Description
These Chicken Taquitos are crispy, flavorful rolled tortillas filled with seasoned ground chicken, cheese, and a blend of spices. Baked to golden perfection, they make a delicious and satisfying appetizer or main dish served with fresh lettuce, pico de gallo, and optional guacamole or sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Filling
- 1 pound 93% lean ground chicken
- ½ small yellow onion, finely chopped
- ½ (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (4 ounces)
- ¼ cup water
Taquitos and Toppings
- 16 6-inch flour tortillas (or corn tortillas, check labels for gluten-free option)
- 4 ounces Mexican cheese blend (about 1 cup shredded)
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup pico de gallo, drained
- Guacamole or sour cream (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Set aside for later use.
- Mix seasoning: In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, chili powder, and dried oregano. Stir well to blend all the spices evenly.
- Cook chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray it with olive oil. Add the ground chicken and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula as it cooks. Once fully cooked, sprinkle the prepared seasoning mix over the chicken and stir to coat evenly.
- Add aromatics and simmer: Add the finely chopped onion, tomato sauce, and water to the skillet with the seasoned chicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Warm tortillas: Working in small batches, stack 3 tortillas between two paper towels and microwave them for 30 seconds, or until they are warm and pliable. This step prevents them from cracking when rolled.
- Assemble taquitos: Lay a warmed tortilla flat on a clean work surface. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling along the bottom third of the tortilla. Sprinkle approximately 1 tablespoon of the shredded Mexican cheese on top of the filling.
- Roll and arrange: Carefully roll the tortilla up tightly from the bottom to form a tube around the filling. Place the rolled taquito seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Bake to crisp: Once all taquitos are assembled on the baking sheet, spray the tops lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the tortillas are golden and crispy.
- Serve: Serve the crispy chicken taquitos hot topped or accompanied by shredded iceberg lettuce, pico de gallo, and optional guacamole or sour cream for dipping.
Notes
- You can substitute corn tortillas for a gluten-free option but ensure they are pliable to avoid cracking by warming properly.
- Ground turkey or beef can be used instead of chicken for variation.
- For extra crispiness, you can broil the taquitos for 1-2 minutes at the end of baking but watch closely to prevent burning.
- Make sure to drain pico de gallo well to avoid soggy taquitos.
- Leftover filling can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and used as a taco or burrito filling.
