I love taquitos, even the frozen ones. But I don’t love the price, the high sodium levels, or that they are so processed with ingredients I can’t even begin to pronounce. I didn’t want something complicated, though. This recipe is a perfect match for my food needs. You can make up a whole bunch of these and then freeze them for later use. Plus, they are easy to make so you can get your kids evolved.
Cheesy Baked Chicken Taquitos
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup salsa verde
- juice of 1/2 a lime
- 1 tsp chipotle chile powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- pinch cayenne pepper
- A couple of shakes of red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tbsp finely chopped onions
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 12 to 15 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- Cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Stir in the chicken and the shredded cheese. Taste then season with salt and pepper as needed.
When you make the taquitos, the tortillas need to be pliable. Dampen a couple of paper towels and layer the tortillas on a plate in this order – two tortillas, paper towel, two tortillas, paper towel. Microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, until they are soft and pliable.
Spoon 3 tablespoons of filling onto the tortilla and roll tightly. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling is used.
Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole. Inspired by this recipe from Pink Parsley.