Oh man, remember those frozen Chicken Taquitos from youth - these Homemade Chicken Taquitos are those but SO MUCH BETTER! Add a little bit of my homemade chipotle salsa or my traditional arbol chile salsa and you have a perfect meal!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
For those of who didn't grow up with Costco sized packages of chicken taquitos... taquitos are a Mexican dish consisting of a small tortilla that is rolled around a filling of meat and cheese and then deep-fried. We ate them EVERYWHERE when we were in mexico city 2 years ago. Homemade Chicken Taquitos are the ultimate appetizer or street food and I've been making them at home ever since. You can add cheese if you want, but the recipe below is just straight chicken. If you're going to add cheese, I'd say you need ½-3/4 cup of a great meltable cheese like Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese and just mix it into the chicken mixture.
That said - the below recipe takes a hand from the market with a store bought rotisserie chicken that you can doctor up with some chipotles in adobo and then roll and fry. Corn tortillas are crucial for a authentic taquito so skip the flour tortillas this time (check out chicken flautas for that :). Then just make sure to have all the fun sauces for dipping and you're in business!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Corn Tortillas – Corn tortillas are crucial for a authentic taquito so skip the flour tortillas this time.
- Rotisserie Chicken – Leftover grilled chicken from last night’s BBQ? Toss it in. Shredded turkey can keep the party going if that’s what’s in your fridge.
- Chipotle in Adobo + Sauce – No chipotle on hand? A sprinkle of smoked paprika gives you that beach-bonfire smokiness. Or hit it with your favorite hot sauce plus a pinch of chili powder for that spicy kick.
- Ground Coriander – Out of coriander? No stress—swap in cumin or even a pinch of Dalkin&Co taco seasoning for that warm, earthy flavor that screams taco night.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper – Any good salt and pepper will do, but if you’ve got a seasoned salt lying around, that’s an easy way to level it up.
- Vegetable Oil – Fry in canola, avocado, or peanut oil—whatever you’ve got handy. Want to skip the fry? Brush the tortillas with olive oil and bake ‘em till golden.
- Lime – Forgot the limes? Lemon juice brings the same sunny brightness. Or splash a little apple cider vinegar if you need a tangy backup.
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below
How to Make Homemade Chicken Taquitos
Step 1: Place shredded chicken, chipotle in adobo and sauce, coriander and 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper in a bowl , toss to combine.
Step 2: Working with one tortilla at a time place a heaping tablespoon of chicken on the lower third of the tortilla spreading it to almost each of the edges.
Step 3: Fold the tortilla over the chicken and roll tightly, secure with a toothpick.
Step 4: Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When oil is hot carefully place ½ of the taquitos into the oil and fry till golden brown, turning to cook both sides. Don’t crowd the pan. Total time about 3-4 minutes.
Step 5: Remove taquitos from oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt and squeeze of lime. Repeat frying for remaining taquitos.
Step 6: Serve with Mexican crema, arbol salsa and other toppings.
How to Store Homemade Chicken Taquitos
These homemade chicken taquitos are total meal-prep champs. Stash leftovers in the fridge for up to 3–4 days—just keep them in an airtight container so they don’t lose their crunch. Want to go big? Freeze them before or after cooking (single layer first, then bag) and they’ll be ready for a taco night any time in the next 3 months. When hunger strikes, skip the microwave and reheat in the oven (375 degrees for 10-15 minutes) or air fryer (375 degrees for 6-8 minutes) to bring back that golden, crispy goodness.
Tips & Tricks
- Bring on the Corn - Corn tortillas are crucial for a authentic taquito so skip the flour tortillas this time.
- Warm Up Those Tortillas – Corn tortillas are the real deal here, but they can crack if they’re cold. Wrap ’em in a damp towel and give them a quick microwave sesh so they’re soft, flexible, and roll like a dream.
- Cheese Makes It Better – Want melty magic? Mix in a little Monterey Jack with your chicken filling.
- Roll Tight, Party Right – Secure each taquito with a toothpick if you’re cranking out a big batch. It keeps them from unraveling mid-fry—because no one wants a naked tortilla flop.
- Golden + Crispy – Fry in small batches so they crisp up evenly. Don’t crowd the pan—give those taquitos space to shine. Finish with a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lime for that “fresh off the taco stand” vibe.
- Dip Game Strong – These guys beg for sauce: chipotle salsa, arbol chile salsa, or even guac if you’re feeling extra.
- Leftovers = Snack Goals – Cool, store airtight, and they’ll last 3–4 days in the fridge. Or freeze a tray of rolled (or cooked) taquitos, then bag them up. You’ve basically got a stash of taco-truck snacks on demand for the next 3 months.
- Reheat Like a Pro – Skip the microwave unless you like ’em soft. Pop them in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer and boom—crispy, golden, beach-day perfect all over again.
FAQs
Corn or flour tortillas?
Corn tortillas are crucial for a authentic homemade chicken taquito so skip the flour tortillas this time.
Tortillas cracking?
Warm in a damp towel before rolling.
Bake or air fry?
Yep! 400°F oven or 375°F air fryer = golden & crispy.
Rotisserie swap?
Any shredded chicken (or turkey) works.
Freeze ’em?
Roll, freeze, bag—good for 3 months.
Reheat tip?
Oven or air fryer = crispy comeback.
And if you're making this - you might as well make my whole Mexico City inspired happy hour menu! Recipes are all linked above + below!
- To Start: El Sueno Cocktails – the recipe makes enough for 2 drinks. But it’s easily scalable depending on how many you need to serve. Also you can make this ahead of time and store in a pitcher. Just add ice into a glass and pour in. ** don’t add ice into the pitcher if you prep ahead as it will water down the taste**
- Next up: Chicken Taquitos! One of my fav quick and easy snacks ever. And puts the store bought ones to shame!
- Crispy Cheese Quesadillas are basically inside out quesadillas with marinated caramelized mushrooms and OMG they are fantastic.
- We’re rounding out the happy hour menu with a Traditional Salsa and a Roasted Hot Salsa! Both are freaking phenomenal!
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Homemade Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 chipotle in adobo, chopped + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 lime
Serve with
- Arbol Salsa
- Mexican Crema
- Lime Wedges
- Cilantro
- Cotija
- Sliced Radishes
Instructions
- Place shredded chicken, chipotle in adobo and sauce, coriander and 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper in a bowl , toss to combine.
- To assemble the taquitos you want the tortillas to be flexible, if your tortillas are on the stiff side you can cover them with a damp towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds. Working with one tortilla at a time place a heaping tablespoon of chicken on the lower third of the tortilla spreading it to almost each of the edges, fold the tortilla over the chicken and roll tightly, secure with a toothpick. Keep the rolled taquitos under a damp towel while rolling to avoid cracking.
- Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When oil is hot carefully place ½ of the taquitos into the oil and fry till golden brown, turning to cook both sides. Don’t crowd the pan. Total time about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove taquitos from oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt and squeeze of lime. Repeat frying for remaining taquitos. Serve with Mexican crema, arbol salsa and other toppings
Notes
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- Bring on the Corn - Corn tortillas are crucial for a authentic taquito so skip the flour tortillas this time.
Sounds delicious! Can you make these ahead of time and reheat in the oven before serving? Planning a dinner party menu and want it to be super easy (will be putting our baby to bed in the middle of it; he's just a couple weeks older than your LO!).
yes that should work!
Quick, tasty, perfect!