Make Ahead Chicken Taquitos
Taquitos are a great snack or a fun appetizer idea. But why serve boring, store-bought taquitos when you can easily make your own from scratch? This flavorful chicken taquitos recipe is packed with Mexican flavor. And since you can make them at home and store them in the freezer until you’re ready to eat them, they’re the perfect make ahead meal or snack for your family!
Having homemade chicken taquitos in your freezer ensures an easy snack or lunch is always at the ready. I find them especially helpful with a house full of hungry teenagers!
Other make ahead snack ideas:
Chicken Taquitos Recipe
Ingredients:
- 12 flour tortillas
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (I sometimes use rotisserie chicken)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups Jack cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup spinach, stems removed, sliced
- 4 ounces can green chilies
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- salt to taste
Assembly Instructions:
- Stir together the shredded chicken, cream cheese, Jack cheese, cilantro, lime juice, spinach, green chilis, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Spread a spoon full of the chicken mixture in a line down the center of each tortilla.
- Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling.
- Place the taquitos seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place the baking sheet flat in the freezer and allow the taquitos to freeze completely.
- Once the taquitos are frozen, transfer them to a large freezer bag. Remove excess air from the bag, seal it, and place it in the freezer until ready to start cooking.
Cooking instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly spray the paper with cooking spray.
- Take out as many taquitos as you want to bake and arrange them in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the taquitos are crispy and the filling is cooked through.
Can I Make Chicken Taquitos with Corn Tortillas?
This delicious chicken taquito recipe can be made with either corn or flour tortillas. The type of tortilla shells you choose will depend on your own family’s preferences. You’ll need the same amount of corn tortillas as flour tortillas for this recipe.
While preparing taquitos with corn tortillas is just as simple as making them with flour tortillas, there is one extra step you’ll need to take before you start rolling your filling inside the shell.
Since corn tortillas are more prone to cracking, it’s a good idea to warm them up before you start to roll your taquitos. Simply follow the instructions on the tortilla package to heat your corn tortillas, then keep them covered to help them retain their moisture as you work.
Do I Need to Thaw Frozen Taquitos Before Cooking?
Freezing your taquitos is a great way to prep them ahead of time. And the good news is that you don’t need to take the time to thaw the frozen taquitos before you cook them! Simply pop them in a preheated oven and bake them until they heated through.
You’ll need to increase the cooking time slightly if cooking from frozen, but keep a close eye as they brown quickly.
Chicken Taquito Recipe Ideas
This Southwestern inspired taquito recipe is delicious as-is. But if you want to make some changes to the filling ingredients, go right ahead! Try these recipe variations to create a delicious appetizer and snack that everyone in the family can enjoy.
- Try different meat. Chicken is our favorite filling when making taquitos, but it’s not the only option! You can also try adding shredded beef, ground beef, shredded pork, or ground turkey.
- Add some taco seasoning. Give your taquitos even more Mexican flavor with the help of some more seasoning. Mix around one tablespoon of taco seasoning into the filling to enhance the flavor.
- Give it some spice. This taquitos recipe is on the mild side, so if you prefer spicy appetizers, you can easily increase the heat. Simply add some chopped jalapeños to the filling to take the heat level up a few notches.
- Use different cheeses. The cream cheese in this recipe makes the filling nice and creamy, so I wouldn’t replace that. But you can mix in other cheese varieties to give your filling even more flavor. Try adding some cheddar, queso fresco, or fiesta blend.
Chicken Taquito Topping Ideas
Our favorite part about making taquitos for dinner is that you can customize each dish! With the help of a few delicious toppings and dips, everyone in your family can create their own Mexican dinner to eat. Try serving your taquitos with some of these toppings and sauces so everyone in your family has a dinner to enjoy.
- Cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped bell peppers
- Jalapeno slices
- Diced avocado
- Chopped onion
- Black olives
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Fresh cilantro
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Bean dip
- Queso dip
- Ranch dressing
What to Serve with Chicken Taquitos?
Chicken taquitos make a great dinner idea because they pair so well with a variety of other Mexican dishes. The next time you add these make ahead taquitos to your dinner rotation, try adding these other recipe ideas to your dinner menu:
- Refried beans
- Mexican rice
- Mexican street corn
- Chips and salsa
- Cilantro Lime Corn
- 12 flour tortillas
- 3 cups chicken cooked and shredded
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups Jack cheese shredded
- 3 Tbsp. cilantro chopped
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 cup spinach stems removed, sliced
- 4 oz green chilies
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- salt to taste
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Stir together the shredded chicken, cream cheese, Jack cheese, cilantro, lime juice, spinach, green chilis, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
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Spread a spoon full of the chicken mixture in a line down the center of each tortilla.
-
Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling.
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Place the taquitos seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
-
Place the baking sheet flat in the freezer and allow the taquitos to freeze completely.
-
Once the taquitos are frozen, transfer them to a large freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
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Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Take out as many taquitos as you want to bake and arrange them in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
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Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the taquitos are crispy and the filling is cooked through.
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Serve with guacamole or salsa if desired.
