These easy chicken taquitos are made with shredded rotisserie chicken (my favorite store-bought shortcut!), melty cheddar cheese, and warm spices, all rolled into flour tortillas and baked or air-fried until perfectly crispy. They’re one of my go-to freezer meals and always a hit with my whole crew!
Table of Contents
Growing up in San Diego, taquitos were a staple on our family dinner table—crispy, golden, and filled with seasoned chicken and cheese. And while I’m all for the classic deep-fried variety, I’ve developed a lighter, oven-baked alternative that’s just as crispy and satisfying.
Using rotisserie chicken and a few pantry staples, these chicken and cheese taquitos come together quickly and easily. A quick bake in the oven (or air fryer!) yields an extra-crispy taquito that’s ready and waiting for a dive into chunky homemade guacamole, fresh pineapple salsa or a dollop of sour cream. All that’s missing is a strawberry margarita popsicle for dessert!
- Flour tortillas: Taquitos are typically made with corn tortillas (which you can absolutely use!), but I prefer to use small flour tortillas because they’re more pliable and easier to roll up (ie. less cracking). Want to go the homemade route? My foolproof flour tortilla recipe takes just 30 minutes!
- Chicken: You’ll need 3 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. Just like in my green chicken enchiladas, I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to keep things quick and easy. If you’ve got leftover grilled or roasted chicken, that works too.
- Cheese: Any variety of shredded cheese works. I usually go for sharp cheddar because it packs a lot of flavor, but Monterey Jack, pepper jack or even a Mexican blend are all delicious, too.
- Yellow onion + garlic: One cup of diced yellow onion adds a sweet, savory base to the taquito filling, while freshly minced garlic brings a punch of flavor.
- Lime juice: A splash of fresh lime juice brightens the whole filling and gives it a subtle zing.
- Spices: Cumin, paprika, salt and pepper add flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Sauté the onion and garlic. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and turns translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, just until it’s golden and fragrant.
- Add the spices and cooked chicken. Turn the heat down to low, then stir in the lime juice and seasonings. Add the shredded chicken and toss everything together until it’s evenly coated.
- Cool it down, then add the cheese. Transfer the chicken mixture to a large bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes—this helps keep the cheese from melting too early. Once it’s cooled slightly, stir in the shredded cheese.
- Roll ’em up! Lay the tortillas out on your work surface and add about 3 tablespoons of filling to the lower third of each one. Roll them up tightly, then secure each one with a toothpick to help them hold their shape.
- Bake or Air-Fry:
- Baked Taquitos: Preheat the oven to 425ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the taquitos seam-side down on the baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Air Fryer Taquitos: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Grease the basket with cooking spray, then arrange a portion of the taquitos in an even layer. Coat the taquitos with cooking spray (this ensures they get that crisp, crunchy exterior), then air-fry them until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite dips and toppings. I love these with chunky guacamole and fresh salsa—especially my homemade salsa verde. They’re also great with sour cream or a drizzle of hot sauce if you’re feeling spicy.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing Tips
To make ahead: You can prep the filling up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge, then assemble and bake the taquitos when you’re ready. You can even roll them up a few hours ahead of time—just keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
To store leftovers: Store cooked taquitos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a 350ºF oven or air fryer for a few minutes until they’re hot and crispy again. (The microwave works too, but they won’t be quite as crunchy.)
To freeze: Assemble the taquitos, but don’t bake them—just place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to eat, bake them straight from frozen at 425ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and heated through.
Sides to Serve
These easy chicken taquitos are a popular snack or appetizer, but I love serving them with a few sides to turn them into a full meal. Some of my favorite sides to serve with them include Cuban black beans, Mexican rice or a zesty elote corn salad.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (See Kelly's Notes for air fryer instructions.)
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until it’s translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until it’s golden and fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to low, and then add the lime juice, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper to the pan, stirring to combine. Add the shredded chicken, tossing to combine.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to a large bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes, and then stir in the shredded cheese.
- Arrange the tortillas on work surface then place about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of each tortilla. Tightly roll up the tortilla, secure it with a toothpick, and then place it seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the filling and rolling process with the remaining tortillas.
- Bake the taquitos for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy. (See below for air fryer instructions.) Serve with guacamole and salsa.
Kelly’s Notes
- Taquitos are traditionally made with corn tortillas, however you can use flour tortillas, which are much more pliable, and thus easier to roll. Want to go the homemade route? My foolproof flour tortilla recipe takes just 30 minutes!
- To cook the taquitos in an air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Grease the basket with cooking spray then arrange a portion of the taquitos in an even layer. Coat the taquitos with cooking spray then air-fry them until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes.
- To make ahead: You can prep the filling up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge, then assemble and bake the taquitos when you’re ready. You can even roll them up a few hours ahead of time—just keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
- To store leftovers: Store cooked taquitos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a 350ºF oven or air fryer for a few minutes until they’re hot and crispy again. (The microwave works too, but they won’t be quite as crunchy.)
- To freeze: Assemble the taquitos, but don’t bake them—just place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to eat, bake them straight from frozen at 425ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and heated through.
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
So easy and so good! My husband asked if we could have them for dinner two nights in a row :)
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Nora!
How do these compare to San Diego rolled tacos? My husband lived in the San Diego area for years and loved the rolled tacos from there. We live in Texas, and he really misses the rolled tacos. I’d love to have an authentic recipe to make some for him!
Hi Ladonna! I’m not sure which specific type of rolled taco you’re referencing, but I live in San Diego and created this recipe so I think they are quite authentic (particularly if you use a corn tortilla instead of flour!). Enjoy!
Looks very good. Will be trying very soon. Just wondering if you can make ahead and freeze and if so how long you would bake them for from Frozen. Maybe they should be partially cooked before they get put in the freezer I know you can buy them Frozen in the store not sure if they’re cooked or not
You can definitely freeze and reheat them! I’d make the recipe all the way through, cool them completely then store them in an airtight bag. To reheat, I find the easiest method is to wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave them for about 1 minute or until they’re warmed all the way through. Enjoy!
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So easy, SO tasty! Total crowd pleaser! I actually “pre rolled” the taquitos so all I had to do was pop them in the air fryer. They were easy to prep, and I was thrilled that the recipe pleased both the picky and snobby eaters at my table
Awesome! I’m so thrilled everyone enjoyed the recipe, Cayla!
These are so good! I used street taco sized flour tortillas and added a little enchilada sauce to the filling for moisture. I did find that the ends of the tortillas got brown, so I will lower the temp next time (I have a convection oven). As I grew up in CA and LOVE Mexican food, I was happy to find this recipe. It’s actually like a dry chicken and cheese enchilada. Thanks for the recipe! Any tips to prevent the browning would be welcome.
Hi there! You can try covering just the ends with foil wrap (so line them up then lay the foil across the tops/bottoms), otherwise, try rotating them halfway through vertical/horizontal so they’re getting even heat in all directions.
Excited to try! I’m not seeing the chicken broth on your ingredient list. Quantity probably doesn’t matter based on how it will be used, but how much are you warming up and using?
Thanks so much for catching that, Sharon! I’ve updated the recipe, as the chicken broth was used in a prior version featuring corn tortillas that need to be softened. No need for chicken broth if using flour tortillas!
My family loves these. I use flour tortillas and they crisp up very nicely. I make refried beans and serve with salsa and fresh guacamole.
YUM! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the recipe, Kim!
I made these taquitos for my family a while ago and they were amazing! Everyone loved them and we are definitely going to make them again. Totally worth the time it takes to make them!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Laurel!
This recipe sounds pretty tasty! Have been reading through all the comments. Has anyone even tried the oil dipping technique as shown in the video?? Everyone is commenting on the chicken broth technique. Just curious before giving this recipe a try.
Thanks and great work!
Feel free to use either method, Cyrus! Enjoy :)
It is delicious
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Celia!
I saw that you list the WW points as 11 for two taquitos. Can you tell me which WW plan these points are based on?
Hi Lori! The calculations are based on their standard SmartPoints program :)
I make these all the time. They are one of my famiies favorite. I make them ahead & freeze them, following instructions and season to taste. Thank you for sharing.
You are so welcome, Faith! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
My tortillas just totally fall apart if I dip them in the broth. Even a few seconds. Not sure what I’m doing wrong
Hi Andre – Did you dip them into simmering (it must be warm!) chicken broth?
will they be crispy if i dip flour into broth? im assuming it adds flavor, so id like to
Yes!
Can you make these ahead of time and then freeze and bake them? Or can you make them the morning of, pop them in the fridge until right before you are ready to bake and serve them? Your recipe looks amazing :)
Hi Becca – Yes and yes! Either way works :)
I made them last week with slow cooker chuck roast. Holy cow were thet great. My kids think I’m chef Tell!! Thanks Kelly!! You make me look like a rock star!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Trey!
These look awesome! I miss flautas. I can’t order them anymore because I can’t eat flour tortillas. This is perfect! I can’t wait to try them. :-)
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Molly!
Im 12 and i made this because my mom was so tired and we are doing this project in class and making a class cookbook! But how much cheese should you put in? In the video, it only like a little bit of cheese, but the recipe calls for 1 cup.
Hi Jack! You can follow the recipe as written. I hope you and your mom enjoy the taquitos!
Love so many of your recipes. Had such a difficult time with the tortillas and I followed the instructions closely. I may try the microwave suggestion.
Hi Susan! You could also use flour tortillas to avoid any cracking. :)
My husband and i LOVE this recipe- this is the 3rd time and has became a weekly dinner. One thing I’ve struggled with is cracking of the tortillas. BUT tonight I tried just putting 4 corn tortillas at a time in a damp paper towel, microwaves for 30 seconds and they are PERFECTLY pliable. Yay!!! Thank you for your delicious recipe!
I’m thrilled you and your husband have been enjoying this recipe, Victoria!
Love these!
Have you tried freezing?
Hi Danielle! I have never tried freezing these, so I can’t say with certainty what the best method would be. However, if I were to try to freeze them, I’d make sure they were securely wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. Let me know if you give it a shot!
If I use the flour tortillas do I need to soak them?
You shouldn’t have to!
Just made these myself and they tasted good. Even picky liked then. Couple of the tortillas fell apart, I found the way to avoid that was to not leave the tortilla in the broth too long and only dip one side.
Will be making these again.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I soaked my tortillas, but the cracked like crazy anyway! I’ll use flour next time! But they are in the oven and look yummy!
Hi Holly! You could definitely use flour tortillas to avoid any cracking.
Just made these last night and they were really yummy!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Shalee!
The corn tortillas I bought became really mushy in the broth, regardless of whether I just dipped them quickly or let them sit for 10 seconds. I used Mission’s “Super Thin” corn tortillas, so I think that was probably the problem as they were already kind of crumbly in the package.
Anyways, I decided to just heat each tortilla in the microwave for 9 seconds to warm it slightly, and that made them perfect, so that might be something to try for those of you who are having difficulties with getting the recipe to work out. :)
I made these last night, using flour tortillas (no broth needed). They turned out great!!
FYI- I was watching an episode of Steve Harvey with only kids as his guests, and a kid made this exact recipe on the show!
hi
kelly
i want to make them for kids lunch box,will they be good if i cook in the morning and pack for afternoon and if i use flour tortilla do i have to dip them in broth too! .
Hi there! Yes, the taquitos will last if stored in an airtight container. I haven’t made this recipe for flour tortillas, so I can’t say with certainty if you’d need to still dip them in the broth or not.
made these for dinner tonight and they’re all gone now! SO amazing. thank you for the recipe :D
What’s the best way to reheat these?
I cooked these tonight. The chicken was seasoned perfectly. But I will not use the chicken broth again. 10sec is wayyy to long or even a second for that matter. The tortillas were too soggy and cracked anyway. I will steam them with a damp paper towel in the microwave for a few mins nxt time. Otherwise, chicken had a great taste. To those who care, I made no changes to the recipe. Hate it when people say they loved a recipe that they made a zillion changes to.
These look like heaven! My husband and two sons will have these ate in thirty seconds!!! Can’t wait to cook them. I will post again to let you know how it goes. Thanks for sharing!
AMAZING! Made these tonight and looooved them!!
Awesome! This is what I like to hear, Carlyn :)
Hello Kelly..
I have a question..if i wanted to make several of these and freeze them, would you be so kind as to how they should be stored, etc? Thesevwould be wonderful tobhave on hand for an anytime meal! Thank you..
Valerie
Hi Valerie! I’ve never tried freezing these, so I can’t say for certainty what the best method would be. However, if I were to try to freeze them, I’d make sure they were securely wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. Hope that helps!
Hey there! Just wanted to mention that the broth turned my tortillas to mush, regardless if they were in there for 5 seconds or 10. We always hat our tortillas on the gas stove burner for a few seconds, flipping usually twice. Just turn the burner on, throw that tortilla right on there, the flip it when it starts to get warm and “bend” towards the flame. You must watch these carefully though, so they don’t start to char. Did this for the taquitos and they turned out famously. 15 minutes in the oven and they were perfectly crisp. Placed them on a sprayed baking sheet.
Thanks for the idea!
Great tip, Maggie! Thanks!
Great tip about the cracking corn tortillas! These look so so good. I could eat a plateful.
I just put the chicken in the crock pot for these! They look so good! Can’t wait to give them a try tonight! Thanks Kelly!
Great idea, Brittney!
I just made these, and it was a disaster trying to roll the tortilla :( They got so soft and cracked either way. They are in the oven right now, so a long as they taste good, the state of the tortilla doesn’t matter to me. The flour tortilla ideas sounds good, but the caloric value will go up :/. I suggested getting thick corn tortillas that won’t soak up the broth so easily.
Hi Nancy – How long did you keep the tortillas in the broth? And was the broth warm?
Made these for dinner tonight, and they were FANTASTIC! My family couldn’t stop talking about them. Love the tip about dipping the tortillas in the chicken broth, it made for a tasty and crispy roll. Keeping this recipe for sure :)
So glad to hear it, Megan!
these lacked flavour big time. I did not enjoy them. perhaps with some sauce and corn tortillas they would be better.
Hi Margaret – I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, however the recipe does call for corn tortillas, as well as guacamole and salsa for serving.
My kids (teens & young adults) beg me to make these! They are easy to prepare and super delicious. I made mine with flour tortillas, which makes them more like a flauta. Awesome!!
Thanks so much, Debbie!
hello dinner idea!
Now I want a taquito- well really a flauta :) These look fabulous and so easy :)
AWESOME! My older son loves those store bought taquitos, but I can NEVER bring myself to buy them~all loaded with STUFF, uck! I will be trying these. Thanks!
Kelly – thanks for this dinner idea and recipe. It was so easy and absolutely yummy! I’ve always wanted to make taquitos that didn’t require frying and were still crispy and yummy. These were awesome and the kids LOVED them. Great job!
Thanks so much, Frances!
I need to make these… yeah… like as soon as friggin possible!!!
These look amazing! I love corn tortillas.
These look AMAZING! I can’t wait to make these! Yummm!
ok, suddenly i’m STARVING for some taquitos. I will gladly celebrate cinco de mayo early this year. I can’t wait to make them!
Made these yesterday to rave reviews. I probably made 20-25 taquitos and thought I would have some left over to snack on today — but we gobbled them all up last night!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Bob!
Oh yum, these look so delicious – thanks for the recipe!
Made them for dinner and they were wonderful. Got my Mexican kick with out all the grease.
A few modifications: I added a little chipotle salsa in the mixture and I didn’t dip the tortillas in broth, instead, I wet two paper towels and heated about 4-5 tortillas at a time for 45-60 seconds. It worked great.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Stephanie! Love your tip about heating the tortillas.
god yes!!! I love taquitos!!!
The photos are beautiful, as always. They totally make anyone reading this post crave Mexican food. You are great with the camera, and an excellent teacher in photography in Food Blogging For Dummies. I have learned so much more than I ever knew..and still learning through the book. I especially found the photography reference helpful, which is an area I need to keep practicing.
Your Chicken-Cheese Taquitos would make a great party snack!
I can never get enough Mexican food and these baked taquitos look so much crispier then a fried version. Less greasy as well.
Well. I know what I’m having for dinner!!
I have baked them with flour tortillas but never corn– and I actually like the corn tortillas better but my other half whines about them. These are beautiful!!
I feel slightly ashamed to say that I’ve never had a single taquito in my life! you make them look so tasty that I definitely need to change that ASAP.
Yum! I love taquitos and love that you baked them!!!
How did you know that taquitos are my ultimate weakness?!!
I have made taquitos a few times, but always use flour tortillas. I have wanted to try corn, but was worried about the cracking. Thanks for the simmering tip!
These look AWESOME! So my kind of meal!
Kelly, your Baked Chicken & Cheese Taquitos look SOOOOOO good! I make some mean Flautas (I think The Big Lug married me because of them!), and your recipe for Taquitos is a must-make-asap!! Mmmmm! We have Southwestern fare at least twice a week at our house, LOL! A great recipe for Cinco de Mayo! Thank you! xo
I love a baked taquito, I think even more than fried. Some of those fried guys can get too greasy. Love that guacamole, look fabulous.
This is so great for Cinco de Mayo. Mexican food is my favorite and these look amazing, Kelly!
These look so good!! I’ve always loved taquitos a ton, so I’ll definitely be trying this out. Pinned!
Oh man, do these look good! Love that they are baked rather than fried. I cannot wait to try these. Great photos too – thanks Kelly!
Mmmmm these look so good! I’m currently in Mexico and enjoying all of the local food, but flautas and taquitos have always been a favourite, so looking to try them at home.
Get your fill of authentic guac, Julia! I’m so jealous!
Never thought to do this, and I am not sure why. I grew up in Ca too, and I am Mexican/Spanish, so taquitos and flautas are a regular thing. But this is genius. Freezer meals much! Thank you.
Mmmmmmm these look fab! I love taquitos and will definitely be trying these soon! :D
We are crazy Mexican food FIENDS at my apartment! I love flautas but they typcially leave me feeling rather….heavy. Lovelovelove that you are oven baking. Helllllllo, Cinco de Mayo. And NCAA game watch. And Tuesday night.
So scrumptious! I love taquitos and yours look amazing, Kelly.
yum! thanks for sharing! so easy and yummy!
These look so delicious, especially with the fresh guacamole and sour cream! I especially love that they’re baked. This is something the kids would really love, too.
These look fantastic Kelly!
Oh man I love taquitos but haven’t made them in LIKE forever! That needs to change soon.
These look sooo good! The perfect weeknight meal for us! Thanks for sharing? :)
These sound wonderful. I live in San Diego and love that we have Mexican food at our disposal, but it’s nice to have a lighter version I can make at home.
I never thought to dip the tortillas in broth. I’ve always used oil for my enchiladas. Looks like I can lighten those up too! I’ll be trying this recipe this weekend!
Always, always thinking about CdM. OMG. I want these so bad right now.
Slightly obsessed with the fact that you reference it as “CdM.” This is why I love you.
wowzas these look delicious!!! perfect appetizer for this spring weather (whenever it decides to show up, that is lol) – I love it!
Ohhh girl, these look SO good! I’ll take mine with beans, heavy on the crispy : )