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Crispy chicken taquitos are the ultimate finger food with only 15 minutes of prep!

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

We have Mexican food EVERY week! And being Hispanic, we did the same thing growing up. Now, we are just getting our own kids to love these recipe too, like today’s Taquitos recipe (which is a family fav). 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 we know you’ll love them as well.

We love to serve these with: Homemade Salsa, Guacamole, Queso Blanco.

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.

Ingredients

  • vegetable oil canola oil, peanut oil, or olive oil labeled for frying
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken shredded beef and pork are also great options. I like to have Shredded Chicken in the freezer to use in recipes like this one. You can also bake up some chicken to shred or use a rotisserie chicken.
  • 6 ounces cream cheese the creamy texture adds flavor and binds the chicken mixture
  • 1½ cups baby spinach – for added flavor, texture, and color
  • 1½ cups shredded colby jack cheese Mexican blend cheese is another great choice, or cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, or pepper jack cheese also works.
  • ½ cup salsa Change the salsa to change the flavor – Sweet Salsa Verde or Tomatillo Salsa are both great!
  • ⅓ cup sour cream helps create a smooth filling as well as adds a tangy twist
  • salt and black pepper – change up the flavor using cumin, garlic powder, garlic pepper, taco seasoning, or chili powder
  • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas classic taquitos use corn tortillas, but you can use a similarly sized Flour Tortillas
  • toppings (optional) shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, Red Salsa, Salsa Verde, Cafe Rio Dressing, Pico de Gallo, jalapeños, Guacamole, or Queso Blanco

How to Make Taquitos

  1. PREP. Fill a saucepan with ½ inch of oil and heat over medium heat to 350°F.
  2. FILLING. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix 3 cups chicken, 6 ounces  cream cheese, 1½ cups spinach, 1½ cups Colby Jack cheese, ½ cup salsa, and ⅓ cup sour cream. Add salt and pepper.
  3. FRY. 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 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 12 (6-inch) tortillas have been filled, rolled, and fried.
  4. SERVE. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

Pro Tip!

To prevent cracked tortillas, wrap a stack of corn tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 15-30 seconds until warmed up. Many tortillas crack or break because they are not warm enough.

Alternative Cooking Methods

  • Oven baked. Check out our Baked Taquitos recipe.
  • Air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the taquitos, seem side down, in the air fryer basket. Make sure they are not touching and spray 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.
Taquitos stacked on top of each other and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and more.
5 from 926 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: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 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 3 cups chicken, 6 ounces cream cheese, 1½ cups spinach, 1½ cups Colby Jack cheese, ½ cup salsa, and ⅓ cup 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 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 12 (6-inch) 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.

RECIPE FAQ

  • 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 in place.
  • The oil should immediately begin to bubble when the taquitos are placed in and each side should take about 1 minute to fry. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to help drain the oil.
  • 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.
  • The cream cheese chicken filling can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in a container in the fridge, or the freezer for 6-8 weeks.
  • 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 olive oil on the stove, or in the microwave.

For Mexican Dips and Salsas:

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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5 from 926 votes (677 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




618 Comments

  1. Kelly says:

    They look delicious. Can’t wait to try them. One question though, do you use frozen spinach or fresh?

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      We used fresh spinach. 😉 Let me know how they turn out – they’re one of our favorites!!

  2. nicki says:

    5 stars
    We made these tonight for or relaxing Christmas dinner. They were so good and so filling. Thank you 🙂

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      You’re welcome! Glad to hear they were a hit… we also like to add the cream cheese mixture to some tortillas and make them as quesadillas. 😀

  3. Judy Blaise says:

    Do you cook them again after you put the chicken mixture into the taco shells?

    1. nicki says:

      Yes. After you roll the filling in, throw then back in the oil for a few seconds

    2. Lil' Luna says:

      I just modified the recipe a bit to make it easier… after adding the cream cheese/chicken mixture you will fry the tortillas in the oil until golden brown on both sides. 😉

      1. Kelly Owens says:

        Can you use flour tortillas instead? Looks so delicious but don’t like corn tortillas. Wasnt sure if the flour ones crisp up.

      2. Kristyn Merkley says:

        I haven’t tried, but I bet they work 🙂

      3. Anne kibler says:

        5 stars
        Can I freeze these and fry then later

      4. Kristyn Merkley says:

        I like to freeze the mixture, then when I am ready, I take out to thaw & continue with the recipe.

      5. Angelica frank says:

        I don’t like corn either but after frying they taste like chips I also microwaved them first so it’s easier to roll

      6. myranda says:

        5 stars
        I used flour tortillas – baked in the oven (we do not do fried very often). due to a spinach allergy issue – i swapped spinach for 1/2 cup cilantro. i used a half cup of pic de gallo instead of salsa. followed everything else. baking right now – but the mixture tasted amazing! we will serve with red onion soaked in lime juice and my hubby likes his hot sauces lol. thank you for the recipe. yummy!

  4. rachel says:

    Oops I see 12. Sorry!

  5. rachel says:

    How many taquitos does this recipe make?

  6. Pamela S says:

    Is the filling cold inside the taquito? Or how do you make the filling warm? Thanks.

  7. Alyssa says:

    Definitely pinning these for later my kids love them from a local place.

  8. Amy+Huntley says:

    5 stars
    These looks so yummy! Making some very soon!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      You’ll LOVE them!!

    2. Diane says:

      My tortillas are breaking while I’m rolling them. ?

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        I’m sorry they are. Did you try flash frying them or you can stick in the microwave, covered in a paper towel for a few to seconds to warm them up. I like to roll softly & not over-stuff them. I hope this helps!

  9. jen+@+Tatertots+&+Jello says:

    So yum!!! Pinned and can’t wait to make some!

    xoxo