Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
Taquitos are small tortillas rolled tightly around a filling and cooked until crunchy. This version uses shredded cooked chicken bound with cream cheese, cheddar and salsa, so the filling stays creamy while the shell turns crisp in the air fryer. They freeze well, so you can roll a double batch and cook them straight from frozen.
Published
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 18 mins
- Total Time
- 38 mins
- Servings
- 12 taquitos
How do you make Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos?
Mix 375 g shredded cooked chicken with softened cream cheese, cheddar, salsa, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and lime. Warm 12 small corn or flour tortillas so they bend, roll about 3 tbsp filling into each and place seam side down. Spray with oil and air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 7-9 minutes, until golden and crisp. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.
- Total time
- 38 mins
- Calories
- 385 per serving
- Protein
- 27 g
- Yield
- 12 taquitos
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Air frying
Ingredients
Filling
Taquitos
Equipment
Air fryer · Mixing bowl · Microwave-safe plate · Clean kitchen towel or paper towel · Oil sprayer or pastry brush
Quick Directions
Make the filling
Mash the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth, then stir in the chicken, cheese, salsa, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cilantro and lime juice until evenly mixed.
Warm the tortillas
Stack 6 tortillas, wrap them in a damp paper towel or clean kitchen towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until soft and bendy.
Fill and roll
Spread about 3 tbsp of filling in a thin line along one edge of a tortilla, leaving the ends a little open.
Air fry
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F).
Serve
Cool for 2-3 minutes so the filling sets a little, then serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole for dipping.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect air fryer chicken taquitos.
Make the filling
Mash the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth, then stir in the chicken, cheese, salsa, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cilantro and lime juice until evenly mixed.
Warm the tortillas
Stack 6 tortillas, wrap them in a damp paper towel or clean kitchen towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until soft and bendy. Warm the second stack while you roll the first. Corn tortillas crack if you roll them cold.
Fill and roll
Spread about 3 tbsp of filling in a thin line along one edge of a tortilla, leaving the ends a little open. Roll it up tightly and place it seam side down on a board. Repeat with the rest, then lightly spray or brush all sides with oil.
Air fry
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Arrange the taquitos seam side down in a single layer, not touching, and air fry in batches for 7-9 minutes, turning once after 5 minutes, until golden and crisp at the ends. The filling should be steaming hot, 74°C (165°F) in the centre.
Serve
Cool for 2-3 minutes so the filling sets a little, then serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole for dipping.
Recipe Tips
- Corn tortillas give the classic crunchy shell and keep the taquitos gluten-free. Flour tortillas are easier to roll without cracking and turn crisp and blistered instead.
- Rolling them seam side down and filling them thinly keeps them from unrolling. If one opens, hold it closed with a toothpick, then remove the pick before serving.
- Spray every side with oil. Dry patches of tortilla stay pale and leathery in the air fryer.
- Chili powder means a mild seasoning blend of ground chilies, cumin and garlic in North America, but pure ground chili in many other countries. If yours is pure chili, use 1/4 tsp and add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika.
Variations
- Beef taquitos: swap the chicken for 375 g browned and drained ground beef, cooked to 71°C (160°F).
- Spicy taquitos: add 1-2 finely chopped pickled jalapeños to the filling and use pepper jack cheese.
- Bean and cheese taquitos: replace the chicken with 1 can (540 ml / 19 oz) black or pinto beans, drained and lightly mashed. They are then vegetarian.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 385 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 27 g |
| Carbs | 26 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated fat | 8.5 g |
| Fibre | 3.5 g |
| Sugar | 1.5 g |
| Sodium | 410 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Refrigerate cooked taquitos within 2 hours in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The filling keeps, covered, for up to 2 days before rolling.
- Freezer
- Freeze rolled, uncooked taquitos on a lined tray, then pack them into a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Air fry from frozen at 190°C (375°F) for 12-14 minutes, turning once, until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Reheat
- Reheat cooked taquitos in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 4-5 minutes, until crisp and hot to the centre, 74°C (165°F).
Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos FAQs
How long do you cook taquitos in the air fryer?
Freshly rolled taquitos take 7-9 minutes at 200°C (400°F), turned once, until golden and crisp. Frozen homemade taquitos need 12-14 minutes at 190°C (375°F). Check that the filling is steaming hot, 74°C (165°F), in the centre.
Should I use corn or flour tortillas for taquitos?
Either works. Small corn tortillas give the classic crunchy taquito and are naturally gluten-free, but warm them first so they do not crack. Flour tortillas roll more easily and turn crisp with a softer bite; those are sometimes called flautas.
How do you keep taquitos from unrolling?
Warm the tortillas so they bend, spread the filling thinly, roll them tightly and set them seam side down. Cook them seam side down for the first few minutes so the edge sets, or secure any loose ones with a toothpick.
Can I freeze chicken taquitos?
Yes. Freeze rolled, uncooked taquitos on a tray until firm, then bag them for up to 3 months. Cook them straight from frozen in the air fryer at 190°C (375°F) for 12-14 minutes.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
