These 5-ingredient Creamy Chicken Taquitos are crispy, cheesy, and full of flavor. Made with shredded chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and verde hot sauce, they’re creamy with just the right amount of heat—and you can bake or fry them depending on your mood (or energy level).
Should You Make This?
Time: 15 minutes to assemble, plus 6 minutes to fry or 15 minutes to bake.
Ingredients: Just five simple ingredients—corn tortillas, shredded chicken, cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce.
Ease: Easy to make with minimal prep! Great for using up leftover chicken and comes together quickly, whether you fry or bake.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Shredded Chicken – Use Homemade Shredded Chicken or grab a rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut.
Monterey Jack Cheese – Swap with Pepper Jack for extra heat or mozzarella if that’s what you have on hand.
Sour Cream – Adds creaminess to the filling and helps bind everything together.
Verde Hot Sauce – Brings in a flavorful kick. Green hot sauce pairs perfectly well with the chicken and cheese, but red hot sauce works too if that’s your preference.
Vegetable Oil – Used for frying. If baking, you can brush the taquitos with vegetable oil, avocado oil, or spray them with cooking spray to help them crisp up in the oven.
Full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below
How to Make Chicken Taquitos
Step 1 | Make the Filling
In a large bowl, mix the shredded chicken, cheese, sour cream, and verde hot sauce until well combined.
Step 2 | Assemble the Taquitos
Warm the tortillas in the microwave to make them pliable, then fill, roll, and secure each one with a toothpick to hold its shape.
Step 3 | Fry or Bake the Taquitos
Fry in hot oil for 2–3 minutes until crispy and golden or bake at 425°F for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway.
Tips & Notes
Don’t Overfill the Taquitos: Overstuffing makes them harder to roll and more likely to burst open while cooking. A couple of tablespoons of filling is plenty.
Fry in Batches: Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying—give them space so they crisp up evenly and don’t stick together.
Crispier Baked Version: Brushing or spraying the taquitos with oil before baking makes a big difference in getting that golden, crispy texture.
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5-Ingredient Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese or Pepper Jack for extra heat
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼-1/3 cup verde hot sauce, depending on how spicy you like it; I used Hot Ones Verde
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
- 12 toothpicks
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, cheese, sour cream, and verde hot sauce.
- To prevent cracking, microwave the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel for 30–60 seconds until soft and pliable.
- Add the chicken filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and secure with a toothpick to hold its shape.
To Fry the Taquitos:
- Pour about ½ inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high.Once the oil is hot (a tortilla piece should sizzle when added), fry the taquitos in batches for 2–3 minutes, turning as needed, until golden and crispy all around. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Take out toothpicks before serving.
To Bake the Taquitos:
- Preheat oven to 425°F.Lightly spray a baking sheet with oil. Place taquitos seam-side down on the sheet.Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with oil.Bake for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy. Take out toothpicks before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary based on the ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!