Healthy baked chicken taquitos are quite popular in our house. And for good reason. They are quite delicious, my toddler always asks for seconds. And they are simple to make which makes me happy. Plus I can make a large batch and freeze some for later.
Jump to RecipeI’ve tried my hand at homemade taquitos numerous times and they’ve always just turned out ok. Not bad, but certainly not something I wanted to make over and over. Until I made these healthy baked chicken taquitos. I think the key for these was using small flour tortillas. So technically I think that makes them flautas, but I still consider these taquitos. Now you can certainly use corn tortillas, and on occasion, I do too. But you must, I repeat must soften the tortilla so they are pliable. I find heating ever so lightly moistening them with a town and then heating them slightly get them there. Otherwise, they tear and it’s a mess.
Why do I consider these healthier? First, they are baked and not fried. But you can still get them crispy in the oven. Also, looking into a lot of taquito recipes I find they are loaded with cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Or some combo of those three. I have nothing against dairy, but I don’t like to overdo it. It never makes me feel good. I think just a bit goes a long way. So for these healthier baked chicken taquitos, I use some full-fat yogurt for healthy fat and just a cup total of shredded cheese. You can definitely use more or less depending on your preference.
Ingredients needed for the Chicken Taquitos
- Cooked chicken breasts – I do this over the weekend for some easy meal prep
- Salsa – i like to pick a smoother one, not like a Pico de Gallo
- Shredded cheese – lots of options work, cheddar, monterery Jack, pepper Jack, colby, whatever you like
- Plain yogurt or Greek yogurt – I like using this one because it’s thick. Thick works better than a runny one becuase it’s replacing sour cream and cream cheese
- Tortillas – I like using small flour tortillas but you can use corn as well. Just make sure to get them plaible by warming them first
How to make Chicken Taquitos
- If the chicken isn’t cooked, start there. If you meal prep, cooking the chicken ahead of time is a great way to get a jump on these.
- Preheat the oven
- Combine the chicken, seasoning, yogurt, and cheese.
- Taking a few tablespoons, spread on the side of a warmed up tortilla. You spread the filling on 1 third of the tortilla and start rolling on that end.
- Cook and serve with all the fixings!
- As tempting as it is to add lots of filling, it will spread so don’t go too crazy. I leave about 1/4 inch on each end t allow for spreading.
Why we love this recipe…
- Easy and quick.
- Simple, healthy ingredients
- Easy to make ahead, freeze, or double.
- Lots of protein
- Lots of options to customize
More recipes you will like…
Tips for the Chicken Salad
- I recommend making the chicken ahead of time or using a rotisserie chicken to cut down on time.
- These are great to freeze. Freeze after you’ve cooked and cooled them. Just cook at 350 for about 20 minutes, until warmed through.
- You can add any seasoning you want, more cheese or less. Customize how you like it.
- I like to serve these along side or over a fresh green salad.
- I also like having them with some quacamole for healthy fats.
- I like to use Siete almond flour tortillas because they are a lot easier to work with.
Healthy Baked Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup thick greek or greek style yogurt
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 cup salsa, not a super chunky one
- salt & pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheese, I like colby or monterey jack
- juice from 1 lime
- 12 small tortillas I like flour because they are easier to work with.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl stir together all the ingredients for the filling.
- Preheat oven to 425
- Warm the tortillas if needed so they are pliable. Either in the microwave wrapped in a moist towl, over the stove, or even in the oven for a few minutes.
- Spoon a couple or 3 tablespoons of filling onto 1/3 of the tortilla. The amount will depend on the size of the tortilla. Leave about 1/4 inch on each end because the filling will spread.
- Starting on the end with the filling, roll the tortilla to create a taquito. Place seam side down on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with olive or avocado oil to get it more crispy.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until crispy.
- Warm leftovers at 350 for 15 min
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