Making taquitos doesn't getting easier than with this 3-ingredient Easy Chicken Taquitos recipe! Shredded rotisserie chicken and Mexican cheese is rolled inside a soft corn tortilla shell and pan fried until crispy golden brown. An easy dinner served with simple Mexican rice or Mexican street corn salad. Have dinner ready in 20 minutes with this easy chicken taquitos recipe!
American Mexican-inspired dinners are some of my family's favorite meals!
Sure, are we using the same ingredients whether we make enchiladas, tacos, taquitos, nachos or taco salads? Yes.
Does it all taste very similar? Yes again, but that guarantees that no matter what you make, it will be absolutely delicious!
And many Mexican recipes are fun and easy enough for kids to help out with, so they are great for getting your kids involved and interested in helping with dinner. Serve it with a delicious Mexican street corn salad, and you've got a full dinner.
With 1 rotisserie chicken, this recipe makes about 35 small taquitos, so it's a great recipe for large families or when you need a simple party finger food. The average serving is about 5 taquitos per person as a dinner or 2-3 as an appetizer. So this chicken taquitos recipe will serve between 7 and 15 people!
To make these easy chicken taquitos, we are using good old fashioned pan frying, but with olive oil. So it's a slightly healthier fried recipe than those that use vegetable oil.
You can also bake your taquitos like in this chicken and avocado baked taquito recipe, but they won't lend the traditional crispiness that a pan-fried taquito offers.
Ingredients
To make these simple chicken taquitos you only need:
- a rotisserie chicken
- small corn tortillas
- Mexican or cheddar cheese.
I like to use small corn tortilla shells. This makes it so more fit in the pan while I am frying them. Small corn shells are also great for when making these as an appetizer or lunch.
You can use shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese. You can also turn chicken taquitos into a 2-ingredient recipe by eliminating the cheese. They are fantastic with or without!
Step-By-Step Directions
To make these incredibly easy chicken taquitos, first shred the rotisserie chicken and the cheese.
Fill a large frying pan with about ¼ inch of oil. It's best to use a pan with deep sides to avoid splattering. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and begin rolling the taquitos.
To roll the taquitos, wrap 4-5 shells in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds. This will make them pliable and less likely to rip while you roll.
Working quickly, place a small amount of chicken and cheese in the tortilla, as the picture below shows. Roll the tortilla tightly and secure it with a toothpick.
As each taquitos is rolled, put it into the frying pan. This is important to do immediately after rolling. If the uncooked rolled taquitos sit for too long, they will rip.
Fry the chicken taquitos for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are a golden brown. When finished, remove the toothpick.
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Serving
Serve chicken taquitos as an appetizer for a party, a snack, lunch, or simple dinner. They are great along with Mexican rice, Mexican street corn salad, or on their own. Dip them in salsa, guacamole, sour cream, Mexican crema or eat them plain!
These easy cheese and chicken taquitos keep well in the fridge for up to 1 week. They can be frozen for about 6 months, but will lose some of their crispiness. Defrost in the fridge and warm in the toaster to get some of their crispiness back.
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to give it a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments! And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Recipe
Easy Chicken Taquitos
Equipment
- frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken skinless and shredded
- 35 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups Mexican or cheddar cheese shredded
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Pour olive oil about ¼ inch deep in a large frying pan and heat over medium-high.
- Warm 5 tortillas at a time in the microwave. Wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds. Fill each tortilla with a small amount of shredded chicken and cheese. Roll tightly and secure with a toothpick.
- Fry in hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping with tongs. Taquitos will be golden brown and crispy when done. Remove to a paper towel to soak off excess oil. Remove toothpicks prior to serving.
- Serve with Mexican crema, sour cream, guacamole, or salsa if desired.
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
We love taquitos and these look super easy to make!
Nayomi
I love these shredded chicken taquitos, really easy to make but so satisfying!
Ramona
This is such a unique recipe, I have never heard nor tried taquitos before. I am looking forward to making these.
Jill
Love finding new ways to use rotisserie chicken and these taquitos are the perfect dinner!
Chef Dennis
Incredibly delicious. I have to make this soon!
Linda
Ahhh this recipe is a lifesaver when we're in a hurry. Love how simple and easy these chicken taquitos are!