Chicken Taquitos (Baked or Fried) with 3 Sauces

Chicken Taquitos (drizzled with 3 different sauces) on a platter (with each sauce in small bowls).

Chicken Taquitos (Baked or Fried) with 3 Sauces

These golden, oven-baked chicken taquitos are stuffed with juicy cumin-garlic shredded chicken thighs and melty cheese, then drizzled with 3 amazing homemade sauces—Garlic Crema, smoky Chipotle Aioli, and bright Avocado-Cilantro Lime Crema. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner or game-day appetizer that tastes restaurant-quality without deep-frying. I also provide instructions for deep-frying (should you want to do that). Serve this Mexican recipe with my cilantro-lime black bean rice and Mexican corn dip.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Chicken Taquitos

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings taquitos

Calories 274kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Garlic Crema Sauce

1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
6 cloves garlic
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 medium lime juice
salt to taste

Chipotle Aioli

½ cup mayonnaise
2 chipotle peppers in adobo adjust to spice tolerance
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 medium lime juice
2 cloves garlic finely minced
pinch salt

Avocado Cilantro-Lime Crema

½ ripe avocado
½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
½ cup cilantro
1 small lime juice and zest
2 cloves garlic
Water if needed for thinning
salt to taste

For the Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs pat dry
1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano

For the Taquito Filling

Cooked shredded chicken (from above)
1 ½ cups shredded cheese Mexican blend, pepper jack, or monterey jack cheese
16 corn tortillas
toothpicks to secure taquitos while baking

Garnish

cilantro (whole leaves and/or chopped)
lime wedges
salsa fresca pico de Gallo
Cotija cheese or crumbled queso fresco

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Garlic Crema Sauce

In a tall container using an immersion blender (or standard blender), blend together Mexican crema (or sour cream), garlic, garlic powder, lime juice, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl or squeeze bottle and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chipotle Aioli

In a tall container using an immersion blender (or standard blender), blend the mayonnaise, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic, and salt until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a bowl or squeeze bottle and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Avocado Cilantro-Lime Crema

In a tall container using an immersion blender (or standard blender), blend the avocado, Mexican crema, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, and salt. If needed, add water gradually to thin to desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl or squeeze bottle and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cook the Chicken

In a large bowl, season the chicken thighs evenly with garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper until the chicken is fully coated.
Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer (in batches if needed). Sear for 4-5 minutes per side, or until fully cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for at least 5 minutes before shredding with two forks.

Assemble the Taquitos

Preheat the oven to 450℉. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray or brush with oil.
Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds or until pliable.
Place about 2 ounces of shredded chicken and a small handful of shredded cheese near one edge of each tortilla. Roll tightly, secure with a toothpick, and place seam-side down on the baking sheet.

How To Bake Chicken Taquitos

Lightly brush or spray the tops of the taquitos with oil and bake for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.

To Serve

Remove the toothpicks and serve the taquitos warm, drizzled with all three sauces. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, salsa, and top with Cotija or queso fresco. You can also serve the taquitos with some classic sides such as Mexican rice, black or refried beans, or cabbage slaw. Enjoy!

Alternative Cooking Methods (Frying)

You can shallow-fry in a skillet or deep-fry in a Dutch oven—both work great:
Shallow-fry: Fill and roll as directed, securing each taquito with a toothpick. Heat ~¼ inch neutral oil in a wide skillet to 350–365°F (a tortilla scrap should sizzle). Fry taquitos seam-side down in batches 1–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp, adjusting heat to maintain temp. Transfer to a wire rack to drain, pull the toothpicks, and keep warm in a 200°F oven. If they want to unroll, keep the seam side down a bit longer before turning.
Deep-fry: In a Dutch oven, heat 2–3 inches of neutral oil to 350°F. Fry 3–5 taquitos at a time for 2–3 minutes total, turning once, until uniformly golden and blistered. Drain on a rack, remove toothpicks, and hold in a 200°F oven between batches. Lightly salt while hot, and serve with garlic crema, chipotle aioli, and avocado–cilantro–lime crema.

Notes

Warm the tortillas prior to using them! If you skip this step, the tortillas will crack, break, and crumble.
Make sure your corn tortillas are warm + pliable: Microwave 6–8 at a time in a damp paper towel; keep covered as you work. This prevents splits and yields tight rolls. If your brand is dry, brush a whisper of oil before rolling.
Rest the cooked chicken, and only then shred: Let the seared thighs rest 5 minutes before shredding so the juices redistribute. Not only does that result in a moist filling, it also will ensure the taquito shells stay crisp and don’t sog out.
Don’t overfill the tortillas as they are much harder to handle and have the potential to burst and break while baking. Use about 2 oz chicken (or less) + a small handful of cheese per each taquito. Otherwise, overfilling will cause blow-outs. I tuck the edge under with my pinkies for a snug seal.
High-heat baking: 450°F plus a light oil sheen on the pan and tops gives that fried look without the oil bath; flip halfway for even color.
Use neutral cooking oil: The oil on both the baking sheet and on top of the taquitos helps to also crisp the tortillas! Don’t skip this step!
Baking the taquitos seam-side down + flipping them helps ensure that they stay rolled and have even browning on all sides.
When baking taquitos, it is normal for them to crack a little so don’t worry about it!
If you prefer to have less cracking and don’t mind the process taking much longer, cut individual pieces of foil 3 times larger than each taquito. Spray one side of the aluminum with oil, make your taquitos minus the toothpicks, spray the taquito well, then roll each taquito tightly in the foil, twisting the end of the foil like candy wrappers. Then, place all the taquitos on a baking sheet, bake at the same temperature (450 degrees) for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before unwrapping and serving.
The nutritional info does not include the garnishes since they vary.

Storage, reheating, freezing, and make-ahead

Storage: Refrigerate chicken taquitos (and sauces) separately up to 4 days. Keep sauces in sealed containers; the green crema benefits from plastic wrap pressed on the surface to minimize browning.
Reheating: Air fryer 375°F for 4–6 min or oven 400°F for 8–10 min until crisp. For microwave, 45–60 sec then 2–3 min in a hot skillet to re-crisp.
Freezing (unbaked or baked): Freeze rolled (toothpicked) taquitos on a sheet tray until firm, then bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 425°F for 20–25 min, flipping once. Baked leftovers also freeze well; reheat at 400°F for 12–15 min.
Make-ahead: Cook and shred chicken and blend all three sauces 1–2 days ahead. Roll taquitos the morning of and hold covered in the fridge; bake just before serving.

Nutrition