Air Fryer Taquitos Chicken Cheese (Printable Version)

Crispy golden taquitos filled with savory chicken and cheese, cooked quickly with a lighter air frying method.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached)
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
04 - ½ cup salsa (mild or medium)
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
06 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
07 - ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
08 - ¼ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly

10 - 12 small corn or flour tortillas (6-inch)
11 - Olive oil spray

→ Serving (optional)

12 - Sour cream
13 - Guacamole
14 - Chopped cilantro
15 - Lime wedges
16 - Salsa

# How To Make:

01 - Combine shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
02 - Warm tortillas in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel to increase pliability.
03 - Place approximately 2 tablespoons of filling along the center of each tortilla, roll tightly, and position seam-side down.
04 - Set air fryer to 400°F and preheat for 3 minutes.
05 - Lightly coat air fryer basket with olive oil spray and arrange taquitos in a single layer seam-side down with space between each.
06 - Lightly spray tops of taquitos with olive oil spray to promote crispiness.
07 - Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp.
08 - Serve immediately garnished with optional sour cream, guacamole, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and salsa.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • They crisp up in minutes without a drop of actual frying oil, making you feel like you're eating something healthier than it tastes.
  • The filling is forgiving and delicious, so you can prep it while half-watching your kids or thinking about your day.
  • Leftovers reheat perfectly in the air fryer, staying crispy instead of getting soggy like the microwave would do.
02 -
  • Spraying the basket matters more than you think; without it, the bottoms stick and won't crisp up properly, something I learned the hard way on my first attempt.
  • Turning them halfway through sounds like extra work, but it's the difference between unevenly browned taquitos and ones that are perfect on all sides.
  • Don't overstuff them, or the filling will squeeze out while they cook and leave you with dry shells and a messy basket.
03 -
  • Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is your best friend here because it's seasoned, cooked, and ready to go without any extra effort.
  • Don't crowd the basket; taquitos need room to get crispy all over, and cramming too many in means they steam instead of fry.
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