Baked Chicken Taquitos Recipe

This Baked Chicken Taquitos recipe is an easy and healthy way to enjoy the frozen classic!  Pre-cooked shredded chicken gets mixed together with diced onion, chunky salsa, refried black beans, and cheddar cheese for a quick and delicious homemade filling.

Taquitos make a great finger food appetizer to serve at a party or even as a main dish for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.  A few other Mexican food recipes you might enjoy include this Mexican Shrimp Ceviche,  Chicken Enchiladas Verdes, and this Skillet Mexican Street Corn Salad.

Chicken Taquitos Recipe for a Party!

In need of an easy, make-ahead appetizer for your Cinco de Mayo party?

…Or any other celebration where you have a TON of hungry people in need of a hearty snack.  (Like the Super Bowl, birthday parties, dinner parties, or even Christmas dinner!)

These homemade baked taquitos are THE answer to your hungry-people dilemma.

Shining Star or Trusty Side-Kick

Not only can taquitos be easily prepped ahead of time, but they are also just filling enough that they will tide your ravenous guests over until the main dish comes out.

Don’t have a main dish?  These taquitos can also double as the star of the show and taste great with accompaniments like this Instant Pot Mexican Rice, Homemade Salsa, and a big bowl of The Best Guacamole.

What are Taquitos?

Taquitos are a Mexican dish made from a corn tortilla that is then filled with chicken or beef, refried beans, and cheese.  Traditionally, the taquito is then deep-fried until the tortilla gets crispy and the filling is warmed up. However, you can also bake them in the oven (like in this recipe!) for a healthier alternative.

While frozen taquitos can be easily found in your local grocery store, it does not take too much additional time to make your own healthier (and much tastier!) version at home.  If you are in a rush, these Delimex frozen taquitos are our go-to when entertaining and are super easy to find.

*Warning: Frozen taquitos often do contain gluten, soy, and other allergens.

Ingredients Needed

Chicken taquitos only require a few easy-to-find ingredients.  If you cook Mexican food on a somewhat regular basis, you probably already have most of these ingredients on hand.

• Cooked Chicken – A store-bought rotisserie chicken works best in this recipe and will save you TONS of time.  Make sure you buy a traditional or plain-flavored one.
  • You can also use chicken breasts that you have cooked at home, too.
• Vegetables – Onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño might as well be the “holy trinity” of Mexican cuisine!  These veggies combine with garlic to give the taquito filling superb flavor.
• Salsa – In addition to the vegetables, a large majority of the filling’s flavor comes from salsa.
  • Medium salsa will give them a subtle kick whereas mild salsa will not.
  • Also, opt for a thicker salsa versus a runny salsa for the best filling consistency.
• Refried Beans – Refried black beans are what I use in this recipe, but you can also use traditional refried beans.
• Cheese – Shredded cheddar cheese or Monterrey Jack cheese are my two favorite cheeses to use.
  • If you are dairy-free, opt for a dairy-free cheese alternative or leave it out completely.  (You won’t miss it!)
• Mexican Spices – Just a few spices (cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper) come together to give this recipe an authentic Mexican food flair.

How to Make

Making homemade taquitos is an easy process and consists of a few steps:

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat sauté diced onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add cooked, shredded chicken, chunky salsa, and spices to the skillet.  Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.
3. Heat up corn tortillas in coconut oil until tortillas are softened and slightly brown on each side.  Set aside on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to let drain.
4. Place refried beans, filling mixture, and cheese down the center of each corn tortilla.  Roll and place seam side-down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (See image above.)
5. Bake in a 400 °F oven for 24-26 minutes, or until edges are crisp and slightly brown.

How to Roll

Rolling can be slightly challenging, but a few tips and tricks will help you become a taquito rolling master.

Tips for Rolling Taquitos:

• Warming up the corn tortillas in a touch of coconut oil or avocado oil will soften the tortillas and make them easier to roll.
• Do not over-fill the taquito with too much of the filling.  Too much filling will result in it spilling over the sides and making a mess!
• Place your filling just slightly off-center and towards the side you will start the rolling.
• Pull the taquito tightly as you are rolling.
• As soon as the taquito is rolled, place it seam side-down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and DO NOT TOUCH IT.  Moving the already-filled taquito will make the filling come out and will weaken the tortilla.

Tips to Prep-Ahead for a Party

As I mentioned previously, these baked taquitos are so amazing because they can actually be prepared ahead of time and then reheated in the oven the day of the party.

This recipe is best when prepared COMPLETELY and then reheated in the oven the day of serving.  I would not recommend assembling the taquitos and waiting to bake them.  They will most likely fall apart and not hold their shape.  

Storing: Once they are baked to crispy perfection, let them cool to room temperature and then transfer them to either a gallon-sized ziplock bag or a large tupperware container.  Refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving.

Reheating: When ready to reheat, preheat oven to 325 °F and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

What to Serve with

While these baked chicken taquitos are pretty fabulous and flavorful on their on, a few different Mexican-inspired dipping sauces would taste great with them, too.

What to Serve with:

• Homemade Salsa or a store-bought salsa
• Quick & Easy Guacamole
• Black Bean & Corn Salsa
• Sour Cream
• Chili con Queso dip

Other Mexican Food Recipes:

Ground Turkey Mexican Lasagna Recipe

Healthy Mexican Breakfast Casserole

Easy Migas Recipe

Avocado Fries

4.67 from 6 votes

Baked Chicken Taquitos Recipe

Baked Chicken Taquitos recipe is an easy and healthy appetizer to serve for a Cinco de Mayo party!  Pre-cooked shredded chicken gets mixed together with diced onion, chunky salsa, refried black beans, and cheddar cheese for a quick Mexican food recipe.

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Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword easy, healthy, Mexican, oven baked

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 203 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 sweet onion finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper finely diced
• 1 jalapeño finely diced
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 3 ½ cups cooked chicken shredded
• ½ cup salsa medium
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ¼ tsp. paprika
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 16 corn tortillas
• 3-4 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 8 oz. black beans refried
• 1 cup cheddar cheese* shredded, or Monterrey Jack cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat add olive oil, diced onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and crushed garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften.

3. Add shredded chicken, salsa, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Continue cooking over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

4. While vegetables and chicken are cooking add 1 tablespoon coconut oil to a large saucepan or skillet. Cook 3 corn tortillas over medium heat for 45-60 seconds per side, or until they begin to brown slightly. Repeat with remaining corn tortillas and coconut oil. Place corn tortillas on a paper towel-lined plate to drain until ready to use.
5. Spread 1 tablespoon refried black beans down the center of each corn tortilla. Next, add 2-3 tablespoons chicken mixture and 1 tablespoon shredded cheese. Roll up the filled corn tortilla as tight as you can and place face-down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make sure it does not touch any of the other taquitos. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken filling.

6. Once all corn tortillas are filled, bake taquitos in the preheated oven for 24-26 minutes, or until edges are slightly browned and crispy.

7. Serve baked chicken taquitos with homemade salsa, guacamole, or sour cream and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Nutritional information is based on 1 taquito per serving.
• If dairy-free, use dairy-free cheese alternative or leave out cheese completely.

Nutrition Facts

Baked Chicken Taquitos Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 203 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 33mg11%

Sodium 196mg9%

Potassium 235mg7%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 415IU8%

Vitamin C 11.2mg14%

Calcium 86mg9%

Iron 1.2mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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