Chicken Taquitos
Yield: 12-14 taquitos (using corn tortillas)
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Tips: You may use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas, though you this will produce larger taquitos, thus a reduced amount. If using flour tortillas, you will need fill taquitos with more mixture.
Chicken Taquitos (one of many traditional Mexican recipes) might likely be one of those chicken
recipes we overlook as a quick and easy (and delicious) dinner idea. These chicken taquitos (also called flautas when made with flour tortillas) consist of shredded chicken breast, pepper jack cheese, salsa verde and diced green chiles. This harmonious combination of ingredients is wrapped up into corn tortillas (or flour tortillas if you prefer flautas), then baked for a quick 15-20 minutes, producing crispy and golden irresistible taquitos. There are many taquito recipes that use the frying method, but I find the baking method to be much easier and less messy, while still producing that wonderful crispy and delicious result. These Chicken Taquitos taste fabulous with a side of Guacamole and perhaps some salsa (green or red) and/or sour cream. Leftovers are easily reheated in the microwave in seconds, which can serve as a great quick hot snack or meal on the run.
Recipe▼
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)
- 1 7-oz. can salsa verde
- 1/4 cup diced green chiles
- 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 12-14 corn tortillas (if you use flour tortillas, you will need less tortillas due to their size)
- oil for heating and softening tortillas
Directions
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Trim any unwanted parts of chicken breasts. Slice thick pieces in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces (this will speed up cooking process). In a large skillet, heat oil. Once oil is hot, add chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and with 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces.
Transfer shredded chicken to a medium mixing bowl. Add salsa verde and diced green chiles and stir to combine. Place bowl near stove.
On a low setting, heat a small amount of oil in skillet (abut 1/4-inch deep). When oil is heated (but not extremely hot), briefly dip each tortilla into oil, turning tortilla over to coat both sides. Place tortilla in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, and fill with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in a strip across the center of tortilla. Top strip of chicken mixture with about 1 tablespoon of cheese, then gently roll up tortilla, trying to make it as tight of a roll as possible without tearing tortilla (Small tears aren't a problem - if large tears occur, then you may want to use a new tortilla). Place seam side down in baking dish, and continue until all tortillas have been filled.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or the inside mixture appears bubbly and tortillas are beginning to show some browning. Serve as suggested above.
Trim any unwanted parts of chicken breasts. Slice thick pieces in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces (this will speed up cooking process). In a large skillet, heat oil. Once oil is hot, add chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and with 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces.
Transfer shredded chicken to a medium mixing bowl. Add salsa verde and diced green chiles and stir to combine. Place bowl near stove.
On a low setting, heat a small amount of oil in skillet (abut 1/4-inch deep). When oil is heated (but not extremely hot), briefly dip each tortilla into oil, turning tortilla over to coat both sides. Place tortilla in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, and fill with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in a strip across the center of tortilla. Top strip of chicken mixture with about 1 tablespoon of cheese, then gently roll up tortilla, trying to make it as tight of a roll as possible without tearing tortilla (Small tears aren't a problem - if large tears occur, then you may want to use a new tortilla). Place seam side down in baking dish, and continue until all tortillas have been filled.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or the inside mixture appears bubbly and tortillas are beginning to show some browning. Serve as suggested above.
