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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
  • 1ยฝ cups baby spinach – for added flavor, texture, and color
  • 1ยฝ cups shredded colby jack cheese Mexican blend cheese is another great choice, or cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, or pepper jack cheese also works.
  • ยฝ cup salsa Change the salsa to change the flavor – Sweet Salsa Verde or Tomatillo Salsa are both great!
  • โ…“ 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, jalapeรฑos, Guacamole, or Queso Blanco

How to Make Taquitos

  1. PREP. Fill a saucepan with ยฝ inch of oil and heat over medium heat to 350ยฐF.
  2. FILLING. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix 3 cups chicken, 6ย ouncesย  cream cheese, 1ยฝย cups spinach, 1ยฝย cups Colby Jack cheese, ยฝย cup salsa, and โ…“ย 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, 2โ€“3 minutes per side. Set on paper towels to drain.
    • Repeat until all 12ย (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 400ยฐF. 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 925 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
  • 1ยฝ cups baby spinach, stems removed and chopped
  • 1ยฝ cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, or Mexican blend cheese
  • ยฝ cup salsa, store-bought or homemade
  • โ…“ 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 ยฝ inch of oil and heat over medium heat to 350ยฐF.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix 3 cups chicken, 6ย ounces cream cheese, 1ยฝย cups spinach, 1ยฝย cups Colby Jack cheese, ยฝย cup salsa, and โ…“ย 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, 2โ€“3 minutes per side. Set on paper towels to drain. Repeat until all 12ย (6-inch) tortillas have been filled, rolled, and fried.
  • Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

Video

Notes

Variations.ย Change it up by using shredded beef or pork. You can also use a different salsa to change the flavors.
Make ahead of time.ย 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.ย If your corn tortillas are cracking when you roll them, wrap a stack of corn tortillas in some damp paper towels and microwave for 15โ€“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 Iโ€™m the mom of SIX stinkinโ€™ cute kids and the wife to my smokinโ€™ hot hubby, Lo. My momโ€™s maiden name is Luna, and Iโ€™m one of the many crafty โ€œLilโ€™ Lunasโ€ 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!

So Easy & So Yummy

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5 from 925 votes (677 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




617 Comments

  1. Momstarr says:

    My kids would really love these but i am not sure I could pull these off. I envision a mess. Can you post some pictures of you actually rolling them and placing them seam side down. I am not experienced enough with frying with corn tortillas. Thanks so much!

  2. Emily says:

    5 stars
    These are so delicious! Thank you for the recipe! I made them tonight for the first time and my husband couldn’t stop eating them! I did have a problem with the tortillas I bought though. They were tearing as I was rolling them up. So mine didn’t turn out pretty but despite that they were still good.

    I was wondering if you could tell me what tortillas you used. The ones I used that tore apart where mission corn tortillas.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      I’m glad you liked them but am sorry you had issues with the corn tortillas. I like the ARIZONA brand, but can usually do okay with any as long as their fresh. If they’re old and dry they’ll tear. ๐Ÿ™

      1. Linda says:

        When I make taquitos I lightly fry the corn tortilla shells in oil first. I then put filling in them roll them and bake them. The oil on the tortilla shells keep them from cracking and bake nice and crispy.

  3. Randy says:

    I’m Making it today !!

  4. Renรฉ says:

    5 stars
    All I can say is WOW! My family is obsessed with this recipe. It’s delicious, filling, and the leftovers are great reheated! My husband loves to cook, and he is already talking about having people over and making these taquitos for Cinco de Mayo. Thank you! We can’t wait to try more of your recipes.

  5. Gina says:

    5 stars
    This was a winner at our house.

  6. Melissa says:

    5 stars
    I made these last night. They are AMAZING. Hubby & teenage son loved them. BUT if your making these as most people know you can’t roll a corn tortilla and not expect it to break/tear. They are dry even if you just purchased them. ANY time I need to roll a corn tortilla I get about 6 corn tortillas wrap them in a few paper towels and wet the paper towel covered stack of tortillas. Them microwave for 30 seconds. This still Steam them and make them soft enough to actually roll them. Just an FYI

    1. Ali says:

      Thank you for this tip!

  7. Kristy says:

    Could these be made without salsa? Would I need a substitute? Sadly I am allergic to tomatoes. ????

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      You can definitely do it without salsa… it just gives some added flavor. ๐Ÿ˜‰

      1. Marianna says:

        What kind of salsa do you use?

    2. Sonja says:

      Maybe a can of chopped green chilies would be good as a substitute.

    3. Leslie Johnson says:

      I’m allergic to tomatoes and use La Victoria Chunky Green salsa in place of tomato salsa. I even use it in my spanish rice.

      1. Lil' Luna says:

        Thanks for sharing that info Leslie!

  8. Brenda says:

    Could this mixture be put in an egg roll? Thanks for info, they look really good.

  9. Sadrudin lalji says:

    Chicken eciladas so good. Instead of frying can we bake them? Please let me know as your recipe really good. Send more interesting recipes always

    S.lalji

  10. Dan Leeder says:

    5 stars
    Looks like a great recipe. I think the spinach puts it over the top. I’m curious, though, why you use only 6 oz. cream cheese instead of the whole package (8 oz.) I would use the whole package for the simple reason that I hate putting away the leftover 2 oz. and then discovering it at a later date and the edges are all hardened. I just wanted to find out if maybe you had experienced a reason to only use the 6 oz. I’m in South Carolina now but I’m from California and Arizona. I LOVE your recipes. Makes me wanna go back!!

    1. Geno D says:

      5 stars
      Thank you for the recipe. I made these last night. I added fresh cilantro and yellow onions to the chicken/cheese mixture which my wife and super picky sons loved! This recipe will be added to our recipe book!