Baked Chicken Taquitos

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These baked chicken taquitos are amazing any day of the week! They are great for a quick meal or as an easy appetizer for a get-together with friends and family.

These baked chicken taquitos come together quickly (especially with prepping the shredded chicken ahead of time) and are also a great freezer meal option too. We love delicious food, but we especially love delicious food that is also easy! This recipe checks both of those boxes. See below for some great tips on how to create these tasty taquitos. 

What ingredients do you need?

Shredded Chicken

There are a few options you can choose from to prepare the shredded chicken breast beforehand. See the “How is it done?” section below for more information on how to prepare the chicken. You can prepare the chicken the same day you assemble the taquitos, but be aware it will add more time to the prep depending on which option you choose. 

Black Beans

A can of black beans is perfect to use in this recipe! We prefer to drain the beans and give them a good rinse under water before adding to the taquito filling. This helps wash off some of the additional sodium that is added to the beans during the canning process.  

Salsa

This salsa will be used in the filling to provide moisture and help the mixture bind together. You can choose any salsa to use here–jarred salsa or refrigerated salsa both work great. 

Spices

All you will need are a few simple spices to pack the flavor into these taquitos. Cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and salt are spice cabinet staples that are sure to excite your taste buds!

Lime

Lime juice is the ingredient that really takes the flavors to the next level in these taquitos. Not only does the lime add a bright, fresh flavor to the meal, but it also enhances the flavor of the other ingredients and serves as a tenderizer for the chicken. The lime juice is the finishing touch that pulls all of the ingredients in the filling together!

Corn Tortillas

We recommend using corn tortillas for this recipe. As a fun little tidbit–a taquito made with a flour tortilla is actually called a flauta (which is also delicious!). But since we are making traditional taquitos, we will be using corn tortillas here. You can usually buy corn tortillas in a pack of 30 for only a few dollars, but you can even find packs of 80 if you’re planning to make a big batch. 

Note

We have chosen to make these taquitos dairy-free, but you can always add shredded cheese to the taquito filling if you prefer. 

Toppings

When it comes to taquitos, you can’t forget the toppings! We love to pile on the toppings when eating these taquitos. See our favorites below!

• Guacamole (See our favorite recipe here!)
• Salsa or pico de gallo
• Chipotle Bitchin’ Sauce (Pardon our French, but that’s the name of the sauce! You can buy this dairy-free, almond-based chipotle sauce at most grocery stores in the refrigerated section. It is so delicious!)
• Cholula hot sauce
• Diced tomatoes
• Shredded lettuce
• Sliced jalapeños
• Squeeze of lime
• Sour cream or plain yogurt (if not dairy-free)

What equipment do you need?

This recipe does not require any fancy equipment–you only need a few basic kitchen items.

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Large bowl
• Kitchen towel or paper towel

How is it done?

Begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees and lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

There are several ways you can prepare the shredded chicken, we find the easiest to be in the crockpot, instant pot, or simply by using a rotisserie chicken. 

For the crockpot option, spray the crockpot with nonstick spray, place 3 medium chicken breasts into the crockpot and pour 1 cup of water or chicken broth over the top. If you’d like to season the chicken, you can do so to your preference using spices such as garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, or cumin. Select the high setting and cook for 4 hours. 

For the instant pot option, spray the instant pot with nonstick spray, place 3 medium chicken breasts inside and pour 1 cup water or chicken broth over the top. You can season the chicken to your preference as mentioned above. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes before lifting the lid.

The next step will be to shred the chicken. You can place the chicken (whether chicken breast or rotisserie) into a large bowl and shred it with two forks or place the chicken in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed with the paddle attachment.  It is helpful for the chicken to be finely shredded, as this will help the taquito filling stick together.

Place the shredded chicken breast into a large bowl. Measure out the black beans, salsa, spices, and lime juice and put them into the bowl. Mix all ingredients together until the chicken and beans are evenly coated in the salsa and spices. 

Before assembling the taquitos, warm up the corn tortillas. Start by getting a dishcloth or a couple of paper towels and running it briefly under water. Ring out any excess water, leaving a damp towel. Wrap the corn tortillas in the center of the towel. Heat the wrapped tortillas in the microwave for one minute or until the tortillas are very warm. You want the tortillas to be warm when you make the taquitos to prevent cracking and crumbling of the tortilla. If they are cool before you have finished assembly, warm them up again in 30-second increments. 

To assemble, add ¼ cup of the chicken and bean filling to the center of a tortilla and roll both sides together, folding one edge slightly over the other. Repeat this process for all 18 taquitos and place the rolled taquitos closely together on the baking sheet to prevent unrolling. Spray the tops of the taquitos with olive or avocado oil cooking spray. 

Place the taquitos in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan at 10 minutes. Remove the taquitos when they are golden brown and crispy. Pick your favorite toppings (see suggestions above) and enjoy!

Anything else to consider?

We love to prepare these taquitos ahead of time, stick them in the freezer, and use them later as a quick meal on a busy day. Follow the recipe instructions up to the point of rolling all 18 taquitos and placing them on the baking sheet. Freeze the taquitos on the baking sheet, then transfer them into a Ziploc or reusable freezer bag. When you are ready to eat the taquitos, simply preheat the oven to 425 degrees, spray the taquitos with nonstick cooking spray, and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan at 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Is it GF/DF?

This recipe is both gluten-free (thanks, corn tortillas!) and dairy-free as long as you choose dairy-free toppings. As always, ensure that the specific ingredients you use and labeled according to your dietary needs.

If you make these easy chicken taquitos, please let us know how they turn out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!

The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Baked Chicken Taquitos." 

The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.