Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos - Preppy Kitchen (2024)

Finding easy dinner recipes can be difficult, but these simple air fryer taquitos are a delicious way to add some excitement to dinner time. Seasoned chicken is rolled up inside a tortilla and cooked to crispy perfection using an air fryer. They’re flavorful and cheesy and are even better piled with your favorite taco toppings.

Easy air fryer chicken taquitos are a convenient way to use up leftover taco meat, chicken, or pork. And there’s no need to fuss with hot oil because your air fryer cooks them to golden, crispy perfection. If you’re looking for more easy air fryer recipes, try my air fryer grilled cheese, air fryer chicken tenders, and air fryer turkey burgers.

What You Need To Make This Recipe

Chicken — you need 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken. This is a great opportunity to use up leftover chicken like Instant Pot shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken.

Salsa — use your favorite store-bought or homemade salsa. Mild or hot, choose whichever you like!

Cheese — a Mexican cheese blend is a delicious option, but you can also use pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or cheddar cheese.

Sour cream — sour cream adds richness and a little tang to the filling and also helps the filling stick together.

Taco seasoning — store-bought or homemade taco seasoning will work. Use what you have on hand!

Tortillas — corn tortillas are the classic choice for taquitos, but you can use flour tortillas if you prefer. I find corn tortillas a bit more flavorful than flour tortillas, so I prefer to use corn. You can also go big and whip up a batch of homemade corn tortillas to use!

How To Make Air Fryer Taquitos

1. Stir together the cooked shredded chicken, salsa, cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning in a medium bowl.

2. Wrap 4 to 6 tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 25 seconds.

3. Spoon the chicken mixture along one edge of each warmed tortilla.

4. Roll up the tortillas tightly.

5. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Place the taquitos, seam side down, in the air fryer basket. Leave space between them so heat can circulate all around each one. Spray the tops with cooking spray.

6. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Remove the taquitos and keep them warm. Continue the steps until all the chicken mixture is used up. Serve the air fryer chicken taquitos hot with your favorite toppings and sides. I have lots of ideas for you just below!

Topping Ideas

Crispy air fryer chicken taquitos are a delicious vehicle that you can load up with toppings. Here are some ideas:

• Pico de gallo
• Sour cream
• Hot sauce
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Sliced jalapeños
• Fresh chopped cilantro
• A squeeze of fresh lime juice

Variations

Air fryer taquitos are versatile, and it is super easy to switch up the filling.

• Use beef: Season and cook ground beef like I do in my taco salad recipe and use that taco meat in the filling instead of chicken. You can also use leftover carne asada.
• Use pork: Try my slow cooker carnitas or cooked chorizo instead of chicken.
• For a meatless option: Stuff the taquitos with cheese and refried beans (or black beans) instead of using meat.
• Use different types of salsa. A classic tomato salsa is lovely, but mango salsa, pineapple salsa, salsa verde, and corn salsa also work well.
• If you are a fan of cilantro, chop some up and add it to the taquito filling.
• For extra heat, add diced green chiles or your favorite hot sauce to the chicken mixture.
• Swap out the sour cream for softened cream cheese in the filling.
• Serving ideas: Taquitos aren’t a very heavy main meal, so feel free to add sides for a little heft. My favorites are Mexican rice, elote, and Instant Pot black beans.

Storing And Reheating Leftovers

Store leftover air fryer taquitos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It is really easy to reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes.

Can You Freeze Air Fryer Taquitos?

Yes, you can freeze cooked or uncooked taquitos, which makes them perfect for meal prep! I like to double the recipe and freeze half for later.

To freeze uncooked homemade taquitos, assemble them and place them seam-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Leave room between each taquito so they don’t stick together. Freeze until solid and then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Air fry from frozen, adding about 3 minutes to the cooking time.

To freeze cooked air fryer taquitos, let them cool completely and freeze as described above for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

• For efficiency: While each batch of taquitos is cooking, prepare the next batch. Do not roll up all the taquitos at one time. They will dry out, and the tortillas will start to crack while waiting to be cooked. You can keep them warm in a 200°F oven while each batch cooks.
• Warm up the tortillas to make them pliable. Don’t skip this step! Otherwise, they will break when you start to roll them.
• Wrap the taquitos tightly so they do not come apart in the air fryer. Be careful, though, as corn tortillas crack easily.
• Place the air fryer chicken taquitos seam side down in the air fryer basket. This will ensure they do not fall apart.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve tried this air fryer taquitos recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!