Baked Chicken and Cheese Taquitos Recipe + Video
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Shredded chicken and cheese taquitos are the ultimate Mexican snack or appetizer, perfect for game day or parties! This baked chicken taquitos recipe adds plenty of zingy heat from spicy chili lime chicken and cheese! You’ll love this easy recipe!
If you love Mexican food that’s easy to make, homemade chicken taquitos are one of the tastiest treats out there. You’ll see why it’s one of my favorite recipes!
Even better, you can make several large batches to keep hungry guests fed or stash some in the freezer for an easy weeknight meal!
I love these crispy tortillas and that creamy chicken filling.
Forget about buying these at the grocery store, or spending a ton of money to eat them at a restaurant.
The easy chicken mixture paired with the shredded cheese make these the best homemade taquitos ever.
Chicken and Cheese Taquitos
Perfectly crispy on the outside, rich and creamy in the center, and positively bursting with flavor — these baked chicken taquitos are everything you could want from an appetizer.
I have other taquito recipes too! One uses seasoned beef instead of poultry, or try this one for breakfast!
Looking for more chicken appetizers? My Chicken Pesto Sandwich recipe might be exactly what you’re looking for!
Chicken Taquito Recipe Tips
- Use flour tortillas or freshly made corn tortillas.
They are easier to roll because they are nice and pliable.
If you are having trouble rolling them, microwave a few at a time for about 20 seconds with a wet paper towel on top before adding the filling.
I always put them seam side down as well to keep the mixture in the middle. - Short on time?
Instead of cooking and shredding chicken yourself, grab a rotisserie bird from the store.
Use just what you need for this recipe, then save the rest for another dinner, or make some chicken salad for sandwiches! - Add extra heat.
Include some diced jalapeños or diced green chiles if you want extra spicy chicken and cheese taquitos. - Evenly divide the filling.
I like to use a cookie scoop, so each taquito has the same amount of the delicious, cheesy mixture in the center.
EASY KITCHEN HACK
I’ve got an EASY way to shred chicken!
Toss cooked poultry (without the bones) in a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Run it on low speed and you’ll have perfect shreds in a snap!
Homemade Chicken Taquitos Serving Suggestions
You can’t have shredded chicken taquitos without some kind of dip!
Guacamole and salsa are the classic choices, but a creamy nacho cheese sauce would be just as tasty.
Or, cool down the heat with buttermilk ranch or Green Goddess dressing instead!
Chicken and Cheese Taquitos FAQ
When prepared with corn tortillas, I typically get about 40 per batch. I’ve found that 1 tablespoon is the perfect amount of filling so the tortillas don’t separate.
Flour tortillas tend to need twice the amount of filling, so you will end up with around two dozen if using those.
First, be sure to use large enough tortillas. Flour tortillas tend to be more pliable and are larger than corn tortillas.
To help keep them closed, add a dab of the filling mixture to the inside edge of the tortilla. Use your fingers to gently press down and form a seal.
Absolutely! I often make a double batch of baked chicken taquitos so I have some in the freezer for quick weeknight meals.
For the best results, freeze them unbaked.
You can add sour cream, cheddar cheese, chili powder, fresh lime juice, Monterey Jack cheese, plain Greek yogurt, pico de Gallo, diced green onions, homemade salsa, Pepper jack cheese, fresh cilantro, or anything else that you want.
The best part about this easy dinner recipe is that you can make it taste like a unique flavorful Mexican meal just by changing up the toppings.
This simple main dish will be your new best friend when it comes to crispy perfection and an easy weeknight meal.
Have fun with these crispy chicken taquitos – great recipes like this re the best!
Freezing Shredded Chicken Taquitos
Prepare the recipe as directed, but don’t bake them. Transfer as many as you would like to a resealable freezer bag and store for up to 6 months in the freezer.
When you’re ready to eat, bake the frozen taquitos as directed until the ends begin to brown. Keep in mind that smaller batches will cook faster.
Enjoy!
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Baked Chicken and Cheese Taquitos Recipe + Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons Hidden Valley® Sweet Chili Ranch
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, (plus more for topping taquitos)
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
- 20 small flour tortillas, 20 6" or 40 small corn tortillas
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil. Lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray, and set aside.
- Place chicken breast in a food processor, stand mixer or high powdered blender and process until chicken has been pulverized.*If you need to avoid texture/meat issues, you can skip this step and use diced or shredded chicken.
- Place cream cheese in a large bowl with shredded chicken, dressing and lime juice. Stir until well combined. Add shredded cheese and scallions; stir again until completely combined.
- Lay out 4 flour tortillas at a time. To each tortilla, add 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture (use 1 tablespoon if using corn tortillas) to the lower 1/3 of the tortilla. Roll the taquitos tightly, being careful not to tear the tortillas. Place taquitos seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat until the baking sheet is full, leaving space between taquito. If the taquitos are unrolling or tearing, see recipe card notes for tips.
- Spray taquitos with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake 12-15 minutes, until the tortillas are crisp or the ends begin to brown.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
- Filling tortillas with 1 tablespoon of mixture will make approximately 40 taquitos. This is the ratio I use when cooking corn tortillas, as more mixture causes the tortillas to tear.
- Flour tortillas perfectly hold 2 tablespoons of mixture. Using fresh tortillas will give the best results.
- If you are having trouble rolling them, microwave a few at a time, for about 20 seconds, with a damp paper towel over the top. This makes them more pliable.
- If taquitos are unrolling, add a dab of filling mixture to the inside end of the taquito and gently press down to seal.
- Prepare taquitos as described, but do not bake.
- Place into a resealable freezer bag (1 gallon works great) and store until ready to use. They freeze well for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published June 2015, updated and republished March 2024
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We make a similar recipe for when we are working outdoors. Its a great way to eat something good while being portable.
Made it pretty close to what is above. Used HV Chipotle Ranch and regular Chili Powder, added about
6-8 slices of Bacon and it was Great… Definately going into the weekly rotation.
These are so much better than the ones from the gas station, and they are so easy to make!