Taquitos de Pollo (Chicken Taquitos)

Growing up, my Mexican mom announcing she was making taquitos was music to my ears and a cause for celebration. The crispy, rolled-up pockets of goodness were an everyday thing because it was easy for her to prep over the course of the day while still managing two daughters. It was a dish that always felt special but didn't take too long. 

As we grew older and got more interested in cooking, my younger sister and I started helping my mom with the preparation. We rolled the taquitos, washed the toppings, chopped (as our knife skills improved), and made salsa in the blender with dried chile arbols or fresh serrano chilies with garlic and tomatoes blistered on the stove. 

This is an excellent opportunity to get your family involved in the process, too. And it's an easy dish for anyone to master. 

What are Taquitos?

Traditionally, taquitos are corn tortillas stuffed with fillings such as chicken, beef, cheese, beans, shrimp, and more. They are pan-fried until crisp and served with toppings. 

Many people use taquitos, flautas, and tacos dorados interchangeably, but they can be different dishes based on the cook and region. Flautas tend to be much larger, hence the name (which translates to "flute"). They are often achieved by rolling and frying two tortillas together or using burrito-size flour tortillas. 

Tacos dorados are sometimes called taquitos. However, they can also be smaller tortillas, filled, folded in half (rather than rolled), and fried until golden.

When to Serve Taquitos

Taquitos are a fun snack food, a favorite appetizer, or a winning main dish. Since the taquitos and all the toppings are pretty heavy, the only side dish my mom would serve was her famous black beans. 

It is still one of my favorite meals, and now I make them with my daughter. She rolls the taquitos even better than I do.

A Flexible Recipe

This taquitos recipe is easy to tailor to your taste and any special diets, and the toppings make it easy for people to personalize the dish. Don't like chicken? Use cheese. Don't like corn tortillas? Use flour. Taquitos are an easy weeknight meal or something you can make for a large crowd at a celebration. 

These are a colossal leftover helper and can quickly become vegetarian-friendly. Fill the taquitos with leftover mashed potatoes, a shredded pot roast from the night before, a mix of shredded cheese, or both. I've even made these with a glut of string cheese I needed to use up, and the kids went wild for them. 

I also like to make double batches and freeze the extras. They’re an easy meal to pull out of the freezer for kids and adults alike.

Tips for Easy Prep

My mom made this recipe work for her because she would portion out her tasks in between mom-ing. She'd boil some chicken breasts early in the day and shred them. Then, later on, she'd roll up the taquitos and use toothpicks to secure them before storing them in the fridge to fry later.

While my mom would use toothpicks when rolling ahead of time, you don't need to. You can place the rolled taquitos seam-side down with tongs in the frying oil. However, toothpicks are a good choice if you are not confident in your rolling skills because they help keep taquitos together. Just make sure you take them out before serving.

Serve the freshly fried taquitos with lots of toppings such as shredded iceberg lettuce, cilantro, chopped white onion, crema, and homemade salsas.   

Taquitos Enchiladas!

If you find yourself in the unlikely position of having lots of leftover taquitos, use them as a base for enchiladas. Add canned or homemade enchilada sauce and some melty cheese on top, then bake at 375°F until bubbly, let it sit for 5 minutes, and serve. 

Crispy, Crunchy Appetizers

• The Best Nachos
• Golden Cheddar Cheese Crisps
• Egg Rolls
• Guyanese Pholourie
• Fried Zucchini