Jalapeño Popper Chicken Taquitos

Corn tortillas are stuffed with seasoned cream cheese, shredded chicken, crumbled bacon and jalapeños and crisped to perfection in the oven or on the stovetop. This jalapeño popper chicken taquitos recipe is inspired by one of my favorite guilty pleasures as a teenager…a 7-11 Jalapeño popper taquito. The 7-11 version was stuffed with cream cheese and jalpeños. I added chicken and bacon to my recipe for added protein and I seasoned the cream cheese for big jalapeño popper flavor!

This taquito recipe is versatile. Pair it with a salad for a delicious and satisfying dinner. Taquitos are made from corn tortillas so they’re small and hand-held so they also make a great appetizer or make a batch and throw them in the fridge for a snack.

Bake ’em or fry ’em.

These taquitos can be baked or fried. Baking them is easier because you’ll simply place them on a cookie sheet, pop them in the oven and forget all about them until the timer rings. But frying taquitos gives us that traditional taquito taste. If you’d prefer to fry them, you’ll add about two tablespoons of oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add 2-3 taquitos to the pan at a time and fry each side for 2-3 minutes. Add additional oil as needed.

Who doesn’t love toppings?

Toppings are always a hit with my family. When I’m trying a new recipe, if I can add a topping bar, my kids are always thrilled. Jalapeño popper chicken taquitos are great with all of the traditional taco toppings but here are my family’s favorites.

• Chopped fresh tomatoes
• A dollop of sour cream
• Shredded lettuce
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Avocado, chopped

Ingredients

• 18-20 6-inch flour tortillas or corn tortillas
• 4 tablespoons oil and/or cooking spray
• 8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups chicken, shredded. You can use rotisserie chicken to keep this recipe quick and easy. I usually use boiled and shredded chicken breasts.
• 6 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend or shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
• 3-4 fresh jalapeños, diced. Seeds and ribs/membranes removed for a more mild flavor. If you prefer a kick, keep them in. You could also use a 4 ounce can of diced jalapeños or I’ve even used 1/2 cups sweet heat jalapeños in the jar for a sweet and savory twist on this recipe.
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the cream cheese, chicken, shredded cheese, bacon and jalapeños in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined.
• If you’re using corn tortillas, wrap the stack in a damp paper towel and heat the stack in the microwave for about one minute to ensure they don’t fall apart when you roll them.
• Spray the bottom of a cookie sheet with cooking spray or grease it with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture to each corn tortilla and roll tortillas tightly. Place them on a cookie sheet seam side down so they don’t open while baking.
• Brush about 2 tablespoons of oil on the top of taquitos. If you don’t have a brush you can simply rub the oil onto the taquitos with your hands.
• Bake for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Looking for more delicious recipes?

• 30 Minute Ham and Pea Pasta
• Ham and Cheese Chowder
• Cheesy Taco Quesadillas