Baked Not-too- Spicy Chicken Taquitos Recipe

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Baked Not-too-Spicy Chicken Taquitos are so easy to make for family dinner, a party, or for a snack! They are crispy on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside!

Taquitos, Taquitos, oh how I love Taquitos.  I mean, what says I love you more than giving someone a delicious, crispy taquito?  This Baked Not-Too-Spicy Chicken Taquitos recipe is so easy! The Taquitos are so crispy on the outside without having to deep fry them.  Corn tortillas are filled with smoky taco seasoned shredded chicken, creamy cheddar cheese, and bright scallions.  Roll and bake and you can make a ton in a short amount of time.  They are great for family dinner, a party, or just to say…I love you, my little taquito!

Check out all of my Taco Tuesday Theme night dinners!

Easy Make-Ahead Dinner, Snack, Appetizer

One of the reasons this Chicken Taquitos Recipe is so fantastic, is because it’s so versatile and convenient.  You can make 2 dozen of these little babies ahead and freeze them before baking and then pull them out a few at a time to bake for an afterschool snack or easy dinner!  Or make them ahead for a party.  Another great make ahead dinner/snack/app is my Hanky Panky Cheesy Meat Canapes.  

The other great thing about these Taquitos?  They keep my obsession with Mexican food alive and kicking!  Woo Hoo!  Here are some of my favorite easy Mexican Dinner Recipes.

• Chicken Cheese Corn Tortilla Quesadillas
• Black Bean Taco Bowl Bar
• Slow Cooker Pork Tacos
• Chicken and Veggies Enchilada Casserole
• Taco Casserole with Ground Chicken Black Beans

Quick note!  This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them.  This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :).  But, I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used. 

Simple Ingredients and Substitutes

• Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless – I always have raw chicken breasts in the freezer as they can last up to 12 months if in an airtight container or packaging. Thaw frozen chicken breasts in the fridge 24 hours in advance.You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Check out all of my tips on Prepping and Storing Chicken for Easier Dinners.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – You can substitute with any neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, avocado oil, or even coconut oil.
• Salt – I used kosher salt, but any salt will work.
• Ground Black Pepper – You can use fine or coarse ground black pepper. I like fresh ground, but pre-ground is fine too.
• Seasonings – I used my own taco seasonings, but you can also use a store bought blend. I used Chili Powder, Cumin, and Garlic Powder.
• Cayenne Pepper (or to taste) – This is the spice ingredient. You can use a little or a lot, depending on your preference.
• Scallions (Green Onions) – Scallions are mild in flavor so if you don’t have them, you can replace with chives. You can use yellow onion, white onion, or red onion, or shallots, but make sure to dice them very fine.
• Cheddar Cheese, Shredded – White cheddar, yellow cheddar, monterey jack cheese, pepper jack, or even mozzarella are all great for this. You could also mix in ¼ cup of cream cheese with the filling!
• Corn Tortillas – White Corn tortillas or yellow corn tortillas will work. You could also use flour if you want. The flour tortillas are easier to roll, but will not have the same corn flavor and will add gluten (if that is a concern).
• Sour Cream – Sour Cream is a topping, so you can leave it out if you prefer. You can also substitute it with greek yogurt.
• Fresh Tomato – Beefsteak, plum, or vine tomatoes are all great.
• Fresh Cilantro – Cilantro adds a fresh bright flavor! You can replace with parsley, but it will not have as much flavor.
• Cotija Cheese (optional) – The cotija is a hard, pungent cheese, similar in texture to parmesan. It is for sprinkling on top of the taquitos. You can also use more of the shredded cheese on top if you want instead.

Only Basic Cooking Equipment Needed

Nothing special for this one! Just a large sheet pan (I use a 17×11) and a small-medium pot to make the chicken mixture.

Prep-Ahead Steps for Chicken Taquitos

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are the steps you prepare in the day(s) in advance and store in the fridge as your meal Kit… (See the recipe below for more details)

Prep-ahead for the Chicken Taquitos recipe is great because you can do it all but bake.  You can roast the chicken, shred the chicken, mix the filling mixture, and roll the taquitos.  You will then either need to immediately bake them or freeze them.

For roasting the chicken, its very simply rubbing each breast with salt, pepper, and chili powder.  Then roast in the oven 400 F degrees for 25 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 F.

Once the chicken is cooked and cooled enough to handle, you can start to shred it using your fingers.

For the filling, place the shredded chicken in the pot with the seasonings, scallions, and water.  Stir to combine and simmer so the flavors cook into the shredded chicken.

Turn off the heat.  Rather than dirty another bowl, I simply mix the cheese right into the chicken in the pot.

Assemble the Spicy Chicken Taquitos 

For the corn tortillas, you can use either white or yellow corn 5 or 6 inch in diameter.

You may need to warm the tortillas so they are pliable.  I do this by wrapping a stack of them in a damp paper towel and zapping them in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.

Lay 1 tortilla on a flat surface and place a small amount of the shredded cooked chicken filling on the tortilla. Roll the top of the tortilla down over the filling and tightly until fully rolled. Do this gently so as not to break the tortillas.

If the tortilla starts to unravel, secure it with 1 or 2 toothpicks. Place each of the rolled taquitos on an oiled sheet pan. Use a second pan if needed.

You can spray or brush the taquitos with olive oil, vegetable oil, or even cooking spray to help them crisp up in the oven.

At this point, you really need to bake them or freeze them. If you try to store them in the fridge, they will dry out and start to crack and break open.

Cook the Spicy Chicken Taquitos

Turn the oven down to 350 F degrees.  Place the taquitos on the center rack (and top rack if you have 2 pans). Bake for 15 minutes until crisp.

While the taquitos are baking, prep your toppings. Get the sour cream out, dice a tomato, chop the cilantro, crumble the cotija cheese (if needed).

Serve the taquitos fully loaded or let everyone choose their own toppings. ENJOY! 😍 Carrie

Chicken Taquitos Recipe FAQs