Baked Chicken Taquitos are baked crispy tortilla wraps with soft and creamy shredded chicken, spices, salsa, ranch dressing, cheese and corn filling. Drizzle some Sriracha mayonnaise on top to take these homemade taquitos to the next level!
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I am so in love with our family’s Mexican-style dinner nights where we love to make all sorts of Mexican dishes like Taco Board, Vegetarian Enchiladas, Baked Chicken Tacos or Street Tacos.
Personally, I like to have a mix of meat and vegetarian/vegan options at all times. Have you tried my Vegan Meat Tacos yet? Or the most fulfilling Sweet Potato Tacos with Vegan Parmesan?
Jump To
- Why It's Yummy
- So, What Are Taquitos?
- Ingredients
- Taquitos Dinner
- Which kind of tortillas can i use for taquitos?
- Are Taquitos Healthy?
- Instructions
- 🥗Make It Healthier
- Chicken Tip
- Storing and Freezing Instructions
- Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Variations
- Vegetarian Taquitos
- FAQs
- More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Easy Wraps
- Recipe
- Comments
Why It's Yummy
- Ease - baked taquitos are a convenient and versatile meal option. They're easy to prepare and can be frozen or made ahead for future use. You can stuff them with a variety of fillings to create endless flavor combinations.
- Versatile - Enjoy these taquitos for dinner, breakfast, as an appetizer, or as a satisfying side dish. Customize them with different fillings and toppings each time for a new and exciting dish.
- Healthier taquitos - These homemade taquitos are baked instead of fried for a healthier twist. For added health benefits, make your own tortillas, giving you control over the ingredients and ensuring freshness.
📋 JULIA'S TIP The key to the best taquitos is to use fresh, high-quality ingredients and customize the recipe to your own taste preferences. Don't be afraid to experiment with new flavor combinations and fillings.
So, What Are Taquitos?
Chicken taquitos are a convenient and delicious choice for a quick meal. Similar to flautas or tacos, they involve stuffing small tortillas with tasty meat or chicken fillings, then baking in oven or frying them.
You can also opt for an air fryer method to reduce calories with minimal oil while achieving excellent results.
Taquitos vs Flautas
Flautas are created by rolling a delicious filling within a larger tortilla, whereas taquitos consist of smaller tortillas. In terms of shape, flautas are elongated and slender, while taquitos are shorter and more rounded.
When it comes to the type of tortilla used, flautas offer the versatility of being made with either flour or corn tortillas, whereas taquitos are traditionally crafted using corn tortillas.
Fun fact: Crispy fried taquitos sold in Mexico are often called tacos dorados ("golden tacos") or flautas.
Ingredients
- Tortillas - corn or flour tortillas. Choose fresh tortillas that are pliable and free from cracks or dry spots. Gluten-free tortillas can also be used, but these need to be of the best quality as they often break easily. For easy handling and to avoid cracking, warm the tortillas before rolling.
- Chicken - cooked chicken breasts, rotisserie chicken (check for ingredients as store-bought options often contain gluten in the seasonings), leftover chicken dinner, whatever you have will work and make this recipe faster. We also like to use beef, pork, shrimp, or crumbled tofu.
- Cheese - Colby, Monterey Jack, Cheddar cheese, or Mexican blend cheese. Grate the cheese from a block so it can melt better.
- Spices - use homemade taco seasoning or fajita mix from the store (check the ingredients for the GF option). Or mix different spices popular in Mexican-inspired recipes: ground cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, or onion powder.
- Salsa - we like to serve creamy taquitos with a hot salsa or enchilada sauce but feel free to use your favorite store-bought version.
Taquitos Dinner
Mexican recipes are always the best, no matter the season or time of year. If you are looking to round out your meal, take a look at this compilation for inspiration on what to serve with taquitos for a satisfying dinner.
Which kind of tortillas can i use for taquitos?
For gluten-free options use gluten-free tortillas (but not sold everywhere). Also, another great choice is to use Corn tortillas. Any other tortillas of your choice will work too.
Corn tortillas (or any tortillas) are more flexible and easier to roll if heated first. There are two options that I recommend for this.
- First choice:
Wrap them in foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
- Second choice:
Flash fry Tortillas: In a deeper skillet or saucepan, heat up some vegetable oil. Add enough oil so it will cover the tortilla entirely once you dip them in.
When the oil is heated, take one tortilla at a time (using kitchen tongs) and dip in bubbly oil for 10 seconds. Don’t ‘’fry’’ them or cook, just dip and remove to a side plate lined with a kitchen towel/paper. The idea is to warm and soften tortillas to ease the rolling and prevent cracks/tearing.
Are Taquitos Healthy?
Homemade version for sure! But will depend on the filling though.
If you are eating in a Mexican restaurant/ordering takeaway, then most probably it may be unhealthy (but delicious too!).
The thing with most places, you can’t be sure about how the food was prepared, control the amount of packaged sauce, salt, and other bad-for-you ingredients used.
But with homemade taquitos you can have a way healthier version + eat MORE because making taquitos in the oven will have fewer calories too! (however, this will depend on the filling + sour cream and cheese amount obviously).
Taquitos calories tip - If you’re on a diet, make sure to use either homemade corn tortillas or regular tortillas and go for low fat yogurt, sour cream or choose a milder cheese for your taquitos (if needed at all).
Instructions
Prep. Preheat oven to 425 F.
Grease casserole (9 x 13) with oil.
Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven for a few seconds to make them pliable and easier to roll. Wrap the tortillas with aluminum foil or keep in a warm oven when you make them chicken mixture.
In a medium bowl mix the filling ingredients: shredded chicken, spices, corn, cheese, salsa, and ranch dressing. Salt and pepper to taste.
Roll. Take one tortilla (warmed) and add 2 heaping tablespoon of the filling in the middle of the tortilla, roll it together, and set aside on a plate (seam side down).
Quick tip to secure the taquitos: use toothpicks or cooking twine to secure them so that they do not unravel during cooking.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy exterior and golden brown color. Tortillas should be slightly crispy on the outside.
🥗Make It Healthier
Chicken: Choose fresh, high-quality chicken that is free from bruises or discoloration. If possible, choose organic or free-range chicken for the best flavor and texture.
Seasoning: When selecting spices for your baked taquitos, it's best to choose fresh, aromatic spices that have a robust flavor. These are often sold in specialized spice shops in small quantities. Or you can easily make your own. We like a fajita or taco seasoning here.
Chicken Tip
Best way to make shredded chicken fast:
Cook the chicken in a pot with water or bake it until it is fully cooked and tender. Check with a meat thermometer for doneness, it should register 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Overcooked chicken can become dry and tough, making it difficult to shred.
Let chicken cool and transfer to a large bowl. With an electric handheld mixer shred the chicken until small pieces. You can also use two forks but this will take longer time.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
To Store. Any leftover taquitos can be stored in an airtight container, preferrable glass and kept refrigerated for 2-3 days. 1-2 months in the freezer. Allow the tortillas to cool to room temperature first.
To Freeze. Frozen taquitos can be thawed slightly (optional and depending on your freezer settings) and then reheated in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Or you can also microwave them.
To Make ahead. You can cook the chicken in advance 2-3 days and store it in the refrigerator until ready to make the recipe. The filling can be mixed in advance as well, 1-2 days.
Tips
- Ranch dressing - make your own ranch dressing or buy from the store. Don't have or don't want to use ranch dressing? Then mix sour cream or yogurt Italian herbs, garlic, and onion powder, and some salt and pepper to taste.
- Cream cheese taquitos - swap the ranch dressing for cream cheese and add few dried herbs to the mix. Or simply use the same filling from Creamy Chicken Tacos.
- Corn tortillas (or any tortillas) are more flexible and easier to roll if heated first. Wrap them in foil and bake in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes.
- Cheese - the more cheese the better! I always love my tortilla wraps, taquitos, tacos with lots of cheese and the best is to use two types of cheeses either varieties of Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. You can also use grated mozzarella which melts fantastically!
- Add some color - try different combinations of tortillas like corn, wheat, naturally colored tortillas with spinach/sun-dried tomatoes/beetroot/carrots/poblano peppers/curry/turmeric.
- To keep your chicken and cheese taquitos tightly rolled while cooking, you can use toothpicks or cooking twine to secure them. Insert toothpicks through the center of the taquito, or tie cooking twine around the chicken taquito to hold it together.
- Do not overfill the taquitos as this will cause the filling to come out and the taquitos to burst open during cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the dish when making these. Add all your taquitos in a single layer so they can cook evenly.
- You can also make these taquitos in your air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190°C). Place the rolled taquitos in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Use cooking spray or brush the taquitos with little oil and air fry for 10-12 minutes or longer and until golden brown and crispy.
Serving Suggestions
These little taquitos are delicious as an appetizer, main dish or served as a side to other Mexican food recipes. To serve it as a meal add plenty of smaller side dishes, sales and sips.
We like to serve tauqitos with our favorite dips and sides:
- Diced avocados
- Pico de gallo (authentic Mexican salsa) or smooth salsa either homemade or storebought
- Chile con Queso - a cheesy dip that consists of melted cheese and chili peppers.
- Avocado crema - a mix of avocado, sour cream, and lime/lemon juice.
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Guacamole
- Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice
- Hot sauce like Sriracha, Tabasco, Homemade Buffalo sauce or Sriracha Mayo that I've used for this recipe
- Jalapenos (fresh or marinated/pickled)
- Diced tomatoes
- Cilantro/Coriander chopped or whole leaves
- Lime wedges
- Cherry tomatoes cut in half
- Black olives (pitted & sliced)
- Mexican style corn such as cajun corn on the cob or use canned Corn
- Cotija cheese or feta cheese
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (also coconut yogurt will taste delish!)
- Pickled cabbage or Mexican Slaw
Variations
- Buffalo Chicken Taquitos - you can use my healthy buffalo chicken dip filling for these taquitos.
- Beef Taquitos - instead of chicken, use my taco meat for the filling instead. And instead of ranch dressing use a hot red sauce or quick enchilada sauce.
- Breakfast Taquitos - add breakfast sausage, Italian sausage and some scrambled eggs and veggies.
- Vegetarian Taquitos - see more details in the next paragraph.
Vegetarian Taquitos
Looking for vegetarian taquitos? I have a few options to choose from.
You can make a vegetarian version of these and swap chicken for black beans, pinto beans, and corn. I have a similar recipe on my blog with my Vegetarian Enchiladas. You can use the same filling for these too.
- Kidney beans, black beans and lentils mix
- Add rice
- Sweet potatoes & kale or spinach (Also delicious combo, try my Vegan Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Kale Tacos)
- Vegan taco meat filling from my Vegan Meat Tacos recipe
- Cheese & onion/garlic
- Mushrooms
FAQs
A meaty filling consisting of cheese, salsa, beans, chicken, pork or beef wrapped in corn tortillas and then baked, deepfried or cooked in skillet. The word "taquito" actually means "little taco" in Spanish.
Traditional ‘’authentic’’ Mexican taquitos are generally made with corn tortillas. If you’re making these homemade you can use your favorite tortillas.
To achieve crispy taquitos, use fresh tortillas or lightly toast them beforehand. Apply a thin coat of oil or butter before baking. Use a wire rack for even heat circulation. And check your oven temperature as per the recipe instructions.
Serve taquitos with the same sides that you would with tacos! From classic guacamole, salsa, corn on the cob recipes, dips to fajitas. Explore more side dishes for taquitos in this comprehensive guide for 20+ sides to serve with taquitos.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Easy Shrimp Fajitas (Prawn Fajita)
- Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
- 5 Minute Pan-Seared Ahi Tuna Tacos With Mango Salsa
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Fajita Pasta
Easy Wraps
💗I hope you'll enjoy these homemade chicken taquitos, please leave a rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo of your food and tag me on Instagram @theyummy_bowl. I love seeing your creations! 💗
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Recipe
Baked Chicken Taquitos
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cup shredded/pulled chicken, rotisserie chicken is fine
- 1 cup of Ranch dressing, see notes
- 3 tablespoons Salsa, mild or spicy, your choice!
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 small gluten-free tortillas or corn, warmed (see notes in the recipe card or in the beginning of this blog post)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon fajita spice mix, or my homemade taco seasoning, see notes
- 2 tablespoon green onion, chopped
- ½ cup corn, canned or fresh
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded (see notes)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prep. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease casserole (9 x 13) with oil.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven for a few seconds to make them pliable and easier to roll. Wrap the tortillas with aluminium foil or keep in warm oven whie you make them chicken mixture.
- In a medium bowl mix the filling ingredients: shredded chicken, spices, corn, cheese, salsa, and ranch dressing. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Roll. Take one tortilla (warmed) and add 2 tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the tortilla, roll it together, and set aside on a plate (seam side down). Spray each tortilla with cooking oil. Quick tip to secure the taquitos: use toothpicks or cooking twine to secure them so that they do not unravel during cooking.
- Place in casserole dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy exterior and golden brown color. You can turn the broiler setting towards the last 5-10 minutes. Tortillas should be slightly crispy on the outside.
VIDEO
NOTES
- You can use my Taco Seasoning here instead of fajita seasoning.
- Tortillas - corn or flour tortillas. Choose fresh tortillas that are pliable and free from cracks or dry spots. Gluten-free tortillas can also be used, but these need to be of the best quality as they often break easily. For easy handling and to avoid cracking, warm the tortillas before rolling.
- Chicken - cooked chicken breasts, rotisserie chicken (check for ingredients as store-bought options often contain gluten in the seasonings), leftover chicken dinner, whatever you have will work and make this recipe faster. We also like to use beef, pork, shrimp, or crumbled tofu.
- Cheese - Colby, Monterey Jack, Cheddar cheese, or Mexican blend cheese. Grate the cheese from a block so it can melt better.
- Salsa - we like to serve creamy taquitos with a hot salsa or enchilada sauce but feel free to use your favorite store-bought version.
- Why are my taquitos not crispy? To achieve crispy taquitos, use fresh tortillas or lightly toast them beforehand. Apply a thin coat of oil or butter before baking. Use a wire rack for even heat circulation. And check your oven temperature as per the recipe instructions.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
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Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Delicious chicken taquitos that ae baked and not fried. Enjoy!
Anjali
I used your tips about making a vegetarian version and replaced the chicken with black beans. My whole family loved this recipe!! I'll definitely be making it again!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Anjali, veggie ones are out favorite too!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
This was my first time trying taquitos and they were so good. Love the crisp outside and the delicious filling. Perfect!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
they are perfect thank you Amanda!
Stephanie
Yum! This is one of those dishes the family will ask for again! This was my first time making taquitos so I appreciated the video and detailed instructions - made it easy for me to put together.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you Stephanie, so glad to hear you liked it!
Tara
Oooh, so many wonderful flavors paired with these baked chicken taquitos. I especially love that drizzle over the top.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Thank you Tara!