Jalapeño Popper Chicken Taquitos Recipe
These Jalapeño Popper Chicken Taquitos are a spicy, creamy, and crispy Mexican-inspired appetizer or meal. Filled with tender chicken, cream cheese, cheddar, and jalapeños, then rolled in tortillas and baked to golden perfection, they offer a perfect blend of cheesy heat with a satisfying crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 taquitos 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 3–4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
- 8 oz cream cheese (full-fat)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup jalapeños (fresh or pickled), chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Taquitos
- 8 flour tortillas (6-inch)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for brushing)
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the cooked and diced chicken breasts with the cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped jalapeños, cumin, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Assemble the taquitos: Warm the flour tortillas slightly to make them pliable. Spoon an even amount of the chicken and cheese mixture onto one edge of each tortilla. Carefully roll the tortilla tightly around the filling to form a taquito, tucking in the edges as you roll to prevent filling from spilling out.
- Prepare for baking: Place the rolled taquitos seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each taquito lightly with olive oil to promote a crispy, golden exterior when baked.
- Bake the taquitos: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the taquitos for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Halfway through baking, flip them over to ensure even crisping.
- Serve: Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. These taquitos pair well with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream for dipping.
Notes
- Use fresh or pickled jalapeños depending on your preferred heat level.
- For a crispier texture, broil the taquitos for an additional 1-2 minutes at the end of baking—watch carefully to avoid burning.
- To save time, shredded rotisserie chicken can be used instead of cooking chicken breasts from scratch.
- These taquitos can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated before baking.
- Gluten-free tortillas can be substituted to make this recipe gluten-free.
Keywords: Jalapeño Popper Chicken, Taquitos, Spicy Chicken Taquitos, Mexican Appetizer, Baked Taquitos, Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos
