Ingredients
→ Filling
2 cups shredded chicken
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey jack cheese or pepper jack
6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup salsa
¼ cup sour cream plus more for serving
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons sliced green onions
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon chili powder
→ Tortillas
15-20 6-inch corn or flour tortillas
1 ½ tablespoons melted butter (if baking)
Vegetable oil for frying (or substitute with avocado or olive oil)
Steps
Combine the filling ingredients in a large bowl until well-combined. Scoop 3-4 tablespoons of filling in the middle of each tortilla and roll into a tight cylinder. Place seam-side-down on a plate. Microwave about 4 tortillas at a time for 30 seconds to make them more pliable.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the taquitos seam-side-down on a large, lightly greased, light-colored baking sheet. Place cooling racks on top of the baking sheet for more air flow and crispier results. Brush the tops with melted butter, avoiding the ends. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown on top. Set a timer for 10 minutes and watch closely from there. Remove and serve.
Add ¾-inch of oil to a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven. Insert toothpicks into the seams to keep tortillas from unrolling during frying, trimming toothpicks if necessary. Heat the oil to 350°F. Test the oil with a piece of tortilla; it should fry immediately. Add taquitos seam-side down and fry in small batches, leaving room to rotate with tongs. Fry for up to 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Set aside on a cooling rack and repeat. Adjust heat as needed. Serve.
Tips
- Microwaving tortillas prior to rolling makes them more pliable and reduces breakage.
- Using cooling racks during baking helps achieve crispier results.
- Adjust frying oil temperature to maintain consistent results between batches.
Required Tools
- Large mixing bowl
- Microwave
- Baking sheet
- Cooling rack
- Cast iron skillet or Dutch oven
- Kitchen tongs