These easy air fryer taquitos are the perfect snack and game day football food! How to make your own taquitos or cook frozen taquitos in the air fryer.

Air Fryer Taquitos made with shredded chicken


 

These air fryer chicken taquitos are and easy air fryer recipe that you’re going to love. Chicken, cheese, and corn tortillas crisp up in just minutes to give you and amazing snack that is also the ultimate party food.

I like making these taquitos in the air fryer along with some air fryer pigs in a blanket, air fryer potato skins, and pork and cheese quesadillas to create an awesome game day snack table during football season.

We’re sharing our homemade taquitos recipe but like our air fryer pizza rolls you can also make frozen taquitos in an air fryer.

Serve with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and cheese sauce for dipping.

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ingredient for Air Fryer Taquitos

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Chicken – You’ll be using cooked and shredded chicken. White or dark meat it’s up to you. The great thing about these taquitos is that you can use rotisserie chicken or make shredded chicken in your slow cooker or Instant Pot ahead of time and just pull it out of the freezer and heat it up before using. It’s a total time saver.
  • Taco seasoning – We like to use our homemade taco seasoning that is a blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion, powder, and salt. You can also use a package of taco mix from the store.
  • Cream cheese – Just a little cream cheese adds the perfect creamy texture.
  • Cheddar cheese – Cheddar cheese is a must-have for these crispy little taco rolls.
  • Corn tortillas – I think corn tortillas make the best taquitos because they get perfectly crispy and crunchy. You’ll want to use a 6-inch. If you really don’t like corn tortillas you can substitute with a flour tortilla.
  • Olive oil or Avocado oil spray – This cooking spray will lightly coat the outside of the tortilla so that it turns a nice golden brown and crisps up as it cooks in the air fryer.

Chicken isn’t the only option you can also make beef taquitos or pork taquitos with ground beef or some delicious pulled pork.

how to make Air Fryer Taquitos

Instructions

Step 1 – Preheat. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.

Step 2 – Make the filling. In a bowl combine the cooked and shredded chicken, taco seasoning, cream cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix well.

Step 3 – Heat tortillas. Wet a paper towel that is large enough to wrap around a stack of 12 tortillas. Squeeze out the paper towel so it is just damp and then wrap the damp paper towel around your tortillas and place them on a microwave safe plate.

Microwave for 30-45 seconds then remove and unwrap. This will soften your tortillas so you are able to roll them up without cracking.

If they cool too much as you are filling your taquitos then you can rewrap and heat the tortillas as needed to soften.

Step 4 – Fill tortillas. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the mixture onto each corn tortilla before rolling it up and placing it, seam side down, on a piece of parchment paper.

Step 5 – Add oil. Spray the rolled taquitos with olive oil or avocado spray, lightly coating all sides. 

Step 6 – Cook. Place the taquitos in the air fryer basket side-by-side, do not stack. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until the tortilla begins to lightly brown and is crisp. Continue to cook the remaining taquitos in batches until all of the taquitos air fry.

holding a plate of Air Fryer Taquitos
What Are Taquitos?

Taquitos are rolled up corn tortillas that are filled with Tex-Mex seasoned chicken and cheese. They are cooked until crispy and crunchy similar to a hard shelled taco.

How Long Do I Cook Taquitos in the Air Fryer?

Cook your homemade taquitos in the air fryer to 6 minutes. You’ll know they are ready when they are golden brown and nice and crisp.

Can You Make Frozen Taquitos in the Air Fryer?

Yes! If you’re short on time and don’t want to make homemade taquitos then air fryer frozen taquitos are an easy solutions. Just pull them out of the freezer and drop them into the air fryer for perfectly crisp taquitos every time.

How Long Do I Cook Frozen Taquitos?

Frozen taquitos can be cooked in the air fryer in 8 minutes. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F and then place your taquitos in the air fryer basket and cook for 8 minutes. Flip taquitos halfway through for a perfectly crispy snack.

Air Fryer Taquitos on a black plate with jalapeno slices

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Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes

Air Fryer Taquitos

These easy air fryer taquitos are the perfect snack and football food! How to make your own taquitos or cook frozen taquitos in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Taquitos made with shredded chicken
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 tablespoon Taco seasoning
  • 2 ounces Cream cheese
  • 2.5 ounces Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 12 Corn tortillas, 6-inch
  • Olive oil or Avocado oil spray

Instructions

  • In a bowl combine chicken, taco seasoning, cream cheese, and shredded cheese. Mix well.
  • Wet a paper towel that is large enough to wrap around a stack of 12 tortillas. Squeeze out the paper towel so it is just damp and then wrap the damp paper towel around your tortillas and place them on a microwave safe plate.
  • Microwave the tortillas for 30-45 seconds then remove and unwrap. This will soften your tortillas so you are able to roll them up without cracking. Note: If they cool too much as you are filling your taquitos then you can rewrap and heat the tortillas as needed to soften.
  • Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture onto each corn tortilla before rolling it up and placing it, seam side down, on a piece of parchment paper.
  • Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
  • While the air fryer preheats spray the rolled taquitos with olive oil or avocado spray, lightly coating all sides.
  • Place the taquitos in the air fryer basket side-by-side, do not stack.
  • Cook for 6-8 minutes or until the tortilla begins to lightly brown and is crisp.
  • Continue to cook in batches until all of the taquitos are baked.

Nutrition

Serving: 2taquitos, Calories: 273kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Sodium: 199mg, Potassium: 225mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 305IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 140mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.
Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer taquitos, chicken taquitos air fryer, taquitos in air fryer
Handwritten signature for Kat & Melinda