Filled with cream cheese, precooked chicken, jalapeños, green onions and shredded Mexican cheese, Baked Chicken Taquitos are an easy dinner or appetizer. Baking them in the oven (rather than frying), makes for a much healthier (and less messy) option that you can feel good about serving to the family!
There's something fun about picking up a crispy, rolled up tortilla filled with oozing cheese, meat and spices, and dipping it into a tasty sauce.
But the one thing that used to stop me from making them at home was that they're a fried food.
That was, until I realized that homemade taquitos don't have to be prepared the traditional way. You can bake them. You can use flour tortillas (yes, you can!). And you can definitely stuff taquitos with the favorites of your choice.
This oven baked chicken taquitos recipe is super cheesy, part jalapeño popper, part chicken flauta and 100% delicious. Using precooked or rotisserie chicken is a huge timesaver.
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👪Why you'll love it
| Perfect for busy weeknights- Taquitos are a little work up front, but the nice thing is, just like Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas, once the assembling is done, they are pretty hands off when they bake in the oven. There's no flipping or frying involved, which makes them great for busy nights (especially since you can make the filling up to 1 day ahead of time). You can also assemble taquitos and freeze them for later! Very versatile- There really are no rules when it comes to stuffing taquitos, other than making sure you start out with some kind of cheese (and honestly, why would you want to mess with that?). Mix the cheese with additional proteins and veggies for added flavor and nutrition, and suddenly you have a complete meal! Kid approved- Kids love finger food and dipping things. It's definitely fun to pick up taquitos and dip them into a condiment cup. A few of our favs include sour cream, salsa, ranch dressing and white queso sauce. |
🥘Ingredients
For a complete list with measurements, see the printable recipe card below
- precooked or Rotisserie chicken- shred this into little, bite-sized pieces for best results
- reduced fat cream cheese- softened at room temperature; it's the glue that helps to hold everything together
- jalapeño- when you remove the membranes and seeds, these really aren't too spicy, I promise
- green onions- really help to bring out the flavors in the filling
- garlic powder- for additional flavor; no need for fresh
- finely shredded Mexican cheese blend- feel free to swap this for your fav cheese; finely shredded is much easier to work with and mix
- taco size (8 in.) flour tortillas- traditionally, taquitos are made with corn tortillas, but I just don't find them to be very pliable and easy to roll, even when warmed. Flour tortillas are easier to work with, and really work with the flavor combination in this recipe
- olive oil or cooking spray- for lightly coating the taquitos before they bake in the oven; it helps to make them lightly golden brown and crisp
🔪Instructions
For a more detailed set of instructions, see the printable recipe card below
- Add softened cream cheese, diced jalapeño, scallions and garlic powder to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Add the shredded cheese; blend. Then transfer cheese mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in the shredded, precooked chicken. Blend well with a sturdy mixing spoon.
- Arrange 3-4 tablespoons of mixture close to the edge of tortilla as shown. Roll tortilla up tightly (like a cigar).
- Place taquito, seam side down, on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush with oil.
- Assemble remaining taquitos; then bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops of taquitos are lightly golden brown and crispy.
- Let stand a few minutes, then serve with your favorite dips and Tex-Mex fixings.
Hint: You'll know the chicken taquitos are done baking when they're golden brown and crisp on the edges, but slightly soft in the middle. It's okay if some of the filling oozes out before this, just push it back in when they're done baking.
🥣Substitutions
Tortillas: Feel free to use corn tortillas instead of flour.
Vegetarian: Instead of chicken, stuff with more cheese, black beans and rice
📖Variations
Baked Turkey Taquitos: Use leftover turkey instead of chicken.
Cracked Taquitos: Add crumbled bacon to the original recipe. replace the Mexican cheese blend with shredded cheddar. Add 1-2 T of dry ranch mix to the cream cheese mixture.
🍽Equipment
- cutting board and chef's knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- sturdy mixing spoon
- food processor
- large mixing bowl
- parchment paper
- large, rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan
🍶Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within five days.
Reheating instructions: Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until taquitos are heated through.
You may also freeze taquitos (already brushed with oil) for up to 3 months. If never cooked, bake from frozen at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and heated through. If cooked and then frozen, bake from frozen, covered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until crispy and heated through.
💭Top tip
Taquitos are a great make ahead recipe. Follow the instructions for making the filling; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. When ready to bake, assemble and brush tortillas with oil (do not store fully assembled taquitos in the fridge or they will get soggy and won't bake right).
🗨️FAQ
Top them (or dip them) with your favorites, including salsa, taco sauce, guacamole, ranch dressing, and more!
Traditionally, flautas are made with flour tortillas, while taquitos are made with corn. Technically, since I recommend flour tortillas for this recipe, these are baked chicken flautas by definition, but because not as many people are familiar with that term, I went with taquito.
Definitely crunchy/crispy on the outside. If your taquitos are soft, that's an indication they haven't baked for long enough.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Baked Chicken Taquitos:
📋Recipe
Baked Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups precooked chicken shredded
- 8 ounces cream cheese I used reduced fat Philadelphia brand
- 1 cup chopped jalapeño about 3 peppers
- 1 cup diced green onions about half a bunch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces finely shredded Mexican cheese blend I use reduced fat
- 12 (8 in.) flour tortillas taco size
- olive oil or cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Add softened cream cheese, diced jalapeño, scallions and garlic powder to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Add the shredded cheese; blend. Then transfer cheese mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in the shredded, precooked chicken. Blend well with a sturdy mixing spoon.
- Arrange 3-4 tablespoons of mixture close to one edge of an 8 in. flour tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly.
- Place the taquito, seam side down, on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush with olive oil or spray with cooking spray.
- Assemble remaining taquitos; then bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until tops of taquitos are lightly golden brown and crispy.
- Let stand a few minutes; then serve with your favorite dips and Tex-Mex fixings.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within five days. Reheating instructions: Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until taquitos are heated through.
- You may also freeze taquitos (already brushed with oil) for up to 3 months. If never cooked, bake from frozen at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and heated through. If cooked and then frozen, bake from frozen, covered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until crispy and heated through.
Notes
- Taquitos are a great make ahead recipe. Follow the instructions for making the filling; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. When ready to bake, assemble and brush tortillas with oil (do not store fully assembled taquitos in the fridge or they will get soggy and won't bake right).
- The size and type of tortilla you use affects the number you'll yield, amount of filling you'll use in each and baking time. This recipe uses taco size, 8 inch flour tortillas as a point of reference.
- You'll know the chicken taquitos are done baking when they're golden brown and crisp on the edges, but slightly soft in the middle. It's okay if some of the filling oozes out before this, just push it back in when they're done baking.
Toni R. says
These are way healthier this way and came out so good. Thanks for the taquito recipe.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
So much healthier than frying!
Steph D. says
Ever try these with corn tortillas?
Kitchen Ready Betty says
I have, but I like the way it comes out with the flour tortillas instead. They're so much easier to work with. I feel that corn tortillas are more suitable for frying, especially since they tend to be on the dry side.