Description
These Air Fryer Taquitos are crispy on the outside, cheesy on the inside, and packed with flavorful rotisserie chicken. They come together quickly, making for a perfect appetizer, snack, or main course with authentic Mexican flavors and a delightful crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion, minced
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or Instant Pot)
- 4 ounce can diced green chilies
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
Tortillas
- 12 six-inch flour tortillas (fajita size)
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Cook the onion: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes until softened.
- Prepare the filling: Add shredded chicken, diced green chilies, chopped cilantro, and taco seasoning to the skillet with onions. Stir to combine and cook for an additional 3 minutes to heat through and blend flavors.
- Add the cheese: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the shredded pepper jack cheese until evenly mixed.
- Soften the tortillas: Stack tortillas and wrap them in damp paper towels. Microwave for 60 seconds to make them pliable for rolling.
- Roll the taquitos: Place 3-4 tablespoons of the filling mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and secure seam-side down. Repeat for all 12 tortillas.
- Preheat the air fryer: Set your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and allow it to preheat thoroughly.
- Arrange taquitos in the air fryer basket: Place 6 taquitos seam-side down in the basket, leaving space around each for airflow. Spray them lightly with nonstick cooking spray to help crisp the exterior.
- Cook the first side: Air fry at 400°F for 5 minutes to crisp the taquitos on one side.
- Flip and cook the other side: Use tongs to flip the taquitos, spray the other side with cooking spray, and air fry for another 5 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Cook remaining taquitos: Repeat steps 7 through 9 for the remaining 6 taquitos if your air fryer holds only 6 at a time.
- Serve: Enjoy warm taquitos with your choice of salsa, sour cream, chipotle sauce, or guacamole for dipping.
Notes
- Ensure taquitos are rolled tightly to prevent them from opening during air frying.
- If taquitos are not crispy enough, extend cooking time by 1-2 minutes per side and don’t skip spraying with cooking spray.
- Oven alternative: Bake at 425°F on a foil-lined baking sheet (convection preferred) for 6-7 minutes per side, spraying taquitos with cooking spray between flips.
- For gluten-free taquitos, substitute flour tortillas with corn or certified gluten-free tortillas.
- Increase spice by using hot green chilies, adding hot sauce, or cooking minced jalapeno or serrano chilies with the onions.
- You can make variations with beef, soyrizo, or bean and cheese using the same method.
- Uncooked taquitos can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen up to 3 months in airtight containers.
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 400°F for 2-3 minutes per side.
- When cooking frozen taquitos, add 2 extra minutes per side (5-6 minutes each side) in the air fryer at 400°F.
- This recipe yields 12 taquitos and can easily be doubled.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taquito
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
