Creamy Chicken Taquitos (Baked – not fried!)

I love taquitos but I have never made them because I hate frying food in oil.   It just bothers me to see all that oil soaking into my food.    When I saw this recipe, I just had to try it.

 Baked Taquitos!  No oil!  So delicious!  So filling!

The taquitos shown in the picture are the “skinnier” ones – making 12 from the recipe.  We prefer making 6 fatter taquitos.

1/3 cup (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup green salsa or green taco sauce

1 T. fresh lime or lemon juice

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic granules

3 T. cilantro, chopped

2 T. green onions, finely chopped

Mix everything together.

2 cups shredded chicken (8 oz.) – I used a store-bought roasted chicken.  Any leftover chicken or turkey would be great.

1 cup(2.5 oz.) pepperjack cheese, grated

Stir in shredded chicken and pepper jack cheese.  Combine well.

NOTE:  This can be made ahead of time and stored in the frig.  Or use  half one night and half the next!

Approx. 6 small fajita size tortillas, wheat, flour or corn   You candivide the mixture between 12 tortillas for a skinnier taquito

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

EXTRA:  If your tortillas need to be softened for easier handling, briefly heat in the microwave.  Any time you want to heat up tortillas, it is a good idea to pace a damp paper towel over a stack of them in the microwave.  If I have more than 5, I will place a damp paper towel  in the middle of the stack as well.  (To dampen a paper towel, just get it wet then squeeze out any excess water.)  When working with corn tortillas, you especially need to make sure they are warmed up with the damp paper towel or else they will crack and split as soon as you roll them.

Spoon about 3-4 T. of the mixture in a row across the bottom third of the tortillas, keeping 1/2 inch from the edge.  The amount differs depending on the side of your tortillas.  In my pictures, I used wheat tortillas which are a little bit bigger than your average fajita size tortillas.

Roll tortillas up tightly.  Place taquitos with the seam side down on sprayed cookie sheet, making sure they do not touch.  Lightly spray with cooking spray.  This gives it the “fried” crispness.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until crisp and edges start to turn golden brown.

Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

BE CAREFUL!!!  The filling is VERY hot!  Let them cool a bit before taking that first bite.

Recipe Source:  Revised from Sisters Cafe (found on Pinterest)

FULL RECIPE WITHOUT PICTURES —

CREAMY CHICKEN TAQUITOS

1/3 cup (3 oz.) cream cheese

1/4 cup green salsa or green taco sauce

1 T. fresh lime or lemon juice

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic granules

3 T. cilantro, chopped

2 T. green onions, finely chopped

2 cups shredded chicken – I used a store-bought roasted chicken.  Any leftover chicken or turkey would be great.

1 cup pepperjack cheese, grated

Approx. 6 small fajita size tortillas, wheat, flour or corn   You candivide the mixture between 12 tortillas for a skinnier taquito

cooking spray

Soften cream cheese in microwave for 20 seconds.  Stir in green salsa, lime or lemon juice, and all the spices until well mixed.

Add cilantro and green onions.

Stir in shredded chicken and pepper jack cheese.  Combine well.

NOTE:  This can be made ahead of time and stored in the frig.  Or use  half one night and half the next!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

EXTRA:  If your tortillas need to be softened for easier handling, briefly heat in the microwave.  Any time you want to heat up tortillas, it is a good idea to pace a damp paper towel over a stack of them in the microwave.  If I have more than 5, I will place a damp paper towel  in the middle of the stack as well.  (To dampen a paper towel, just get it wet then squeeze out any excess water.)  When working with corn tortillas, you especially need to make sure they are warmed up with the damp paper towel or else they will crack and split as soon as you roll them.

Spoon about 3-4 T. of the mixture in a row across the bottom third of the tortillas, keeping 1/2 inch from the edge.  The amount differs depending on the side of your tortillas.  In my pictures, I used wheat tortillas which are a little bit bigger than your average fajita size tortillas.

Roll tortillas up tightly.  Place taquitos with the seam side down on sprayed cookie sheet, making sure they do not touch.  Lightly spray with cooking spray.  This gives it the “fried” crispness.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until crisp and edges start to turn golden brown.

Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

BE CAREFUL!!!  The filling is VERY hot!  Let them cool a bit before taking that first bite.

Makes 12 – 16 taquitos, depending on the size of the tortillas you use.

Recipe Source:  Revised from Sisters Cafe (found on Pinterest)