baked green chile chicken taquitos

Baked instead of fried for a healthy but satisfying crunch, these taquitos are stuffed with chicken, green salsa, sour cream, and a savory blend of spices.

We love these chicken taquitos. Love them.

I’ve gotten J.’s family hooked on them, too, as well as several friends. My favorite thing about these taquitos is, of course, the flavor. I love that the outside crisps up to offer the perfect crunch, but the inside is full of tender chicken and the balanced kick of green salsa and sour cream.

You could fill your taquitos with anything you have on hand. I have a friend who loves to make them with corn tortillas and left over carne asada. I once made a version with a mixture of cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and diced jalapeños; they were basically long, skinny jalapeño poppers.

I almost always have a few of these bad boys in the freezer (right now, I have 16) because they are so easy to make ahead and freeze. Go ahead and double the batch; I promise you’ll want the extras.

Green Chili Baked Chicken Taquitos
adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup green salsa
4 oz. can of green chilis
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch of red paper flakes (optional)
1 cup grated cheese (we love cheddar or pepperjack)
8 flour tortillas
kosher salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine everything but the chicken. Add the chicken and mix until chicken is coated.

Scoop 1/8 of the mixture- about 1/4 to 1/3 cup-onto a tortilla, spreading it into a line. Roll the tortilla up around the filling without folding or tucking the edges. Repeat until all the filling and/or all the tortillas are used.

Place the assembled taquitos on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until tortillas are golden and edges are brown.

We enjoy these plain, but they’re also great dipped in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or cheese sauce.

To freeze: place assembled taquitos- unsprayed and unsalted- on a baking sheet for a few hours. Remove them, wrap them in foil, and place them in a freezer bag (the tortilla bag works well for this). To bake, follow regular instructions above (there’s no need to thaw; place frozen taquitos directly in the oven).

What is your family’s favorite recipe?

Need more freezer-friendly dinner recipes? How about oven-fried chicken chimichangas or baked spaghetti?