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★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
Chicken taquitos are a popular dinner choice at our house because they're easy to make and everyone loves them.
Simple Yet Tasty
This recipe starts with flour tortillas, stuffed with a simple yet tasty combo of chicken, cream cheese, taco seasoning and green chilis then cooked to golden-brown crunch.
Meal-Prep Friendly
Make a batch of these ahead of time to heat up for lunch or dinner, later. Just roll and store. Then bake or air fry when you're ready to enjoy.
These tasty chicken taquitos are freezer-friendly too, just add a little extra cook time if heating from frozen.
Chicken taquitos are kid-friendly!
Chicken. Cheese. Simple ingredients. Finger food. These taquitos check all the right boxes with the kiddos. So if you have a big family to feed, or friends of the kids coming over for dinner or lunch, this is a great-go to meal.
Choose Your Chicken
Start with canned chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken. Just chop or shred it, then mix it in.
Bake or Air Fry
These 5-ingredient chicken taquitos can be baked in the oven or use your air fryer.
Try a Dip or Toppings
We like to dip our chicken taquitos in Chipotle Ranch dressing but you can also add toppings if you'd like. Salsa, hot sauce, lettuce, shredded cheese... any of your favorite taco toppings will taste great!
Make it a Meal
Pair these crispy chicken taquitos with a side of Mexican restaurant rice, and top them with homemade guacamole. Try some homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert!
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
You'll need just 5 basic ingredients to make these chicken taquitos, plus any toppings you'd like.
Here are the main ingredients:
- Chicken. You can use any cooked chicken. Leftover chicken works great, grill some chicken, grab a rotisserie chicken, or pop open a can of chicken. Whatever your style, just make sure it's already cooked.
- Taco seasoning. This is what you'll use to season your chicken and maximize the flavor of these taquitos.
- Green chilies. A Mexican staple. This adds a touch of spiciness. Add the whole can, liquid and all.
- Cream cheese. This makes the taquitos stay together and adds a rich creaminess. Win-win! I prefer to use whipped cream cheese for easy mixing but you can use block cream cheese, you just may need to use an electric mixer to blend everything together.
Toppings are optional by highly encouraged!
Topping ideas:
Shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce, pico de gallo or salsa, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, fresh authentic Mexican cheese like cotija, and/or or sour cream.
Top things off with hot sauce if you want some extra heat.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
Here are the basic step to making these yummy chicken taquitos. (Full recipe below)
- Start with cooked chicken, add in taco seasoning.
- Stir in cream cheese and green chilis for a little kick.
- Spread that yummy mixture onto a flour or corn tortilla.
- Roll it up tightly.
- Place seam-side down in your airy fryer basket or baking pan.
- Brush with butter or oil (optional for extra crispy shells) then bake or air fry those babies to a golden crisp.
Enjoy your chicken taquitos plain, with a dip, or topped with your favorite taco toppings.
★ Tips & FAQs ★
Use whatever cooked chicken works for you. A rotisserie chicken is easy and flavorful. Canned chicken works great too—just drain it (½ cup = 4oz). Leftover chicken works too. Just chop or shred it.
You can bake or air fry chicken taquitos. Both methods use the same directions, however, oven-baking may take a few extra minutes to get them golden and crispy. If using an air fryer, the wire basket helps cook all sides evenly without flipping. No air fryer? Just use your oven and flip halfway through to crisp both sides.
These chicken taquitos are delicious on their own and make a great grab-and-go meal. For dinner, serve them with a dip or pile on toppings—anything you’d put on a taco works! We love Chipotle Ranch dip, plus toppings like lettuce, cheddar, pico de gallo, sour cream, and hot sauce. Mix and match to find your family’s favorites.
Yes but flour tortillas work best since they roll easily, whereas corn tortillas tend to crack. If you prefer corn, wrap each one in a damp paper towel and microwave for 5–10 seconds to soften. Always place taquitos seam-side down so they stay rolled while cooking.
There are so many sizes of tortillas! Why? I don't know! Luckily, you can choose any size for this recipe. I prefer medium tortillas. However, small, medium or large will work, just divide up the filling accordingly.
Yes! Taquitos freeze well. Fill and roll, wrap tightly with plastic wrap or reusable wax wrap, and freeze before baking or topping. Thaw, then bake or air fry as directed—or cook from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
Yes! Make chicken taquitos ahead and store tightly wrapped in the fridge for 2–3 days. Add a minute or two of bake time if they soften. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months—perfect for grab-and-go lunches, reheated in the microwave or toaster oven.
Aside from chicken, opt for lean ground beef or ground turkey instead. Using a lean meat prevents these from becoming greasy and soggy and it's healthier too.
Beans, corn, bell peppers, cream cheese, and/or rice can be used for a vegetarian option. Add taco seasoning just like you would to meat. If you want some of that unami flavor without using meat, try a combination or refried beans and black olives.
★ More Easy Chicken Recipes ★
Want more chicken dinner ideas?
Browse all my easy dinner recipes. Be sure to Pin your favorites for later!
This easy recipe for 5-Ingredient Chicken Taquitos was featured on South Your Mouth!
Easy Chicken Taquitos (5 Ingredients)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz cooked chicken (1 cup)
- 1 oz packet taco seasoning
- 4 oz whipped cream cheese
- 4.5 oz can green chilis drain excess liquid
- 12 flour or corn tortillas brush with oil or butter if desired*
Optional Toppings
- salsa or pico de gallo
- lettuce
- sour cream
- cheddar cheese
- hot sauce
Mighty Mrs. is a #WalmartPartner.
Instructions
- Make filling. In a medium bowl, add cooked chicken, taco seasoning, cream cheese, and green chilis cheese. Stir until combined.
- Add chicken mixture to tortillas. Add chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla stretching it across from one side to the other, about 1" thick. Fold one end over and tuck it under the chicken, then tightly roll up.
- Cook taquitos. Place taquitos in air fryer basket or onto baking sheet, seam-side down.*Bake in preheated oven or air fryer at 400˚F for 6-9 minutes or until tortillas are light golden brown and hot in the middle.
- Add toppings. When done, plate taquitos and add toppings if desired, or enjoy this with a dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
- Block cream cheese softened at room temperature or whipped blends easier.
- Heat tortillas in the microwave for 5 second to soften if needed to help tightly roll.
- If baking vs. air frying, you may want to add a couple extra minutes of cook time to get them extra crispy. Keep an eye on them toward the end of the cook time and pull them out when they turn golden brown.
- Brush rolled taquitos with butter or oil before baking or air frying if you'd like a crispier shell.
- Drain away liquid if using canned chicken.
Heather says
Loved this recipe! Made these then served them with Spanish rice. Delicious and simple to make.
Mrs. JW Clark says
You mention to add the cream cheese and pepper jack cheese to chicken. BUT pepper jack cheese is not on your ingredient list. How much pepper jack cheese do I add?
Angela G. says
You can add shredded pepper jack cheese as a topping if you'd like. I would add 1 tbsp per taquito. This is optional!
Gayle says
I used sour cream instead of cream cheese.
Janet says
another recipe adds ranch dressing powder. I will try it.