Description
These golden‑crispy taquitos are a cinch to make and perfect whether you serve them as bite‑sized Appetizer Snacks or a hearty main.
Ingredients
Scale
- Oil for Frying: Enough vegetable or canola oil to fill a skillet with about ½″ of oil.
- Filling:
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie, baked, or frozen)
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1½ cups baby spinach, finely chopped
- 1½ cups shredded Colby Jack or Mexican‑style cheese
- ½ cup salsa (store‑bought or homemade)
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Shells: 12 (6″) corn tortillas—or swap in flour tortillas if you prefer
- Garnishes (optional): Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, extra sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole
Instructions
- Heat the Oil:
- Pour oil into a deep skillet until it’s about ½″ deep. Heat over medium until it reaches 350°F (or oil bubbles when you flick in a pinch of flour).
- Mix the Filling:
- In a large bowl, stir together chicken, cream cheese, chopped spinach, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.
- Roll & Fry:
- Warm your tortillas wrapped in a damp paper towel, microwaving 15–30 seconds to prevent cracking.
- Spoon 2–3 Tbsp of filling onto the center of each tortilla. Roll up tightly and secure the seam by pressing it down.
- Using tongs, gently lower each taquito seam‑side down into the hot oil. Fry 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp.
- Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Repeat:
- Continue until all tortillas are filled, rolled, and fried.
- Serve:
- Plate the taquitos hot with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, dollops of sour cream, or your favorite toppings.
Notes
Tips & Variations
- Switch Up the Meat: Substitute shredded beef or pork for a delicious twist.
- Flavor Boost: Try different salsas—tomatillo, verde, or mango salsa add new dimensions.
- Make Ahead: Combine the filling up to 24 hours early and keep it chilled until you’re ready to roll and fry.
- Prevent Cracks: Always heat tortillas briefly before rolling to keep them flexible.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1g
- Calories: 126kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 213mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 32mg