Baked Chicken Taquitos with Salsa Verde and Monterey Jack

Name: Baked Chicken Taquitos with Salsa Verde and Monterey Jack
Prep time: 32 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1½ cups (180 g) cooked chicken, finely shredded or chopped, at room temperature or cool; 2 oz (57 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature; ¼ cup (60 ml) salsa verde, jarred, any excess liquid drained off; ½ cup (57 g) Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded from a block; 1 whole (15 g) scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts; 2 tablespoons (5 g) fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped; 1½ teaspoons (7 ml) fresh lime juice; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin; ½ teaspoon (1½ g) garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) kosher salt; 18 whole (450 g) 6-inch (15 cm) corn tortillas, fresh and soft; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) avocado oil or other neutral oil, for brushing; ½ teaspoon (2 g) flaky sea salt; ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream (optional); ½ cup (120 ml) salsa verde, for dipping (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, golden corn tortilla rolls filled with a creamy shredded chicken, salsa verde and melty Monterey Jack filling. Baked instead of fried, they stay crunchy outside and juicy inside, perfect for parties or a fun dinner.

Prep: 32 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 18 taquitos (3 per serving)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the filling
1½ cups (180 g) cooked chicken, finely shredded or chopped, at room temperature or cool
2 oz (57 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
¼ cup (60 ml) salsa verde, jarred, any excess liquid drained off
½ cup (57 g) Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded from a block
1 whole (15 g) scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts
2 tablespoons (5 g) fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1½ teaspoons (7 ml) fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) garlic powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) kosher salt
For rolling and baking
18 whole (450 g) 6-inch (15 cm) corn tortillas, fresh and soft
3 tablespoons (45 ml) avocado oil or other neutral oil, for brushing
½ teaspoon (2 g) flaky sea salt
For serving
¾ cup (180 g) sour cream (optional)
½ cup (120 ml) salsa verde, for dipping (optional)

Equipment (11)

2 rimmed baking sheets, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Large mixing bowl
Spatula or sturdy spoon
10-inch (25 cm) dry skillet or cast-iron pan for warming tortillas
Pastry brush
Clean kitchen towel
Tongs
Toothpicks (optional, to secure seams)
Box grater
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Use cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken or poached breasts work well). Chop or shred it into small, fine pieces so the filling rolls tightly.
Set the cream cheese out 30 minutes ahead so it is soft and mixes smoothly with no lumps.
Buy fresh, soft 6-inch corn tortillas and have 2 spares, since 1 or 2 may tear. Stale ones crack even when warmed.
Shred the Monterey Jack from a block rather than using pre-shredded cheese, which is coated and melts less creamily.
The filling makes about 2⅔ cups, enough for about 2 tablespoons per taquito. Measure the filling for each one; overfilling is the main cause of splitting.

1
Prepare the pansOven 425°F / 220°C
- Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Set the pastry brush and oil within reach.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 425°F (220°C) by the time you finish rolling.
Tip: Parchment prevents sticking, so you won't need extra oil on the pan.
2
Mix the filling
- In a large bowl, stir the softened cream cheese with the drained salsa verde until smooth.
- Add the shredded chicken, Monterey Jack, scallion, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, garlic powder and kosher salt.
- Stir with a spatula for about 1 minute until everything is evenly coated.
- You should have about 2⅔ cups of filling.
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Ready when: Thick, scoopable mixture with no streaks of cream cheese and no pooled liquid; it holds together when pressed.
Tip: If the filling looks wet, drain more salsa or add a handful more cheese; wet filling makes soggy taquitos.
3
Warm the tortillas
- Heat a dry 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Warm 4 tortillas at a time, about 15 seconds per side, until hot, soft and slightly puffy in spots.
- Stack them in a clean kitchen towel and fold it over to trap the steam.
- Warm the next 4 only when you are nearly done rolling the current batch.
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Ready when: Tortillas are steamy and bend in half without cracking.
Tip: Warm in small batches; cooled tortillas crack when rolled. If one still cracks, brush it lightly with oil and re-warm for 10 seconds. Spread this step across the rolling step.
4
Fill and roll
- Lay one warm tortilla on a work surface.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling in a thin line just below the center, leaving ½ inch (1 cm) bare at each side.
- Fold the nearest edge over the filling, tuck it in snugly, and roll away from you into a tight cigar shape.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, using it all up (about 2 tablespoons each).
- If a roll springs open, pin the seam with a toothpick.
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Ready when: Each roll is tight, closed along the seam, and holds its shape when set down.
Tip: More than 2 tablespoons makes the tortilla split in the oven. If one tears, wrap it in a spare tortilla. Remove any toothpicks before serving.
5
Arrange and brush
- Place the taquitos seam side down on the lined pans, about ½ inch (1 cm) apart, 9 per pan.
- Brush the tops and sides lightly but evenly with the oil, using all 3 tablespoons across both pans.
- Sprinkle with the flaky salt.
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Ready when: Tortillas look lightly glossy all over with no dry, white patches.
Tip: Seam-side down keeps the rolls from unrolling as they bake.
6
Bake first sideOven 425°F / 220°C
- Put one pan on the upper rack and one on the lower rack of the 425°F (220°C) oven.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the tops just begin to turn light golden.
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Ready when: Tops are pale golden and the tortillas feel firmer.
7
Flip and finishOven 425°F / 220°C
- Swap the pans' positions and, using tongs, turn each taquito over.
- Bake another 8 minutes at 425°F (220°C), until deep golden brown and crisp, the filling is bubbling at the open ends and it reads 165°F (74°C) in the center of one taquito.
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Ready when: Deep golden, blistered in spots, and 165°F (74°C) inside.
Tip: Ovens vary; check at 6 minutes and pull any that are browning faster.
8
Rest briefly
- Remove the pans from the oven and let the taquitos rest on the pans for 5 minutes.
- The cheese settles and the shells firm up into a crisp crunch.
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Ready when: Shells feel hard and crackly when tapped.
Tip: Filling is extremely hot straight from the oven; the rest prevents burnt mouths.
9
Serve
- Remove any toothpicks.
- Arrange the taquitos on a platter with sour cream and extra salsa verde for dipping.
- Serve while warm.

Good to know

Tips

Warm tortillas are the key to rolling without cracks: work in batches of 4 and keep the rest wrapped in a towel.
Brush oil evenly, including the sides; unbrushed spots stay pale and chewy.
Don't crowd the pans; leaving space lets hot air circulate so every side crisps.
Add a pinch of chipotle powder or a diced pickled jalapeño to the filling for more heat.

Make ahead

Assemble the rolled taquitos (without oil) up to 1 day ahead: place them seam side down on a parchment-lined tray, cover tightly and refrigerate. Brush with oil just before baking and add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time. You can also freeze them unbaked (see storage) and bake from frozen.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours (food safety). Refrigerator: store cooled baked taquitos in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze baked or unbaked taquitos on a tray until solid, then bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 400°F (200°C) oven on a rack-lined sheet, about 10 minutes from the fridge or 15 to 18 minutes from frozen, until crisp and hot throughout (165°F/74°C). Avoid the microwave, which makes them soft.

Substitutions

Monterey Jack cheese → Pepper Jack, mild white cheddar or Oaxaca cheese. Pepper Jack adds gentle heat; Oaxaca melts in stretchy strands.
salsa verde → Red enchilada sauce or a thick red salsa. Use the same amount, well drained, for a deeper, smokier flavor.
6-inch (15 cm) corn tortillas → 6-inch flour tortillas. Easier to roll; the result is softer and a little less crunchy. Bake the same time.
full-fat cream cheese → Neufchâtel, or Mexican crema plus 1 tablespoon extra shredded cheese. Neufchâtel swaps 1:1; crema makes a looser filling, so drain the salsa extra well.