Oven Baked Chicken Taquitos

This “Year of Less Food Waste” business is turning out to be a source of inspiration and creativity in the kitchen for me. Take these oven baked chicken taquitos, for example. With no dinner plan in mind, I scanned the contents of fridge and freezer and came up with the following to work with:

• Half of a leftover chicken
• A whole mess of corn tortillas stowed in the freezer
• A few odds and ends of cheese

I shredded the chicken, stirred  in cheese, and added a few spoonfuls of my favorite Mexican salsa. That was all the fuss required to make a tasty filling that I rolled into tortillas and put it in the oven until crispy. The result was a family-friendly supper that was a whole lot less caloric than typical deep-fried taquitos. Paired with a salad and a quick and dirty guacamole? Dinner was done.

For another quick chicken dinner, check out my Loaded Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado Salsa.

4.89 from 9 votes

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Easy Oven Baked Chicken Taquitos

If you don't have leftover chicken on hand, pick up a rotisserie one at the market, or bake a couple of pieces of chicken at 350 degrees until cooked through. Feel free to substitute beef, pork, or turkey in place of the chicken. Alternatively, make these vegetarian, using equal parts black beans and chopped, cooked vegetables. Make a double batch and freeze the extras to use for future suppers or school lunches. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven.

Course Lunch, Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 12 taquitos

Calories 137 kcal

Author katiemorford

Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup mild salsa
• 12 six-inch corn tortillas
• Olive oil or non-stick cooking spray
• Guacamole for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the chicken, cheese, and salsa.
3. Lay the tortillas over a baking sheet (overlapping is fine) and put in the oven to soften, about 1 minute. Remove from oven and lay a dish towel over the tortillas to keep them warm.
4. Set a tortilla on your work surface and lay 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in a line across the center. Roll the tortilla tightly around the chicken so it is snug in the center, like a big cigar. Lay it seam-side-down on the baking sheet.
5. Continue with the remaining tortillas and chicken, lining the taquitos up right next to each other to keep them from unfurling.
6. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the surface of the taquitos with oil or lightly coat them with non-stick cooking spray.
7. Bake until lightly brown and crispy, 18 to 20 minutes.
8. Serve with guacamole on the side.