Baked Chicken Taquitos with Avocado Crema

My husband and I lived with his family for the first four months of our marriage to save money for college in the fall. I actually really loved living with my in-laws because my mother-in-law is an amazing (and healthy!) cook, so I didn’t have to make dinner every night.

One of the family’s favorite dinners was her taquitos; she would make two full sheet pans and there were never leftovers! When Tyler and I moved back up north in our own apartment, I wanted to make her taquitos for him one night but I ended up tweaking the recipe and making it my own. I loved the final result and I know you will too!

These Baked Chicken Taquitos are easy to make, easy to eat, and the perfect blend of creamy, spicy, and cheesy. They're also made in one bowl and baked on one sheet pan! The perfect solution to weeknight dinners, if you ask me.

What are "taquitos?"

“Taquito” literally means “little taco,” so anything you’d eat in a traditional taco could be stuffed inside these yummy finger foods. I’ve had all different kinds of taquitos in my many years of cooking:

• Ground beef and cheese taquitos
• Chicken and pepper taquitos
• Cream cheese chicken taquitos
• Refried bean and salsa taquitos
• Sweet potato and black bean taquitos

The formula is simple: pick a protein, pick vegetables, pick a sauce or seasoning, add cheese, and stuff those little tortillas full. Traditional taquitos are made with what Americans now call “street taco tortillas,” which are either corn or flour, and can be baked or fried. Taquitos are also rolled up with both ends open so you can see the delicious filling oozing out of the tortilla when they’re finished cooking.

Easy and Delicious Ingredients

These Baked Chicken Taquitos call for, well, chicken, but they’re also mixed with fresh corn, tossed in a verde cream cheese filling, and dipped in a fresh Avocado Crema. Hungry yet? Here's what you'll need to devour these addicting taquitos:

• Shredded chicken: easier to prepare and eat compared to diced chicken. Feel free to use a rotisserie chicken!
• Fat-free cream cheese: gives that signature "creamy" texture for the taquito filling and a boost of protein. I chose fat-free because the tortillas, cheese, and Avocado Crema already provide enough healthy fats in the dish!
• Green enchilada sauce: the "secret sauce" to this filling! The enchilada sauce is thin enough to help whip the cream cheese but thick enough to add a rich texture as well.
• Mexican flavors: it wouldn't be Mexican food without a dose of lime juice and signature seasonings like cumin, chili powder, and oregano!
• Fresh cilantro: the perfect "punch" to the creamy, cheesy filling!
• Corn kernels: I just use canned corn for convenience, but feel free to use corn from the cob or frozen corn! If using frozen, I recommend thawing first.
• Low-fat shredded Mexican cheese: a unique blend of three cheeses gives just the right kind of flavor and texture to these taquitos
• Xtreme Wellness High Fiber Tortillas: these are burrito-sized tortillas packed with fiber and lower in fat than traditional tortillas. I guess these taquitos aren't so "-ito" anymore! You can find them at Walmart for a decent price!
• For the Avocado Crema: a quick blend of ripe avocado, milk, plain greek yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice

How to Make Baked Chicken Taquitos

1. Prepare the filling: mix together cream cheese, enchilada sauce, lime juice, and seasonings until smooth, making sure the cream cheese isn’t lumpy. Fold in shredded chicken, corn, cilantro, and shredded cheese.
2. Make the taquitos: spoon a heaping 1/4 cup of the filling in a line on a tortilla. Fold up the bottom edge of the tortilla and tuck under the filling, then roll tightly and place seam-side down on a greased baking sheet. Repeat until filling is finished. Brush the taquitos with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 425° F or until crispy.
3. Prepare the Avocado Crema: blend together avocado, milk, greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, and seasonings until smooth. Serve as a dipping sauce with the baked taquitos.

Make These Baked Taquitos Your Own!

• Swap out the shredded chicken for your favorite protein like beef, sweet pork, beans, refried beans, or tofu
• Sprinkle more cheese on top during the last 5 minutes of baking or add more cheese in the filling
• Switch up the cheese by using cotija crumbles, queso fresco, or 100% cheddar instead
• Add sautéed peppers and onions to the filling for an extra serving of veggies
• Omit the cilantro if you are one of those unfortunate people who think cilantro tastes like soap ;)
• Use "street taco" tortillas and make 16 taquitos instead of 8! For gluten-free diets, use gluten-free burrito-sized tortillas or small corn tortillas.
• Swap the Avocado Crema (or don't) for guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, or your favorite dipping sauce

More Mexican Recipes You'll Love

Fresh and Healthy Mexican 7-Layer Dip

Healthy Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Easy Instant Pot Sweet Chili Lime Pulled Pork Tacos

3-Ingredient Pina Colada Breakfast Smoothie

Citrus Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Healthy One-Pot Chili con Carne

Incredible Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Not only are these Baked Chicken Taquitos fun to make, they're fun to eat and there's almost never any leftovers, so you know they're insanely delicious!

When you make this recipe, I'd love to hear about it! Be sure to leave a star rating and review below so other readers know how you liked them, then tag me on Instagram so I can see! I do my best to respond to each one because your feedback is valuable to me. Happy cooking!