Crispy and cheesy, Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos are super easy to make and are a great make-ahead freezer snack/appetizer/meal! You only need a handful of ingredients, and it’s a great recipe for using up leftover chicken!
Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Chicken and Cheese Taquitos
Welcome to my lazy girl’s take on chicken taquitos in the air fryer. No, they’re probably not authentic, but they are delicious af so I’m sharing them here! They take little to no time to make a batch of, and they freeze wonderfully so you can always make a few batches and freeze extras for later.
For this chicken taquito meal prep, I use an air fryer, but you can also bake them in the oven if you prefer. I air fry them, so the tortilla has a bite to it as well, as it helps them keep their shape for easy snacking.
What You’ll Need To Make This Freezer Friendly Chicken Taquito Recipe
- tortilla — you can use corn or flour tortillas. I used 7″ flour tortillas as it’s easier for me to purchase. Corn tortilla will have to be warmed up a bit so it can be flexible for rolling. Got extra tortillas? Try making these air fryer shrimp tacos and air fryer fish tacos.
- salsa chicken — here’s how I make 2 chicken breasts worth of salsa chicken in the Instant Pot. See down below for how to make salsa chicken in your Dutch oven.
- cheese — use shredded cheese or slice up a few slices of cheese from a block.
- cooking spray
Note: I have the Philips XXL Air Fryer which it fits 4 taquitos made with 7″ tortillas.
How To Make the Salsa Chicken for Chicken Taquitos
Here’s how I make mine in the Instant Pot. You can also cook it in the Dutch oven on the stovetop.
- Coat the Dutch oven with olive oil on medium high heat.
- Sear your two chicken breasts on both sides for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour a jar of salsa (430 ml) on top of the chicken and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10-15 minutes with the lid on. Flip the chicken oven. Cook for another 10 minutes with the lid on.
- When done, shred the chicken and toss it with the salsa in the Dutch oven.
How To Make Chicken Taquito in the Air Fryer
- Start by making your shredded salsa chicken.
- On a tortilla, spread 2-3 spoonfuls of chicken in a line across before adding cheese on top.
- Roll them up tightly and place them in your air fryer.
- Lightly spritz with a little bit of cooking spray.
- Air fry for 7-8 minutes.
- Serve with your choice of topping or side. I like to scoop a ton of guac on top!
How To Freeze Chicken Taquitos
- Cool taquitos completely, then place them in a freezer bag to freeze. To reheat, wrap loosely in a paper towel and microwave or air fryer for 1 minute.
- Alternatively, flash freeze on a sheet pan individually before placing them into a freezer bag so you can grab individual taquitos from the bag.
How I Like to Eat Them
- On their own with a ton of guacamole and a side of salad or pico de gallo. I like to eat it with my avocado corn salsa as well!
- On their own as a grab-and-go snack.
- With sour cream and salsa as an appetizer.
Recipe Variations
- Add in refried beans.
- Add in black or pinto beans.
- Swap the cheese: Montgomery Cheese, Habanero Cheddar Cheese, Pepper Jack Cheese, etc.
How To Make Chicken Taquitos Filling with Leftover Chicken
Don’t feel like making salsa chicken from scratch? Got some leftover shredded chicken or a rotisserie chicken? Here’s how to use leftover chicken to make air fryer chicken taquitos filling:
- In a bowl, combine 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken with 2 cups of chunky salsa. If I’m not cooking the salsa, I prefer to use a chunkier than thin salsa.
Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 9 7" tortilla, corn or flour
- 2 shredded salsa chicken breasts
- 1½ cups cheese
- cooking spray
Equipment
Instructions
- Start by making your shredded salsa chicken. See the post for different methods.
- On a tortilla, spread 2-3 spoonfuls of chicken in a line across before adding cheese on top.
- Roll them up tightly and place them in your air fryer.
- Lightly spritz with a little bit of cooking spray.
- Air fry for 7-8 minutes at 380F.
- Serve with your choice of topping or side. I like to scoop a ton of guac on top!
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
WANT TO TRY ANOTHER AIRFRYER RECIPE?
- Crispy Air Fryer Parmesan Edamame
- Air fryer Baked Potato
- How To Cook Chicken Breasts in the Air Fryer
- Boneless Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread
- Air Fryer Turkey Thighs
Other places to connect with me
Instagram: @carmyshungry
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Email: [email protected]
JP
Hi,
What temp for the air fryer?
Thanks,
Carmy
Sorry about that! It should be 380F!
JP
No worries! I tried them out and they are yummy! Thanks a bunch!
Carmy
So happy you enjoyed!