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Easy Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos Recipe

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This Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos recipe is easy to make and delicious to serve to friends and family. Crispy flour tortillas oozing with a cheesy chicken filling are a fantastic party finger food idea.

Chicken taquitos with corn tortillas cooked in an air fryer on a white plate.
Friends and family will surely love these Homemade Chicken Taquitos!

You’ll love these easy chicken taquitos

You’re going to love these chicken taquitos with corn tortillas. I like them best when cooked in the air fryer which makes them extra crispy and amazing.

The combination of juicy chicken, shredded cheese, green chiles, and garlic inside is flavorful and crave-worthy.

Related post: Delicious Tostada Caprese Recipe

While it does take a minute to put them together, the flavor payoff is worth it! And while the recipe may seem complicated, it’s really not! It’s a great beginning recipe.

Serve these yummy taquitos for dinner or cut them in half to serve as an appetizer for a party.

Ingredients

Ingredients for making air fryer chicken taquitos with corn tortillas.
What you’ll need to make air fryer chicken taquitos.

You can use any leftover shredded chicken like pan-fried, steamed, or rotisserie chicken from last night. Really, any cooked chicken will work, you’ll just want to dice it fairly small.

Look for a cheddar/ jack cheese blend or a Mexican cheese blend with a variety of cheeses.

I like to use corn tortillas for the flavor. You can also use flour tortillas if you prefer. They are usually a littler easier to work with and still make crispy air fryer chicken taquitos.

You can use garlic powder instead of fresh minced garlic. Just cut the amount to half when switching to garlic powder as it’s more concentrated.

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.

*I use this air fryer and love it! It has lots of space and can cook multiple batches at one time.

Ingredients for air fryer chicken taquitos filling in a mixing bowl.

Step 1

Add the chicken, cheese, green chiles, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl, and stir to combine.

Step 2

Heat a skillet over medium heat, and warm the corn tortillas. You can skip this step if using flour tortillas since they are a little bit easier to work with.

Corn tortillas with chicken and cheese filling laying on a counter.

Step 3

Add about two tablespoons of chicken mixture to the center of a tortilla, then roll up by lifting the edge of the tortilla closest to you.

Seal each roll using a toothpick, if needed while you continue with the rest of the batch.

Cooked chicken taquitos in an air fryer basket.

Step 4

Remove the toothpicks before adding to the air fryer.

Place taquitos seam side down on a single layer in the air fryer basket, and (optional) spritz with a light layer of olive oil or avocado oil spray.

Cook

Then, air fry for 8 minutes. Flip the taquitos, and air fry for an additional 3 minutes.

You might need to do this by batch. Work on the remaining tortillas while the first batch is cooking.

Serve

Homemade air fryer chicken taquitos being dipped in sauce.

Serve these chicken taquitos with sour cream, salsa, and or guacamole.

Pair these with other appetizers or with some tasty side dishes.

Variations

  • Filling – You can add other favorite toppings to your homemade taquitos to make them more yummy! Cream cheese, black beans or refried beans, and taco seasoning would be great additions.
  • Serving – You can serve these taquitos with pico de gallo, salsa verde, greek yogurt or sour cream, and more shredded cheese on the side upon serving.
  • Protein – Aside from chicken, you can use fish, pork or beef, whichever you have available, as filling. Ground beef or steak would be great to use for beef taquitos. You might want to use turkey or chicken breast if you’re on a low-calorie diet.
  • Spicy – Want some heat in your taquitos? Add a dash of chili powder, tabasco, or sriracha into the filling mixture.
  • If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake these in the oven. Bake them for about 15 minutes in a 400-degree oven.

    Top tips

    • Roll the taquitos tightly.
    • Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket when cooking to ensure they are crispy all the way around.
    • Do not overfill the taquitos. Otherwise, they may ooze out during the cooking. Fill them just enough so that you have a good ratio of filling to tortilla with each bite.
    • Want to make them ahead to serve as an appetizer for an upcoming party? First, roll up the taquitos and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer, then freeze. When ready to cook, just thaw the frozen taquitos for at least an hour before air frying.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long should taquitos be in the air fryer?

    At 400 degrees F, the taquitos should be ready in 8-12 minutes. Keep in mind that the filling is actually already cooked; you’re just looking out for them to crisp up! So, once you see the tops of the taquitos golden brown and crispy, they’re done.

    Why are my taquitos not crispy?

    You might have not cooked them long enough, or the filling is too moist. Make sure that the taquitos are also not touching each other. Try placing them back in the air fryer for a few more minutes and they should crisp up.

    How to keep tortillas from cracking?

    Corn tortillas will crack when you work on them cold. To prevent this from happening, warm them up first either using the microwave or on the stovetop, just as I did in this recipe.

    How do you store leftover taquitos?

    Place leftover taquitos in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and they’ll stay good for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, while up to a month in the freezer. Reheat using an air fryer, microwave, or on a skillet on the stove.

    Close up view of air fryer corn tortilla chicken taquitos piled on a plate.

    These air fryer taquitos are absolutely delicious! Add them to your meal plan or party menus!

    Make sure you don’t lose this recipe by saving it for later! Moreover, for more recipes make sure you’re following me on Pinterest, Instagram and like my page on Facebook. If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and tag me in your pictures!

    More easy appetizer recipes

    Chicken taquitos with corn tortillas cooked in an air fryer.

    Chicken Taquitos in the Air Fryer

    This Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos recipe is easy to make and delicious to serve to friends and family. Crispy flour tortillas oozing with a cheesy chicken filling are a fantastic party finger food idea.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizers
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Calories: 107kcal
    Servings: 8 pieces

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup shredded chicken
    • 1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese shredded
    • 1 tbsp green chiles
    • 1 tsp minced garlic
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 8 corn tortillas

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
    • Add the chicken, cheese, green chiles, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to a bowl, and stir to combine.
    • Heat a skillet over medium heat, and warm the tortillas. (Skip if using flour tortillas).
    • Add the chicken mixture to the center of the tortillas, then roll up. (Use a toothpick to hold them together but remove before placing in the air fryer).
    • Place the tortilla rolls in the air fryer, and (optional) spritz with a light layer of olive oil spray. Air fry for 8 minutes, then turn the taquitos, and air fry for an additional 3 minutes.
    • Serve hot with sour cream, salsa, and or guacamole.

    Notes

    To ensure the taquitos crisp up nicely in the air fryer, make sure to not overcrowd the basket. 
    You can make these with flour tortillas if you prefer (and skip heating them in the pan prior to rolling the taquitos). 
    To make these in a regular over, simply bake them for 15 minutes at 400 degrees until they are crispy and golden brown. 
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1taquito | Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1mg
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