Air Fryer Taquitos Crispy Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Savory chicken and cheese taquitos, golden and crispy, cooked quickly with an air fryer.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached)
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
04 - 1/2 cup mild or medium salsa
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 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

# Steps:

01 - Combine shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, salsa, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; mix thoroughly.
02 - Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20–30 seconds until pliable.
03 - Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on 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 spray air fryer basket with olive oil to prevent sticking.
06 - Place rolled taquitos in a single layer, seam-side down, spaced evenly.
07 - Lightly spray tops of taquitos with olive oil for crispiness.
08 - Air fry for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
09 - Serve immediately with optional toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cilantro, and lime wedges.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • They're ready in 25 minutes total, which means weeknight dinner dreams actually come true.
  • The air fryer does all the crispy work without the oil splatters, grease stains, and cleanup nightmares.
  • One batch feeds four people or becomes tomorrow's quick lunch if you're lucky enough to have leftovers.
02 -
  • The difference between soggy and crispy comes down to that olive oil spray and not packing the filling too tight; I learned this the hard way after my first batch turned into soft, sad cylinders.
  • Rolling them seam-side down matters more than you'd think—I once tried seam-side up and half of them burst open in the fryer.
  • Warming the tortillas is not optional; cold tortillas crack, and a cracked tortilla means filling leaking everywhere and heartbreak in the air fryer.
03 -
  • If you want extra crispiness beyond what the air fryer naturally gives you, brush each tortilla lightly with oil before filling and rolling it; this creates an almost restaurant-quality shell.
  • Don't skip the halfway turn—rotating them halfway through cooking is what ensures even browning and prevents one side from being darker than the other.
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