You can’t miss with these delicious Baked Chicken Taquitos! It only takes minutes to fill your tortillas with a blend of shredded chicken, creamy cheeses and a few seasonings. Bake them until crispy then finish them off with your favorite toppings. Quick, easy and delicious- this recipe is a total win!
I love these taquitos! They’re seriously so easy to make. I can have them served up in less than 25 minutes from prep to plate, which is so perfect for a busy night when I want to prepare something nutritious for my kids but am short on time. These are also a really great party food when you have a group to serve! Easy to make in batches, simple to serve and perfect for dipping! Be prepared to double this recipe because these taquitos disappear fast!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Easy & Fast – With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep, this winning recipe comes together SO quickly!
- Protein-Packed – Flavorful protein meals are winners in my book and these taquitos are filled with so much healthy, chicken protein.
- Family Approved – Kids and adults love these tasty taquitos. Choose your favorite topping and everyone approves!
- Meal Prepping – This recipe has a great refrigerator shelf life and is so simple to separate and package for meal prepping.
Recipe Notes
This Baked Chicken Taquito recipe is as simple as promised! Just a a few simple ingredients, minimal prep and place it in the oven for a family friendly meal the kids will love and you’ll be proud to serve.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make these easy, oven-baked chicken taquitos to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cream Cheese – If you have the time, allow it to sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes so it’s soft enough to handle.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – I recommend shredding your own cheese. It just combines with other ingredients better and melts easier.
- Chopped Green Chiles
- Chicken – You can use any cooked, shredded chicken. My go-t0 is always buying a rotisserie chicken. It’s so easy and economical!
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, salt & cumin
- 12 Tortillas – Flour tortillas are my recommendation for this recipe. However, you can use whole wheat, low carb, or if you have dietary restrictions you could use gluten-free or corn tortillas.
- Vegetable Oil
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Spicy Baked Chicken Taquitos– If you like a spicy kick, you can easily swap out the cheddar cheese for pepper jack. You can also add diced fresh or pickled jalapenos.
- Mini Baked Chicken Taquitos– Grab some mini, street taco size tortillas and you’ve got yourself the perfect party food!
- Baked Chicken & Veggie Taquitos– Taquitos are traditionally only protein & cheese filled. However, if you’re looking to up your vegetable game, you can add some fresh chopped spinach, diced mushrooms, diced zucchini or other favorite veggies.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make these baked chicken taquitos.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green chiles, garlic powder, salt, cumin and shredded chicken.
Lay tortilla flat and spread about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture from end to end in the center of the tortilla.
Tightly roll the tortilla around the mixture. Repeat until all tortillas are rolled.
Brush half of the oil on a large baking sheet. Arrange the tortillas onto the sheet so they aren’t touching. Brush the remaining oil over the top of each taquito and bake.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t crowd the pan– You want the air to be able to circulate around each taquito so they come out crispy. If they’re touching, they’ll stick together and will be unevenly cooked.
- Allow cheese to sit first – If you allow both cheeses to sit at room temperature just a bit, they’ll be easier to mix and will blend together really well.
- Double it!– If you think this is a recipe your family will gobble up and still want for lunches or snacks after, go ahead and double the recipe! These make such an easy grab and go meal or hearty protein snack for hungry kids!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Rotisserie chicken – Grabbing a rotisserie chicken from the store is my favorite way to get cooked, tender and flavorful chicken into recipes fast!
- Prepare filling in advance – This is already a quick recipe, but to make it even faster at meal time you can easily prepare the chicken mixture up to 3 days in advance. Place into an air tight container in the fridge until you’re ready to spread it onto the tortillas.
- Cooking spray – Spraying the pan AND the top of the taquitos with a vegetable oil, olive oil or avocado oil spray makes prep even faster! Spraying on top of your taquitos also ensures every bit of the tortilla is touched with the oil to ensure it gets crispy in the oven.
- Prep toppings & dips in advance – You can easily enjoy these taquitos without toppings, but what’s the fun in that? Prepping your family’s favorite dips, such as guacamole, jalapeno ranch dressing, or pico de gallo in advance gives you fast topping options as well as leftover chip & dip snacking fun!
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Baked Chicken Taquito recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To freeze before cooking
- Prepare the chicken mixture
- Spread the mixture into each tortilla and roll
- Place rolled tortillas into a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze.
- When ready to enjoy, thaw in fridge overnight then bake.
How to Freeze Baked Chicken Taquitos After Cooking
- Allow cooked taquitos to cool
- Place in freezer bag or air tight container and freeze
- When ready to eat, thaw in fridge overnight, then warm in oven or air fryer
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Taquitos
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of cheesy, chicken Mexican dishes, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Toppings: Top with your choice of homemade pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole or jalapeno ranch.
- Mexican Street Corn Casserole
- Mexican Roasted Vegetables
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Crock Pot Black Beans
- Mexican Rice
- Crockpot Borracho Beans
- House salad with jalapeno ranch dressing
Baked Chicken Taquito Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Reheat in the oven or air frier to get the the taquitos nice and crispy again!
Recipe FAQ’s
Aren’t taquitos usually fried?
Yes, traditional taquitos are deep fried until crispy. Baking or even air frying them gives you a much healthier alternative, without sacrificing taste!
Are flautas and taquitos the same?
They are very similar! Actually, some restaurants use the names interchangeably. Traditionally, flautas use larger tortillas and are longer and thicker (resembling a flute!). Taquitos use smaller (sometimes corn) tortillas and are shorter, like a small taco.
Are taquitos only made with chicken?
While shredded chicken is a very common and popular filling, taquitos are also made with beef, pork, cheese or even potatoes. You can even make a vegetarian filling.
More EASY Dinner Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my EASY dinner recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Easy Greek Chicken
- Easy Hibachi Chicken
- Easy Italian Sausage Tortellini
- Easy Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Baked Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can chopped green chiles, (4 ounce can)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 3 cups shredded chicken, I use rotisserie
- 12 flour tortillas, 6 inch – taco sized
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- In a large bowl mix together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green chiles, garlic powder, salt, cumin, and shredded chicken.
- Spread about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture from end to end in the center of a tortilla, then tightly roll the tortilla around the mixture. Repeat until all taquitos are rolled.
- Brush half of the oil on a large baking sheet. Arrange the taquitos on the baking sheet so that they aren't touching to allow air to circulate around them in the oven. Brush the remaining oil over the top of each taquito.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edge of the taquitos are browned and the filling is hot through out.
- Remove from the oven and plate. If desired you can drizzle with sour cream and a sprinkle of pico de gallo for nice presentation.
Recipe Notes
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Jalapeno ranch
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