Chicken Taquitos (Rolled Tacos)
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Crispy, crunchy, and full of savory flavor, these homemade taquitos are perfect for afternoon snacking or a simple evening meal. The filling is a simple mixture of chicken, lime juice, and seasonings, plus a healthy dose of shredded cheese. Once assembled, it only takes a minute or two to fry each batch. Talk about easy!
The ultimate finger food, chicken taquitos are deliciously savory and extra crunchy — a favorite for any party, game day, or lazy weekend afternoon. I’m not talking about the frozen boxes either. You know I had to have a homemade taquitos recipe up my sleeve!
And the best part is that they are so easy to make from scratch. Just mix up the filling, roll it in a tortilla with some cheese, and fry to crispy perfection. A few shortcuts here and there will have these on the table in 30 minutes or less.
Table of Contents
Enjoy taquitos as a quick and easy meal or serve them alongside popular Mexican sides such as refried beans and your choice of red or green rice.
Watch the Video!
To see how these chicken taquitos get rolled up and fried, check out the video below in the recipe card and watch how it’s done!
Cracked or Torn Tortillas
To keep the corn tortillas from cracking when rolling, make sure to warm them up first so they become soft and pliable.
One way is to warm the corn tortilla directly in a hot skillet flipping ever 30 seconds until pliable.
The second way to do this is by wrapping the tortillas in a damp paper towel, tortilla warmer or light kitchen towel. You then heat them in the microwave for 1 minute to help create some steam. The steam produced helps keep them from drying out. Once warmed, I keep them in a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a light kitchen towel to help them retain heat and moisture.
I have done it both ways and the steam method works best for me. I found while the dry skillet method made the tortillas pliable, they dried out quicker when frying and often times split.
- Chicken – I typically use rotisserie chicken, but you can use any cooked and shredded chicken for this taquitos recipe. I recommend my Instant Pot Mexican Chicken — make a large batch, then portion and freeze for later!
- Seasonings – Don’t bother with packets of taco seasoning or pre-made blends. All you need for flavorful chicken taquitos is:
- Ancho Chili Powder – Simply ground dried ancho chiles, compared to “chili powder” which is a blend of various spices.
- Mexican Oregano – The stuff labeled “oregano” at the store is the Mediterranean variety, which is milder and sweeter than the pungent, slightly minty Mexican oregano. If you need a substitute, marjoram is the best option.
- Ground Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Cheese – I like to use sharp cheddar in my taquitos. Monterey Jack has a milder flavor and is extra melty, while Pepper Jack adds a nice kick of heat. No matter which you choose, shred it yourself!
- Lime Juice – Opt for fresh here, about half a lime.
- Corn Tortillas – You’ll need the larger size to make rolled tacos, not the tiny ones for street tacos.
- Vegetable Oil – For frying. Other neutral oils such as peanut, canola, or sunflower seed oil will work as well.
- Toppings – Choose from classics like shredded lettuce, Mexican crema, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cotija cheese. You can add any of your favorite salsa as well.
- Make the Filling. Combine cooked, shredded chicken in a medium bowl with lime juice and seasonings.
- Warm Tortillas. Microwave for 60-90 seconds. This makes them more pliable so they can be rolled without tearing. I like to stack them in a tortilla warmer, but you can use a paper towel instead.
- Assemble Taquitos. Add a spoonful of filling to a tortilla and top with some cheese. Fold one end over the filling and roll until closed, then secure with a toothpick. Repeat until all of the chicken taquitos are assembled.
- Heat Oil. Pour the vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat to 350 degrees F.
- Fry & Drain. Add 4 or 5 taquitos to the pan at a time, frying for 1-2 minutes or until browned and crispy. Remove and drain on a wire rack or plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat until all have been cooked.
- Serve. Remove the toothpicks and serve with the toppings of your choice.
Recommended Tools
- Medium Bowl – With enough room to mix the filling.
- Toothpicks – These help to keep the rolled tacos closed while they cook.
- Deep Skillet – You need enough oil to submerge each taquito, and the high sides will help contain splatters.
- Baking Tray with Wire Rack – Use this to drain the chicken taquitos once cooked. The wire rack prevents them from getting soggy while you fry the other batches.
Storing and Reheating
Allow rolled tacos to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
The best way to reheat homemade taquitos is in the air fryer — they’ll be just as crispy as when they were first fried. Otherwise, bake in a single layer for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
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Both are Mexican dishes where a filling is rolled in a tortilla and fried. Flautas are made with larger corn or flour tortillas, whereas taquitos are always made with smaller corn tortillas.
The easiest way to tell if frying oil is hot enough is with a kitchen thermometer. Once it reaches 350 degrees F, it’s ready.
If you don’t have a thermometer, dip the handle of the wooden spoon into the skillet. Bubbles should form around the handle and start to climb to the surface.
The chicken filling can be made up to a day in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble.
You can also assemble each taquito as directed (including toothpicks) and flash freeze a batch on a baking sheet. Once firm, transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Then, spray with cooking spray and bake from frozen at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
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Chicken Taquitos (Rolled Tacos)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded (See Note 1)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano crushed
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice half a lime
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded (See Note 2)
- 20 corn tortillas
- 2 cups vegetable oil
Serving
- iceberg lettuce shredded
- Mexican crema
- pico de gallo
- cotija cheese crumbled
- guacamole
- salsa of choice
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the spices and lime juice. Stir until chicken is coated thoroughly.
- Wrap the tortillas in a tortilla warmer or damp paper towel. Heat them in the microwave for 60-90 seconds.
- Working with one at a time (keeping others warm), take a warmed tortilla and place on a clean surface. Take a heaping spoonful of the chicken (about the same size as your index finger) and place on tortilla. Top with some cheese. Roll up tightly and secure seam with toothpick. Place on a tray and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- Pour oil in deep skillet and heat to 350°F. Prepare a baking tray with wire rack or line a plate with paper towels. Set aside.
- Cook in batches of 5 (to not drop the temperature and more easily turn taquitos), fry 1-2 minutes until golden brown, turning to get both sides. Transfer to tray or plate. Repeat with remaining.
- Remove toothpicks before serving. I top mine with shredded lettuce, Mexican crema, pico de gallo and crumbled cotija cheese.
Video
Notes
- To save time, I like to use rotisserie chicken for this, but if I make my Instant Pot Mexican Chicken, its perfect for these as well. Make a lot and freeze for later use.
- Feel free to use pepper jack, or Monterey jack cheese.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Not sure what the other commenter Gwyn is talking about, that the chicken was lacking in flavor – as she claims to have roasted her own!? Another winner here, thanks Kevin
Thanks for the feedback Karl, glad you enjoyed this one!
I’m sorry the chicken was lacking in flavor, even though I went heavy on the spices. I cooked my own chicken instead of rotisserie. We made the lime crema which was really tasty. If it weren’t for the cojita cheese I don’t think they would have been very edible. Sorry.
Thanks for the feedback Gwyn though you claim to have made your own chicken?
Made these last Wednesday using the rotisserie chicken from Costco and the spices.
This morning I made them with your suggested IP Mexican Chicken recipe.
Both were great! One easier to make then the other, but a keeper!
Thanks So much for the feedback Madison!
Love your recipes
Thanks so much Melvin! So glad you’re enjoying the recipes. 🙂
KEVIN,
WHERE DID YOU GET THESE PLATES?
LOUIS MATHIS
I picked them up on my last visit down in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico Louis.