Next Post
Lemon Butter Cheese Ravioli with Garlic Basil Breadcrumbs.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Switching up taco night with these baked Crispy Chicken Tinga Taquitos with Salty Lime Avocado Crema….plus all the toppings. Because extra sauce and extra salsa make everything better. Ground chicken seasoned with smoky chipotle peppers and pantry friendly enchilada sauce is mixed with cheese, rolled up in tortillas, and oven-baked. These taquitos are crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve with a creamy, salty lime avocado crema sauce, and a mix of your favorite taco toppings. These come together in minutes and are so delicious…the perfect weeknight dinner.
Taquito Wednesday anyone? I know it’s not a thing, but maybe we should make it one. Because I’m overly excited to share this easy recipe with you guys. These taquitos are so good, they’re the kind of food you could eat once a week…at least.
I’ve told the story many times before, so I will not repeat it. Most of you know I grew up eating tacos once or twice a week. My brothers and I loved them as kids and still do to this day, but then, who doesn’t love tacos? They’re fun, typically cheesy, served with plenty of sauces and salsas, and all-around delicious. Love me a good taco!
But you know? Sometimes it’s nice to switch things up, do something just a little different. Different like instead of usual tacos, make crispy baked taquitos, which might just be better. It just depends on the filling. But hey, one thing’s for sure…taquito is a pretty fun word to say. Yep, cheesy, but kind of brightens my mood a bit.
Sooo, let’s make some taquitos!
The idea…
The idea for these Crispy Chicken Tinga Taquitos came from two sources. Source one, very old, very retired HBH blog content from all the way back in October of 2012. Our very first year of HBH! I shared a taquito recipe and it’s crazy to believe that I have not made taquitos since. When I randomly came across the post, I immediately thought how fun it would be to make newly updated taquitos.
PS. if you have an extra minute and want to take a look and see just how horrible our photos (and writing for that matter) were that first year, scroll through this post. Fun to see our growth!
Source two, my eldest brother…of course. Creighton has been inspiring a lot of recipes these days. His love for anything Mexican with double…scratch that…triple the sauce has been helping me come up with some fun recipes lately. Love having so many family members to inspire new recipes. Don’t know what I’d do without them.
Now, onto the details.
Pick up some ground chicken, turkey, or even ground beef. Just be sure to use what your family loves most, personally I like chicken, but my brothers are all about ground beef.
Brown the meat, add chipotle peppers plus a little red enchilada sauce. The peppers and sauce are KEY. Chicken tinga is made using canned chipotle peppers. They have a smoky, slightly spicy flavor. I love to use them whenever I have the opportunity. The enchilada sauce keeps the meat saucy, flavorful, and prevents the meat from drying out in the oven.
Added bonus? I always have these two ingredients in my pantry!
The next step is crucial…
Ok, that’s way too dramatic, but just go with me on this.
Once the meat is browned and seasoned it’s time to make the actual taquitos themselves. Instead of frying, which is traditional, I much prefer to oven bake. It’s healthier, easier, and to be honest, I like the flavor so much better. You taste the food, not the fried oil.
Here’s the key, you must rub each tortilla with olive oil before rolling up the meat. This is the trick to getting the taquitos crispy all around. Once the tortillas are oiled, roll up the meat and cheese inside. Then oven bake, and ten or so minutes later you’ll have crispy taquitos.
That salty lime avocado crema? Yep, you need that too.
Sure, sour cream is traditional, but whipped avocado crema is just so much better. I used fresh cilantro and plenty of lime and stirred in some pickled jalapeños for a spicy, tangy kick. This is the perfect sauce to dollop onto each cheesy, crunchy taquito.
I like to serve these up alongside sweet pineapple salsa or mango salsa, shredded lettuce, and plenty of fresh limes for squeezing. You can never have too many toppings.
And lastly? I see these taquitos as the perfect reason to make a random Wednesday night spicy margarita. Yep, it’s a good idea.
Watch the How To Video:
Looking for other Mexican night recipes? Try these!
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Sheet Pan Hawaiian Pineapple Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Special Sauce
Lastly, if you make these crispy chicken tinga taquitos with salt lime avocado crema, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Chicken Tinga Taquitos with Lime Avocado Crema
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 591 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for rubbing
- 1 pound ground chicken, beef, or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo finely chopped, use to your taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup red enchilada sauce homemade or store-bought
- 16-20 corn tortillas warmed
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- pineapple salsa, shredded lettuce, and pickled onion, for serving
Lime Avocado Crema
- 1 avocado, halved
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños
- juice from 2 limes
- kosher or flaky salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ground chicken and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle peppers, oregano, and salt. Add the enchilada sauce and 1/4 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly around the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.3. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the chicken down the middle of the tortilla. Add a sprinkle of cheese, then roll up and place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 4. Meanwhile, make the Lime Avocado Crema. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt. 5. Serve the taquitos topped with avocado, pineapple salsa, and any other desired toppings.
This post was originally published on April 15, 2020
This is the first HBH recipe that’s been a miss for me! Which is saying a lot because I’ve made the majority of your recipes 😀 I read the reviews beforehand and knew I should be looking for the Mission tortillas you recommended. Unfortunately, they didn’t have Mission so I had to use Goya White Corn Tortillas and I was sure to warm them up and coat them fully in oil. My tortillas wrapped okay but once they were in the oven they all split in half and the filling was everywhere! The tortillas never crisped up beautifully like the photos either. I used El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce (mild), which was the main brand at Wegmans, and it didn’t have much flavor at all! None of these things are the fault of the recipe itself, but without the key ingredients being good it’s hard to have success with this one!
Hi Hanine! I am really sorry to hear that! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! Otherwise, I hope you continue to love my recipes! xTieghan
They all split and never got crispy. What did I do wrong?
Hi Judith,
So sorry you had issues with this recipe. It is key to preheat the tortillas and generously coat in olive oil. Also it is important to not overstuff the tortillas. I hope this helps. xTieghan
Love these!! If I make a lot of them, can these be frozen for later?
Hi Kristin,
You bet! Just be sure to freeze before baking. So glad you have enjoyed this recipe! xTieghan
My whole family loved this dish! A huge hit! The avocado sauce is a perfect complement.
Thank you Dorothy! I am so glad you all loved this one! xTieghan
These were AMAAAAZING!!!!!! One little issue I had though was that if you let the tortillas get too cool while you’re assembling they will split (I used Mission- maybe a different brand would work better?). My first tray had quite a few that split (although they still tasted excellent). The second tray I assembled very quickly and made extra sure the tortillas stayed warm and they did not split. The avocado Crema really makes this dish. Excellent!
Thank you so much!! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
I made these tonight and while the taste is perfection, the corn tortillas were a disaster. I followed all directions with the warming and oil but they fell apart big time. And cooking for 5 and 5 didn’t even get these close to brown. Is there anything I’m missing?
Hi Katie,
Thanks for trying the recipe and I am so sorry you had issues with the tortillas. The key is to warm and generously coat in olive oil first, which you said you did. Next I am wondering how fresh your tortillas were? This could have affected them. Please let me know how I can help. xTieghan
I’m planning to make these tonight. They look amazing! Can I prep them ahead and pop them in the oven before dinner? Not sure If they will get soggy.
Hi Alden,
Yes that is totally fine to do. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So incredibly good. Had to add a bit of sour cream to the Crema to get it to blend in my vitamin… but this is an absolute keeper!
Thank you Steve! xTieghan
these sound amazing but we don’t eat cow cheese. Do you think they would be good with any goat or sheep cheese, or no cheese?
Hi Cathy,
Honestly any cheese you enjoy will work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These Chicken Taquitos were SO delicious and easy! The avocado crema is a game changer and will probably become a staple sauce in our home.
Love that!! Thank you for trying these, Bailee!! xTieghan
These are delicious! I saw your Instagram post right before I went to the grocery store which gave me a great plan for dinner. It’s so simple but the flavor is outstanding. My husband isn’t a huge fan of lime, so I mixed the avocados with sour cream and some garlic and salt for the sauce instead which was also great. My taquito assembly skills need a little practice so I can’t wait to make these again!
I am so glad you decided to try these and loved them! Thank you so much Mary! xTieghan
These are so delicious and turn out amazingly crispy! They are in regular rotation now
Thank you so much Kelly! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Just made this for my family tonight (with beef) and they said it was my best meal yet!! I also used flour tortillas and they came out just as crispy.. just make sure you cover them in olive oil. I added a side of Goya yellow rice and some stir fried veggies to complete the meal. I was wondering, can you store the leftover crema in the fridge? I doubled the recipe and don’t want it to go to waste (it’s too good!!)
Also, I never heard of pickled jalapeños but they are my new favorite thing ?
Hi Gia,
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Yes the crema will stay good in the fridge for up to a week. xTieghan
I’ve made these 3 times and absolutely love them. The last two times I’ve had issues with the tortillas breaking apart during the bake. Any ideas why? I heat them on the stove top prior to putting olive oil and rolling. Despite not being the pettiest they are soo good. And the avocado cream goes perfect!
Hi Lisa,
So glad you have been enjoying the recipes! My tips for preventing the tortillas from breaking are heating them prior and coating in olive oil. It seems as though you are already doing this, so I would just continue those things! xTieghan
I made these for a party last night and they were a huge hit! I used shredded chicken instead of ground and served with mango salsa. The Crema was amazing but I love sauce so I added a 1/2 cup of sour cream to make it go farther. I made a double batch in the morning, put them a tin foil pan once they cooled and then reheated them later on. Once again another great recipe!
That is so great to hear! Thank you so much for trying this one, Alex! xTieghan