super simple to make. Season the chicken generously with taco seasoning. I used chicken breasts, but you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Cook the chicken in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil then add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and stir.
This filling is so good though, that I could eat it just like that by the spoonful. Of course it’s cheesy and yummy, couldn’t have Mexican food without it being cheesy.Lay a tortilla flat and top with a couple tablespoons of the chicken mixture.
Tightly roll up the tortilla and place it in the baking dish. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining tortillas. You should have enough chicken for the 12 tortillas. Transfer the taquitos to the prepared baking dish.
HOW TO BAKE TAQUITOS
I always always bake my taquitos, they are so much healthier this way. All you need to do is bake them for 15 minutes at 450 F degrees until they are golden and crispy.
You will not miss the fact that they’re not fried, trust me. You can serve them with guacamole or whatever your favorite sauce or dip is, but I simply served them here with a bit more salsa and they were incredible. Gone in the blink of my eyes!
These taquitos are perfect for a get together, a snack, an appetizer or even for lunch. You can even prepare these the night before, cover them with plastic wrap, refrigerate them and just bake them before serving, they’ll be wonderful.
CAN YOU FREEZE TAQUITOS
Absolutely, just place them in an airtight container and you can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
LOOKING FOR MORE TAQUITO RECIPES? TRY THESE:
Chicken Taco Taquitos
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts boneless skinless and cut into small pieces (about 2)
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1/2 cup refried beans
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 12 6 inch flour tortillas I used Old El Paso
- 1/4 cup butter unsalted, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with some of the melted butter.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Season the chicken breasts with the taco seasoning. Add chicken to skillet and cook for about 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Add corn, refried beans, salsa and cheddar cheese to the skillet, stir and cook for 2 more minutes until corn is no longer frozen. Add cilantro and stir.
- Lay a tortilla flat and top with a couple tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place it in the baking dish. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining tortillas. You should have enough chicken for the 12 tortillas. Transfer the taquitos to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until taquitos are crisp and golden brown. Serve with salsa on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Very tasty! We especially liked how crunchy the tortillas got in the oven. We used canola spray on top of them instead of butter, and pre-cooked fajita chicken we got at Costco, rather than cooking chicken, since we already had it. We added a drained can of whole kernel corn and a can of Ranch Beans, which we had instead of refried beans, cheese, and baked them at 400 for about 15-20 min. Served with salsa, sour cream and sliced avocado on top; YUM!!!
I’m so happy to hear this. 🙂
Do you just butter the top of the tequitto that faces up in the pan?
First you butter the baking dish, then yeah you just butter the top of the taquitos and as much as you can on the sides.
Hi Joanna
Thank you for all the wonderful recipes
I have made a few and each one I tried is great!!
Just one question on the Taquitos
I know you said that can be frozen, but should hey be fully cooked first before they get put in he freezer?
Thanks!
Yes. 🙂 Thanks for your compliments, very much appreciated and hope to hear from you again. Its great that you are following Jo Cooks…
Frozen*
Yes! Absolutely, just freeze them in an airtight container and you can probably keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can these be frkjsozen? Looks delicious!
I’m normally not a fan of chicken breast as it tends to dry easily. Can I substitute chicken thighs instead?
Of course, chicken thighs would be great!
We don’t have many Mexican restaurants so I will admit that I’ve never bought nor eaten a taquito. I thought a taquito was a flauta but with a corn tortilla. I’m so confused. 🙂 I HAVE eaten flautas and I love those! These look so tasty!
Oh man, I haven’t had taquitos in years, I swear last time they came from a frozen box (don’t tell nobody, I carry that shame forever). Those look scrumptious, straight on my To Do list this week. Great photos too !
Thanks Florentina 🙂
So SO yummy~~~ I love this I really do! And they are baked!?!? Fantastically delicious!!! Thank you!
My husband can’t eat corn, except cream corn. Can I leave them out???? This sounds like a wonderful recipe.
You can of course, you could add some chopped green peppers if you want.
Homemade taquitos is where it is at and yours look stellar, Jo! Love that these are baked instead of fried and stuffed to the brim with cheesy, Mexican-y deliciousness! I could eat a serving platter of these for dinner (or let’s be honest- breakfast)! Yum!! ♡ Cheers!
Hi Cheyanne! Hope you try them, they’re yummy 🙂
Buna Joanna!
I am so happy I found your blog with so many amazing recipes and beautiful photography that inspires me! I am also Romanian, or technically I speak Romanian but I am from Moldova, I live in New York where I moved 7 years ago.
I am always looking to spice up our chicken dishes, as we both work fulltime and tend buy chicken breasts in bulk for quick weeknight dinners. I can see how I can spend just a little extra time machining these delicious crunchy beauties and enjoying them with so spicy dips. Great recipe, loving it!
Buna Katalina!
Nice to virtually meet you! I checked out your blog, love it!! 🙂
Yum – thank you!
OMG this is TOO funny, did you see what I posted today? And I used packet taco seasoning too!!! Let’s swap. I’ll post taquitos next, you do a taco pie. 😉 HA HA!!! (PS Are people afraid of making taquitos at home like…say…macarons? HA HA!! I have been out, it is almost 1 am so I am possibly a bit loopy right now. So I’ve come here to your site to let loose!!)
OK that is too funny!!! I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m not afraid of making macarons! 😛
I love making baked homemade taquitos! These look so deliciously crispy! I’d serve them with guacamole – yum!