Made completely in the air fryer in minutes, these green chile chicken taquitos are the easiest appetizer and so fun to load up with your favorite toppings!
Game day food is back on the menu! Obviously the whole point of watching the game is a killer lineup of apps and I’m here to tell you that these taquitos need to be included.
Pros: they’re made completely in the air fryer AND uses up leftover chicken.
Cons: you will likely eat way too many.
These little babies have the crispiest exterior and are filled to perfection with a creamy, cheesy green chile chicken filling that I’m convinced I could eat with a spoon.
Let’s be honest with ourselves: your game day spread is going to suck unless these taquitos are front and center on it.
These Green Chile Chicken Taquitos feature…
- A rich and creamy green chile chicken filling.
- A perfectly crispy corn tortilla exterior.
- Made completely in the air fryer in minutes.
Making the Green Chile Chicken Taquitos
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Cooked chicken
- Cream cheese
- Green chiles
- Cheddar cheese
- Garlic powder
- Tortillas
- Pan spray
Can I Use Leftover Chicken?
Yes, absolutely! This recipe is the perfect way to use up leftover chicken you have on hand. You will need about 2 cups of diced or shredded chicken.
For extra simplicity, we love grabbing a rotisserie chicken from the store for these taquitos.
Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Taquitos
- Warm tortillas – warm corn tortillas are more malleable and roll up much easier. Pop your tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds or give them a quick fry in a cast iron to heat them up.
- Preheat air fryer – you want the air fryer already hot when you go to add the taquitos. We recommend preheating for 3 minutes.
- Air fry taquitos in batches – it’s important not to overcrowd the basket, otherwise the taquitos won’t crisp up as nicely and it will be harder to flip.
- Use pan spray – since we’re relying on convection from the air fryer to fry the taquitos, this added bit of fat is necessary to get an even browning.
- Flip taquitos halfway through cooking – This helps ensure both sides get perfectly crispy.
Oven and Stovetop Instructions
If you do not own an air fryer, you can still make this recipe! Follow instructions below for oven and stovetop cooking methods.
Oven: place taquitos in a single layer seam side-down on a greased sheet pan and spray well with pan spray. Bake taquitos at 400F 10-15 minutes until filling is bubbly and tortillas are crispy.
Stovetop: heat 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add taquitos seam side-down and carefully pan fry, turning occasionally until tortillas are crispy.
Choosing Your Toppings
The best part about taquitos is definitely the toppings! Try out our suggestions or feel free to pick your own.
- Sour cream
- Diced tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Salsa
- Lime wedges
The crispiness from the corn tortillas combined with the cheesy, slightly-spicy chicken filling is literally a DREAM in these taquitos!
The only mistake you can make with these taquitos is skimping on the toppings. Just don’t do it.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More air fryer recipes you’ve gotta try next!
Air Fryer Green Chile Chicken Taquitos
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Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 2 (4 oz each) cans green chiles, drained
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12-15 small corn or flour tortillas
- Canola or vegetable pan spray
- Optional toppings: sour cream, diced tomatoes, lime wedges, and cilantro
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine chicken, chiles, cream cheese, cheddar, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat tortillas 15-30 seconds on each side in a large skillet over medium-high heat until tortillas are warmed. Alternatively, microwave tortillas 30 seconds.
- Place 2 tablespoons chicken filling on each tortilla, roll up tightly, and place seam-side down on a sheet pan.
- Preheat air fryer to 400F for 3 minutes. Spray basket well with pan spray and working in batches, arrange taquitos in a single layer. Spray well with pan spray and air fry taquitos 6-8 minutes, flipping once halfway through cooking until taquitos are crispy and filling is bubbly. Repeat cooking with remaining taquitos.
- Serve taquitos warm with sour cream, tomatoes, lime wedges, and cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
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