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Homemade Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos feature a creamy & mildly spiced chicken filling rolled up in corn tortillas and cooked to crispy, crunchy perfection thanks to the air fryer! Dip these rolled tacos in sour cream, salsa, or guacamole for a guaranteed hit for the family.
For more Mexican-inspired dinner recipes be sure and also make my Easy Chicken Tostadas and this Cheesy Taco Skillet.
Homemade Chicken Taquitos In The Air Fryer
Looking for a quick chicken dinner tonight? This recipe for air fryer chicken taquitos is just that. Easy to make with leftover chicken, or grab a rotisserie chicken, and filled with a creamy, cheesy, and mildly spiced filling.
The air fryer makes these homemade taquitos so crunchy and crispy! You’re going to love them. Serve alongside dipping sauces like sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo, or guacamole.
Why We Love This Recipe
- These taquitos are fun hand food that kids love to eat!
- With all the dipping options, these taquitos are easily customized to what the person wants. Set out little dipping cups so everyone can make little cups of different dipping sauces.
- For all the spice lovers, these taquitos are so simple to make spicy! Add cayenne red pepper, use Pepper Jack cheese, add some chopped jalapeños into the filling mixture, or try using hot or medium heat salsa.
Ingredients Needed
- Cream Cheese – This is what makes the taquito filling so creamy and cheesy! Use a flavored one like jalapeño or chive and onion for a different flavor. I prefer original cream cheese.
- Cooked Chicken – Shredded or chunked chicken is fine. You can also use canned chicken and no one will ever be able to tell. Promise! I do it all the time. Or grab a rotisserie chicken for easy prep.
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- Salsa – Use your favorite! Salsa verde, hot or medium salsa, restaurant-style salsa, black bean corn salsa, or homemade blender salsa, they all work.
- Chopped Cilantro
- Chili Powder, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper – The simple dried seasonings for the chicken filling.
- Corn Tortillas – Taquitos are traditionally made with corn tortillas. White or yellow corn works fine. I prefer using yellow corn tortillas.
- Oil – This is for brushing the taquitos with before cooking in the air fryer.
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
- Combine the cream cheese, chicken, shredded cheese, salsa, cilantro, and spices into a mixing bowl. Mix until well combined and ensure that there are no chunks of cream cheese.
- Warm up 3-4 corn tortillas at a time, wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel, in the microwave for 25 seconds.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of chicken filling into each corn tortilla and roll up. Place them seam-side down on a plate. Continue heating up a few tortillas at a time and then rolling them up.
- Brush all sides of each tortilla with oil.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Place about 5-6 taquitos (depending on how large the air fryer is) into the basket seam-side down.
- Cook for 6 minutes and then turn them over and cook for an additional 6 minutes.
- Enjoy warm with dipping sauces of choice.
FAQ’s + Expert Tips
- Storing Leftovers : Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3-4 days. The taquitos are best reheated in the air fryer so they stay crunchy. Reheating in the microwave will make the corn tortilla very soft with no crunch.
- How To Freeze Chicken Taquitos : Assemble the taquitos as instructed. Rather than baking them, place them on a cookie sheet or plate, and freeze them until completely frozen. Then take the frozen taquitos and place them into a freezer-safe Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. You want to freeze them first individually, rather than in a bag piled on top of each other, to avoid the taquitos from sticking to each other. Cook the taquitos from frozen inside the air fryer. Make sure to add a few extra minutes to cook time if frozen.
- Can I Use Flour Tortillas Instead? : Taquitos are traditionally made with corn tortillas but yes you can use flour tortillas. Flour tortillas will crisp up, and burn faster, than corn tortillas so keep an eye on them in the air fryer to avoid burning the flour tortilla.
- Can I Make Any Changes? : Use any variety of shredded cheese that you want! Use any salsa that you love like freshly made salsa, black bean corn salsa, restaurant-style salsa, salsa verde, creamy guacamole salsa, etc. Add and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Corn Tortilla Rolling Tip
Corn tortillas need to be warmed and softened prior to adding the filling and rolling up. This prevents them from cracking and falling apart while rolling up.
I recommend heating 2-4 corn tortillas at a time, wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel, in the microwave for about 25 seconds. Roll up those taquitos and then heat a few more.
Are Chicken Taquitos Spicy? Can I Make It Spicy?
This recipe is mildly seasoned which makes it perfect for the whole family to enjoy. My kids love these taquitos and some of them like spice while others can’t handle any sort of spice.
Plus, they’re so easy to make really spicy if wanted. Use hot or medium salsa, use Pepper Jack cheese, add some chopped jalapeños into the taquito chicken filling, add more chili powder, use cayenne red pepper instead of black pepper.
Serving Suggestions for Chicken Taquitos
Serving taquitos with some dipping sauces is a must! Try sour cream, Mexican crema, Queso Dip (or buy some at the store), guacamole, salsa, or pico de gallo.
I like to place the taquitos on a serving plater and then garnish the top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, crumbled cotija cheese, and additional chopped cilantro.
Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or chopped)
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Combine the cream cheese, chicken, shredded cheese, salsa, chopped cilantro, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt & pepper into a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is well combined and no cream cheese chunks remain. * I like to soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds to ensure that it's really softened to avoid any lumps in the mixture.4 ounces cream cheese, 2 cups cooked chicken, 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 1/4 cup salsa, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Warm 3-4 corn tortillas up, wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel, in the microwave for about 25 seconds. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the chicken filling onto each corn tortilla and roll them up tightly. Place them seam-side down onto a plate. Continue until all the filling is gone. * Only warm up, and work with, a few at a time to ensure that the tortillas stay warm and pliable.12 corn tortillas
- Preheat the air fryer to 400℉.
- Place 5-8 taquitos into the air fryer basket and spray them lightly with cooking spray. * I like to also sprinkle some kosher salt on top of the taquitos after brushing them with oil. You can also spray the taquitos with cooking spray. * Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. You don't want the taquitos touching each other, this will prevent them from getting crispy on all sides.
- Cook for 6 minutes and then turn them over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until crispy.
- Enjoy warm with your favorite dipping sauces!
Nutrition
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