Chicken Taquitos with Avocado Crema

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Load up your freezer with these easy baked chicken taquitos recipe with avocado crema! My recipe for Chicken Taquitos features flavorful spiced shredded chicken baked in crispy corn tortillas with a creamy avocado dipping sauce. It's super simple, and so much better than store-bought!

Chicken Taquitos Recipe

I never get tired of making these chicken cheese taquitos, and that's good - because I'm making them all the time! They're perfect if you're having family over (kids love them), heading to a party, or if you just want to enjoy a tasty, fun family dinner. They're easy, and super friendly for adapting to different dietary needs, like gluten-free!

My recipe for taquitos is easy, can be made ahead, and is a guaranteed hit at every get-together. Make a big batch ahead of time and freeze it for easy weeknight meals. (I sometimes even make two extra batches - just to have lots of easy lunches on hand for months!)

I had tried many chicken taquito recipes in the past. This is the absolute best I have ever tried. My family loved it. Thank you so much!

Angie on Pinterest

Chicken for Taquitos

This chicken recipe uses shredded chicken; in fact, I made this recipe after having Cheesecake Factory Chicken Taquitos, which also uses shredded chicken. You can use any type of shredded chicken you like, but my pulled chicken recipe is a perfect fit.

You can also use chicken tenderloins, which are often my choice, but regular chicken breasts, grilled chicken, or grocery-store rotisserie chicken will also work. You could even make slow cooker whole chicken or Easy Juicy Oven Roasted Chicken and use the leftovers!

Chicken Taquitos Ingredients

• Chicken breasts, chicken tenderloins, or shredded chicken: The bulk of the taquitos! If you're using pre-made shredded chicken, skip the steps for baking the chicken. Instead, just mix the seasonings into the cooked meat!
• Olive oil: This is used to keep the chicken moist and help the seasonings stick. Even if you're using pre-cooked chicken, make sure to still use oil.
• Garlic powder: I much prefer the mild flavor of garlic powder to the sharpness of fresh garlic when it comes to taquitos!
• Onion powder: Much like with the garlic powder, the mild flavor and low moisture makes onion powder work a little better than chopped fresh onion.
• Cumin: Cumin brings an earthiness that other seasonings just can't!
• Smoked paprika: If you can find it, use smoked paprika; it has a far superior flavor for taquitos and brings a smokey aroma that's totally irresistible.
• Chili powder: Just a bit of chili powder goes a long way, and adds that unique Tex-mex flavor we all love.
• Salt and pepper: Adjust the salt and pepper to taste depending on how you cook your chicken. For shredded rotisserie chicken, I don't recommend adding any more salt at all.
• Shredded cheese: Get creative! My family has always loved cheddar cheese, but you can use Monterey jack, Pepper jack, or even cream cheese.
• Salsa: The salsa you choose is up to your preferences. I like using a black bean salsa or one with lots of corn, but I've made these taquitos before with a sweet peach salsa and they were incredible.
• Tortillas: Classically, taquitos are made with corn tortillas, which are excellent for gluten-free family members and have a unique flavor and great crunch. However, you can also use flour tortillas, and they can be easier to handle.
• Cooking spray: Cooking spray will give the taquitos a layer of oil that keeps the tortillas moist, ensuring that they bake up crispy, not dry!

Avocado Crema Ingredients

• Avocados: Nice, ripe avocados are necessary for a good crema. If they're not ripe, pop them in a paper bag to ripen on the counter.
• Sour cream: For a thinner crema, you can also add a bit of heavy cream, and the sour cream can be swapped for Greek yogurt.
• Lime: I highly recommend fresh-squeezed lime juice for the uniquely tangy flavor.
• Jalapeno: Adding jalapeno is optional but a great option if you like some heat in your Mexican crema!
• Optional: Fresh Cilantro

Taquitos Sauce Variations

How to Make Chicken Taquitos in the Oven

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins on a baking sheet.
3. Drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and kosher salt and pepper over the chicken. Toss until completely coated.
   
4. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes (cooking times will vary slightly). When the chicken is finished cooking, remove the pan from the oven.
5. Once the chicken has cooled, shred it with two forks and place it in a mixing bowl.
6. Add shredded cheese and salsa to the chicken. Mix until combined. Note: If you're using pre-made chicken, skip to this step and add the spices and oil alongside the salsa and cheese.
   
7. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel, and warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how many you're using. (Check out my guide to warming tortillas for more methods!)
8. Place a couple of spoonfuls of the chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll them tightly. It's okay if some cracks form! If they're too fragile, warm them more or damp them with spray oil.
   
9. Spray a baking sheet generously with cooking spray, or use parchment paper. Place the taquitos seam-side down on the sheet. Spray the top of the taquitos with cooking spray as well.
   
10. Place the baking sheet(s) in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the taquitos are crisp. Remove from the oven when finished baking.
    

This baked taquito recipe yields about 16 chicken taquitos, which makes it perfect for a party appetizer recipe or a big family dinner! These homemade taquitos are a treat everyone at the table will love.

How to Make Air Fryer Taquitos

Baking makes it easy to make larger batches, but I also love air frying taquitos! They're done more quickly and have an even better crunch.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F, and season the raw chicken (if using) with the oil and spices.
2. Air fry for 18 minutes, flipping halfway.
3. Remove the chicken and shred with a fork. Wipe down the air fryer and then brush with oil. Don't use spray oil! It will damage the coating of the air fryer.
4. Lightly warm the tortillas until flexible, then spoon filling on to them and roll them up.
5. Place the taquitos seam-side down in the air fryer, ensuring that they aren't touching. Brush the tops with more oil.
6. Air-fry for 7 minutes, then flip and air fry another 5 minutes, until crispy. Serve and enjoy!

Creamy Avocado Sauce for Taquitos

1. Place ripe avocados in a food processor
2. Add sour cream, jalapeno, lime juice, and kosher salt
3. Pulse until creamy

You can dip the chicken taquitos into the avocado sauce or drizzle it over the top for a more decorative presentation. This is a great option if you are serving them at a party. To make avocado crema, follow my step-by-step instructions.

Homemade Chicken Taquitos Tips

• Wet paper towels, wrap a stack of corn tortillas in the towels and microwave them for a minute. This will make them pliable so they won't break as you roll them. If they're still breaking, you can lightly pan-fry them or simply use flour tortillas; some brands of corn tortilla are more prone to shattering than others.
• Do not freeze taquitos with the avocado sauce on top. The avocado sauce needs to be fresh and prepared just before serving.
• You can also make these taquitos with pork or use leftover steak to make beef taquitos!

How to Store Homemade Taquitos

• Refrigerator: Wrap the taquitos individually or in small groups in aluminum foil, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: My favorite way to store taquitos! Allow the taquitos to cool, then slide them in a single layer into a freezer-safe plastic bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: I prefer my taquitos crispy, so I reheat them in the oven at 400°F for 7 minutes or in the air fryer at 400°F for 4 minutes. If heating from frozen, double the time, and keep them wrapped in foil to avoid burning.
• Thawing: Taquitos can easily be cooked from frozen following my steps above! However, you can also thaw them in the fridge overnight before heating them.

Mexican Recipes

• Mexican Street Corn
• Mexican Street Corn Casserole
• BBQ Chicken Nachos
• Street Corn Dip
• Easy Taco Casserole

For more chicken recipes and inspiration on how to cook chicken perfectly, follow my Chicken Temperature Chart!

Homemade Chicken Taquitos FAQ

Updated 11/17/2019.