Crispy chicken cheese taquitos (Printable)

Golden taquitos filled with chicken and cheese, air fried to crispy perfection with Mexican spices.

# Ingredient list:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached)
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
04 - 1/2 cup salsa (mild or medium)
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly

10 - 12 small corn or flour tortillas (6-inch)
11 - Olive oil spray

→ Serving (optional)

12 - Sour cream
13 - Guacamole
14 - Chopped cilantro
15 - Lime wedges
16 - Salsa

# Cooking steps:

01 - In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
02 - Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds until warm and pliable.
03 - Place about 2 tablespoons of filling along the center of each tortilla, roll tightly, and position seam-side down.
04 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
05 - Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil. Place taquitos in a single layer with seams down, leaving space between each.
06 - Spray the tops of the taquitos lightly with olive oil.
07 - Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.
08 - Serve immediately with optional toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cilantro, and lime wedges.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • They're ready in 25 minutes flat, which means you can go from zero to impressive appetizer before anyone realizes how little effort it took.
  • The filling stays moist and flavorful while the outside gets impossibly crispy—no soggy disappointments hiding underneath.
  • They freeze beautifully, so you can make a batch on Sunday and air fry them straight from frozen when hunger strikes unexpectedly.
02 -
  • Warming the tortillas is non-negotiable—cold ones will crack and leak filling everywhere, and you'll spend the whole cook time frustrated instead of excited.
  • The olive oil spray is everything; without it, you get a good taquito, but with it, you get a memory-making one that stays crispy even after sitting out.
  • Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket or they'll steam instead of crisp—I learned this the hard way and had to do two batches, which is actually not the worst thing because fresh taquitos are better anyway.
03 -
  • If you have time, brush each tortilla lightly with olive oil before rolling—it creates an extra crispy exterior that makes the whole thing feel intentional and restaurant-quality.
  • Leftover taquitos reheat perfectly in the air fryer at 350°F for about 4 minutes, which means you can make them ahead without any guilt about quality loss.
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