Chicken and Cheese Taquitos Dorados

Those taquitos dorados are the ultimate appetizer for your gatherings. Made with corn tortillas and filled with a flavored chicken and cheese mixture, then baked to perfection to achieve that crispy texture everyone loves.

I made those chicken and cheese taquitos dorados using shredded chicken leftovers from a previous recipe, but you can also use chicken rotisserie or turkey leftovers for this recipe.

What are taquitos dorados?

In Spanish, taquitos mean “little tacos”, and dorado means “golden”, which refers to the color of those tacos. In Mexico, we like to use lots of diminutives so when we say “taquitos” it doesn’t necessarily mean a little taco or rolled tacos, for us, is just a way of naming them.

Taquitos dorados can be rolled or folded into half-moons. The fillings can vary from recipe to recipe but the most popular are chicken, beef, pork, and potatoes.

Popular recipes for this type of crispy tacos are flautas de Pollo, beef tacos dorados, and crispy potato tacos.

What type of tortillas to use?

You can make our recipe for chicken taquitos dorados with any type of tortilla. From corn tortillas to flour tortillas. My opinion is that corn tortillas are best because they’re sturdy and can handle the filling moisture better.

• Flour tortillas could get a bit soggy in the middle and they won’t be as crispy as corn tortillas, but the taquitos will de delicious nonetheless.
• You can find store-bought corn tortillas at Mexican online stores.
• Corn tortillas can also be made at home, check our recipe for gluten-free tortillas.

How To Make Taquitos Dorados

MAKE THE FILLING:

Heat oil in a medium pan and sauté bell peppers for 3 minutes, then add onions and cook for 3 more minutes. Last, add chicken, tomatoes, and mix well to combine.

Add chicken stock and season with garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook stirring constantly until all juices are gone and vegetables are cooked through.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, allow it to cool down, then add cheese and mix to combine. Set aside.

ASSEMBLE TAQUITOS:

If you using corn tortillas, heat them up between damp paper towels in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. If you use flour tortillas you won’t need to heat them.

In the middle of a tortilla add two or three tablespoons of the chicken and cheese mixture.

Roll tight and place the taquito seam side down on a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

BAKE:

Brush taquitos with a bit of oil on all sides, or use a cooking spray. Then brush a baking tray with oil and place all taquitos in a single layer.

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake the taquitos for 10-15 minutes, turn them on once and keep baking until golden and crispy on all sides.

SERVE:

I like to serve taquitos dorados as an appetizer with various salsas on the side, check-up below for the toppings and salsa options, then choose your favorites.

Tips & Tricks

• Warm up the tortillas. Warming up corn tortillas prevent them from cracking and or breaking apart.
• Don’t overfill the tortillas. If you add too much filling, the tacos won’t roll as tight as they should be. Two tablespoons of chicken mixture are enough.
• Secure. Before baking, secure the taquitos with a toothpick, just remember to remove it before serving.

Make Ahead

• You can make the chicken mixture up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Or you can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
• Or you can also assemble taquitos, place in a baking dish and store in the fridge for 3 days.
• For freezing assembled taquitos, place them in a tray in a single layer, then freeze until harden (about 3 hours), and finally transfer to zip bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

How To Reheat

If you have baked taquitos dorados leftovers and want to reheat them, just place them in a baking tray and heat them up in the oven for about 5 minutes at 375°F (190°C).

Drinks to pair

At our home any taco night is always completed with a good Mexican drink, those are our favorite ones, hope you feel inspired and try some as well!

• Strawberry Horchata – Made with rice, strawberries, and almond milk.
• Cucumber and Lime Fresca – A refreshing drink with a tangy and delicius kick.
• Strawberry Frozen Margarita – The classic Mexican drink in a fun version.
• Tamarind Drink – Also know as agua de tamarindo.

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