This Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos recipe is a tasty meal the whole family will enjoy. Inside crispy flour tortillas, you’ll find a mix of shredded chicken, cream cheese and Monterey jack cheeses. They’re really easy to make and extra fun to eat.
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Choose from a variety of toppings like salsa, cilantro, sour cream, and special quesadilla sauce for a feast soon to be the star of your Taco Tuesday!
You’ll love these taquitos any day of the week. But especially when you need a quick meal the whole family is certain to love or a great replacement for the staple Tex-Mex dish on your weekly menu.
And for other Mexican flavor inspired dishes, don’t miss out on our air fryer Southwest quesadillas using our air fryer fajita veggies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s much healthier because instead of deep frying, you use the air fryer which requires far less oil.
- Despite not deep frying them, these air fryer taquitos are still crispy and satisfyingly crunchy.
- They are quick and easy which makes them perfect for busy weeknights or last minute meals.
- They are incredibly versatile. So if you want to change up the filling, you can easily use a different type of cheese or change the seasonings.
- With their handy size and delicious flavor, the kids will not only love them but they will ask for them.
- Air fryer taquitos are great for leftovers. What an efficient way to repurpose leftover rotisserie chicken before it goes to waste!
- They are an excellent choice for meal prep. Whip up lots of them at once and keep them and freeze, then cook when you need are ready to make a meal.
Ingredients
- Tortillas – Use flour tortillas. Corn tortillas will break apart when you try to roll them up.
- Shredded Chicken – We used our shredded chicken breast for this recipe but you can use the white or dark meat from leftover rotisserie chicken as well.
- Shredded Cheese – We used Monterey Jack cheese but you can use pepper jack, aged white cheddar, mozzarella, a combination, or what ever other melting cheese you come across
- Cream Cheese – Cream cheese becomes the binder for the filling mix.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
First, we like to chop the shredded chicken some. This step is optional.
Next, add shredded cheese, cream cheese, and shredded chicken to a bowl and mix to combine.
Add some of the mixture to the tortilla. It should be enough to spread across half of the tortilla.
Spread the chicken mixture across half of the tortilla.
After rolling the tortilla about halfway, brush with some olive oil as shown here.
Add the taquitos to the bowl, seam side down. Then, brush them with more oil and bake them at 380 degrees for about 5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket.
Chicken Taquito Dip and Sauce Ideas
- Pico de Gallo
- Sour cream
- Quesadilla sauce
- Guacamole
- Hot sauce
- Queso
Variations
Buffalo Chicken – Simply add some buffalo sauce to the filling mix and serve with blue cheese dressing or ranch.
Barbecue Chicken – Add in some BBQ sauce, and replace the shredded cheese with gouda or cheddar for a sweet and smoky flavor.
Chicken Alfredo Taquitos – Make a mix of chicken mixed with alfredo sauce and mozzarella cheese to stuff inside the tortilla.
Jalapeno Popper Taquitos – Make the filling as shown in the recipe card, but add in diced jarred jalapenos and Cheddar cheese.
Equipment We Recommend
Storage
After cooking, allow the taquitos to cool before storing them in the fridge, place them in an airtight container wrap them in plastic wrap, and they will keep for up to 3-4 days.
For longer storage in the freezer, wrap them individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then put them in a freezer-safe bag or container, where they can be kept for up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen, place the taquitos directly in the air fryer at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, or until fully heated and crispy.
Top tips
- Use fresh tortillas as they are pliable and less likely to crack.
- If necessary, use toothpicks to secure them.
- Lightly spray or brush the taquitos with oil.
- For even browning and crispiness, flip them halfway through.
FAQ
Place the taquitos in the air fryer seam-side down. This should be enough to keep them from unrolling. But if you are still experiencing them unrolling, use toothpicks.
We cook the taquitos in batches, five at a time. Cook them in the air fryer in a single layer with some space in between each one for even cooking.
Air fryer taquitos are an healthier alternative to regular fried taquitos, especially when filled with protein and nutritious ingredients like shredded chicken.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Shredded Chicken Breast
- 4 Oz Cream Cheese Room temperature
- 1 Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- 8 Flour Tortillas
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the chicken and mix it with your favorite taco seasoning. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, chicken and shredded cheese until throughly combined.
- Lay a tortilla on a flat surface and add 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture spreading the mixture one inch from the top of the tortilla.
- Tightly roll up the tortilla three-quarters, then brush some olive oil on the unrolled part of the tortilla, and then complete the roll. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees.
- Add the taquitos seam side down and brush the top with olive oil.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Do not crowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- Let them cool and serve with your favorite salsa. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat any leftovers at 380 degrees for 1-3 minutes.
- Ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature or won’t mix well with the chicken and cheese.
- You may need to cook these in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- These are great to make in advance. When ready to eat, just brush with olive oil and cook.
- We have also tested using a hand mixer, which is great if you don’t have a lot of time.
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