Kid-friendly Chicken Taquitos, rolled tortillas filled with ground chicken and cheese and baked until crispy, are perfect for making ahead and keeping stashed in the freezer! Perfect for back-to-school lunch!
Chicken and Cheese Taquitos
Stash these crispy chicken taquitos in your freezer for a quick lunch or after- school snack that you can reheat anytime. The protein-packed filling, made with ground chicken and cheese, is incredibly flavorful, and you can use either flour or corn tortillas (I find flour much easier to work with). They reheat well in the oven or air fryer and are delicious served as an appetizer with salsa and guacamole for dipping. If you want a shrimp version, you’ll love my shrimp taquitos!
Why This Recipe Works
I love homemade taquitos! They’re like quesadillas, but rolled up—perfect for dipping into salsa. I tested them with both corn and flour tortillas. Tommy preferred the corn, while Madison liked the flour (and honestly, the flour were easier to roll since the corn tends to crack). She loved them so much she ate them all week, so I ended up making a second batch to keep in the freezer.
- Great for school lunch if your kids don’t mind eating them cold.
- Freezer Friendly: They freeze and reheat well, so I like to keep them stocked in my freezer for fast meals and snacks.
- Kid Friendly: Taquitos are basically just tacos but crunchier, so they’re a good recipe to try if you’re looking for ways to switch things up for your children.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free (depending on your tortillas), high-protein, dairy-free (if using DF cheese)
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients for this easy chicken taquito recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Taco Seasoning: Garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, chili powder, and dried oregano season the chicken.
- 93% Lean Ground Chicken means it contains only 7% fat, making it a fantastic low-calorie protein option.
- Onion infuses the chicken with flavor.
- Liquid: The meat simmers in a mixture of tomato sauce and water to prevent it from drying out.
- Tortillas: Choose your favorite corn or flour tortillas based on your family’s preference.
- Cheese: The shredded Mexican cheese blend melts and helps hold the taquitos together.
- Vegetables for Serving: To turn these taquitos into a full meal, serve them over shredded iceberg lettuce and pico de gallo for a quick salad, and dip them in guacamole or sour cream. To save time, look for premade pico and guac in the produce section of your supermarket.
How to Make Chicken Taquitos
These chicken taquitos require minimal effort–just three easy steps! See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Cook the Taco Meat: Place the ground chicken in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s broken into smaller pieces and no longer pink, sprinkle it with the spices. Add the onion, water, and tomato sauce, then simmer for 20 minutes.
- Roll the Taquitos: Microwave 3 tortillas at a time to make them easier to handle. Spread the chicken mixture on the bottom of a tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. (Don’t overfill them or the chicken mixture could seep out.) Roll the tortilla up and place it on a greased, foil-lined sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Bake the taquitos for 15 minutes at 400°F, until golden and crisp.
- Top with your favorite taco fixins or serve them over lettuce.
Variations
- Protein: Swap ground chicken with lean ground turkey or ground beef.
- Taco Seasoning: If you have a favorite taco seasoning, feel free to use it instead of the individual spices.
- Cheese: If you can’t find a shredded Mexican cheese blend, cheddar or Monterey Jack will also work. If you can’t eat dairy-free, look for a shredded plant-based cheese.
- Adjust the heat: If you’re serving these as a game-day appetizer for adults, feel free to add minced jalapeños to the chicken to make them spicier.
Meal Prep Tips
Chicken and cheese taquitos are a great choice for meal prep because they last in the refrigerator for 4 days and reheat nicely. Here’s what you need to know about freezing and reheating them:
- To freeze: Let the taquitos cool completely after baking, then place them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Transfer to the freezer and store for up to 3 months.
- To reheat in the oven: Preheat it to 400°F. Place the frozen taquitos on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, or until heated through.
- To reheat in an air fryer: Preheat the appliance to 380°F for 3 minutes. Air fry frozen taquitos for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
FAQ
You can use either type of tortilla. However, flour tortillas are easier to work with, so I usually choose those. Use corn for gluten-free
Microwaving the tortillas in batches makes them more pliable and prevents cracking. Also, as soon as you roll them up, place them seam side down on the baking sheet. Once they bake, the cheese melts and the tortillas harden so that they won’t fall apart.
More Back-To-School Ideas You’ll Love
For more easy lunch ideas, check out these five delicious back-to-school recipes to inspire your kids’ next meal! If you have picky kids, be sure to check out my kid-friendly recipe collection.
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 2 taquitos
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
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In a small bowl, combine the seasoning from garlic powder to oregano.
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with oil and add the ground chicken and cook until no longer pink, breaking it into smaller pieces. When cooked through, add dry seasoning and mix well.
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Add the onion, tomato sauce and water then bring the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
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Working in batches, place 3 tortillas between two paper towels and microwave 30 seconds until they are warm and pliable.
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Place a tortilla on a clean, dry work surface and then spread 2 tablespoons filling onto the bottom third of the tortilla and top with 1 tablespoon of cheese.
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Roll the tortilla up from the bottom to surround the filling and once it’s rolled into a tube, place it on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling, spray the tops with oil, then bake until tortillas start to get golden and crispy, 15 minutes.
Last Step:
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- To serve immediately: Place 1 cup shredded lettuce on each plate and top with 2 taquitos, ¼ cup pico de gallo and optional guacamole and sour cream on each.
- To freeze: Allow taquitos to cool completely then place in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Transfer to freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat in oven: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place frozen taquitos on a sheet pan and cook 15 to 18 minutes, or until heated through.
- To reheat in air-fryer: Preheat for 3 minutes. Set air fryer to 380°F and cook frozen taquitos 8 minutes, flipping half way through.
Nutritional info calculated with corn tortillas.
Serving: 2 taquitos, Calories: 254 kcal, Carbohydrates: 26 g, Protein: 17 g, Fat: 9.5 g, Saturated Fat: 3.5 g, Cholesterol: 56.5 mg, Sodium: 522 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 4.5 g
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