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Everyone loves these classic taquitos! They’re fried to golden perfection and are great as appetizers or even a main dish.

Similar to Flautas, taquitos are loved by the entire family. Rolled and fried to perfection, we love to serve this dish with Mexican Rice and Salsa!

Taquitos stacked on top of each other and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and more.


Can they get any better?!

We have Mexican food EVERY week!

Without fail, we are having Chicken Tacos, Cheese Enchiladas, Cheese Quesadillas, or taquitos one day during the week for dinner. And being Hispanic, we did the same thing growing up. Now, we are just getting our own kids to love these recipe too (which isn’t hard at all because they’re so delicious!)

As mentioned, Taquitos are family favorite dinner, but what are they?

Taquitos are a Mexican dish consisting of a small tortilla that is rolled around a filling of meat and cheese and then deep-fried (“small tacos”). They are similar to Flautas and are so incredibly yummy!

Why we love them:

  • For any meal. These chicken taquitos are so great as appetizers or as a Mexican dinner.
  • Simple + Quick. Not only are minimal ingredients needed, but they are also quick to make.
  • Change it up. The filling can be easily adapted to suit different tastes, from using different meats to adding various spices and toppings.
  • Perfect for dipping. These pair perfectly with a variety of dips and salsas, adding an extra layer of flavor to each bite.

Simple Ingredients

  • vegetable oil canola oil, peanut oil, or olive oil labeled for frying
  • shredded cooked chicken shredded beef and pork are also great options. I like to have Shredded Chicken in the freezer at all times to use in recipes just like this one. You can also bake up some chicken to shred or use a rotisserie chicken.
  • cream cheese 
  • baby spinach 
  • cheese I like Colby Jack or a Mexican blend, but cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, or pepper jack cheese also works.
  • salsa Change up the salsa to change the flavor – Sweet Salsa Verde or Tomatillo Salsa are both great!
  • sour cream
  • salt and pepper – change up the flavor using cumin, garlic powder, garlic pepper, taco seasoning, or chili powder
  • corn tortillas (or flour tortillas)
  • Toppings shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, Red Salsa, Salsa Verde, Cafe Rio Dressing, Pico de Gallo, jalapeños, Guacamole, or Queso Blanco
Chicken filling mixed together in bowl.

How to Make Taquitos

  1. PREP. Begin by heating ½ inch oil on medium heat in a frying pan.
  2. MIX. While the oil is heating up, mix the filling. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. FRY. Once the oil is hot enough, add a few tablespoons of the chicken/cream cheese mixture along the center of the corn tortilla and spread out. Roll up and set seam side down (using tongs) into the oil.
  4. SERVE. Cook these until golden brown on both sides and continue doing this until the mixture is gone. Set on a paper towel-lined plate to drain the oil and serve warm.

Alternative Cooking Methods

  • Bake. Check out our Oven Baked Chicken Taquitos recipe.
  • Air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the taquitos, seem side down, in the air fryer basket. Make sure that they are not touching and stay with a light coating of cooking spray. Cook for about 3 minutes flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until lightly brown and crisp.

Recipe Tips

  • Cracked tortillas. Wrap a stack of corn tortillas in some damp paper towels and microwave for 15-30 seconds until warmed up. Many tortillas crack or break because they are not warm enough.
  • Keep tortillas rolled. Add your mix, roll, and then use metal tongs to hold the taquitos in the oil with the seam-side down until they stay rolled. You can also add toothpicks to the center of each taquito before frying to keep them in place.
  • Frying. The oil should immediately begin to bubble when the taquitos are placed in and each side should take about 1 minute to fry. Be sure to place on a paper towel lined plate to help drain the oil
  • Serving suggestions. The options are endless, but we like pairing these with Homemade Spanish Rice Recipe, Canned Refried Beans, Cilantro Lime Rice, Red Cheese Enchiladas, Esquites, or Homemade Tortilla Chips.

Storage Info

  • Make it ahead of time. While I don’t recommend fully frying these chicken and cheese taquitos up ahead of time, you can prepare the ingredients beforehand so that all you have to do is roll and fry.
    • Store shredded chicken in the freezer. The cream cheese chicken mixture can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in a container in the fridge, or stored in the freezer for 6-8 weeks.
  • STORE. Leftover cream cheese taquitos can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    • Reheat on a baking sheet in the oven, in a warm skillet with a bit of olive oil on the stove, or in the microwave.
  • FREEZE. The cream cheese and chicken mix freezes well. Place in freezer-safe Ziploc bags and get as much air out. Thaw and use in the recipe.
Close up image of homemade taquitos stacked on top of each other.

For Mexican Dips and Salsas:

5 from 913 votes

Taquitos Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Everyone loves these classic taquitos! They're fried to golden perfection and are great as appetizers or even a main dish.
Servings: 12
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients 

  • vegetable or canola oil, for frying
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • cups baby spinach, stems removed and chopped
  • cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, or Mexican blend cheese
  • ½ cup salsa, store-bought or homemade
  • cup sour cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas (or flour tortillas)

Toppings

  • shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, Pico de Gallo

Instructions 

  • Fill a saucepan with ½ inch of oil and heat over medium heat to 350°F.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together chicken, cream cheese, spinach, Colby Jack cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Add salt and pepper.
  • Once oil is hot enough, add a few tablespoons of chicken–cream cheese mixture to the center of a tortilla and spread out. Roll the tortilla up and use tongs to place it seam-side down in hot oil. Cook until golden brown on both sides, 2–3 minutes per side. Set on paper towels to drain.
  • Repeat until all tortillas have been filled, rolled, and fried.
  • Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

Video

Notes

Variations. Change it up by using shredded beef or pork. You can also use a different salsa to change the flavors.
Make ahead of time. You can mix the filling as described in Step 2 up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cracked corn tortillas. If your corn tortillas are cracking when you roll them, wrap a stack of corn tortillas in some damp paper towels and microwave for 15–30 seconds until warmed up. The reason many tortillas crack or break is because they are not warm enough.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 126kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 213mg, Potassium: 88mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 775IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 128mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
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Recipe adapted from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice



About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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609 Comments

        1. Yes!! Make sure to allow them to cool completely. Then then store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.