Yes, you can make taquitos in an air fryer.
Air fryer taquitos are tasty, easy, and quick to cook. Creamy and spicy chicken is wrapped around in small corn tortillas, which are later air-fried without the guilt of too much oil.
If you’re a fan of any crispy, savory, cheesy Mexican dish, then you will love this too. The traditional way of making Taquitos includes deep frying in oil which makes it unhealthy. But, with an air fryer, you can make it without oil and with fewer calories in a way that you’ll adore, I promise!
If you want to know more about these mouth-watering air fryer Taquitos, keep reading till the end!
Are Taquitos good for health?
Taquitos are not considered healthy in their traditional way of cooking, which includes submerging them in oil.
But, these air-fried and homemade taquitos can be considered healthy as they are made up of natural ingredients without any artificial flavor that you would love to have and feel good about later.
Also, to your knowledge, homemade air fryer taquitos don’t contain a massive quantity of sodium, potassium, or preservatives like frozen ready-made Taquitos or restaurant Taquitos, this is a win in my diary.
What is Taquitos made of?
Chicken – Any shredded chicken would work fine. You can make some at the last minute by using rotisserie chicken.
Cream cheese – It is generously used in Taquitos. You have to soften cream cheese before using it.
Chipotle sauce – You can use a couple of canned chipotle if you don’t have it at home. All you have to do is chop them finely and add in the filling.
Spices – In spices, paprika powder, garlic powder, and cumin are added to make these Taquitos which makes them savory. A little salt is also added to it.
Tortillas – Taquitos taste best with corn tortillas, and it is designed to be paired with corn tortillas. Flour tortillas might result in a flaky texture, but you can use them in a pinch.
Blend cheese – Any cheese like Cheddar and Colby works fine in Taquitos, but I prefer to use Mexican cheese in Taquitos because that tastes heaven!
Cooking spray – Using 100% avocado oil or olive oil is recommended for making Taquitos. But you can use any as per your liking.
Check out this recipe to learn how to make air-fried Taquitos.
Additional toppings:
- Sour cream
- Tomatillo Avocado Salsa
- Guacamole
- Cotija cheese
Recipe Tips
Before you start making taquitos in the air fryer, read through these recipe tips to get the best results!
- The taquitos do not need to be thawed first. Simply put them in the air fryer frozen.
- There’s also no need to coat the taquitos in oil. You can if you want, but they’ll get crispy without it (I usually don’t use any oil).
- It is critical not to overcrowd the air fryer tray. The frozen taquitos require space to crisp up. Make them in two batches if you have a smaller air fryer and can’t fit them all in.
How to make Taquitos?
One of the easy and quick things is making Taquitos. Its process includes:
Filling – Mix the shredded chicken, cream cheese, spices, and chipotle sauce in a large bowl. You can use a hand or spatula to mix it evenly.
Warming Tortillas – To warm up the tortillas, place them on a plate and cover it with a kitchen towel in an oven-safe bowl. Only heat them for 30 seconds when they are warm and flexible. If they’re not flexible, warm them more for 10 seconds until they are flexible and easy to work with.
Filling Tortillas – For the filling, take one tortilla and spoon two tablespoons of filling on the edge of the tortilla. Now, roll it up tightly and set it in the basket of the air fryer.
Repeat the process until all tortillas are filled. Don’t overcrowd the basket all at once. If you have left after placing enough in the air fryer, then cook them in the second batch.
Air fry taquitos – First, preheat your air fryer at 400° F for a few minutes, then arrange taquitos in the air fryer basket in a way that they don’t touch each other to make them crispy.
Spray little oil on them and let them cook for 5 minutes, then flip taquitos and spray oil again and let them cook for another 2 minutes until they are done or as crispy as you desire.
Serve – Once they are done, take them out, serve hot and enjoy with your favorite additional toppings.
Tips and Tricks for making Air fry Taquitos
As you know, making Taquitos in the air fryer is simple and easy, but it’s always good to have some tips and tricks regarding the recipe you are cooking, as it helps a lot when you see cooking isn’t going in the right direction. So, here are a few tips and tricks.
• If you see that your Taquitos rolls seem to unroll after you roll them, then you can use a toothpick as a medium to close them together, and toothpicks are safe to be used in the air fryer.
• No matter how much I stress about spraying oil on food in intervals while you’re cooking in the air fryer, people skip this step! But do you know this is the secret of crispy food in the air fryer because when you spray oil on the food, it starts to sizzle when it heats up, which gives food a fried crispy texture like the one you get in deep frying? So, always spray oil on Taquitos to make them crispy.
• All air fryers are different in terms of cooking time. So, you might require more minutes than mentioned to make your Taquitos crispy. So, if you feel that taquitos are not up to your mark, feel free to cook them more until you get the desired result.
Nutritional Chart
| Total fat | 38g |
| Unsaturated fat | 17g |
| Cholesterol | 147mg |
| Carbohydrates | 37g |
| Protein | 40g |
What can be served with Taquitos?
Air fryer Taquitos are tasty snacks and delicious appetizers to eat, but they are also consumed as dinner at festivals to satisfy cravings. Just add a few sides with them, and your tummy is ready to get packed.
So, here are the suggestion for a few sides to add with cheesy Taquitos.
Mexican sweet corn – Corn in the cob is perfectly seasoned, sizzled with crema, and with lots of cotija cheese is simply irresistible. It pairs amazingly with Taquitos.
Arroz con Grandules – This is a savory dish with seasoned rice and peas, which makes it a hearty side with Taquitos.
Storage and Reheating of Taquitos
Taquitos taste best when eaten immediately. But if needed, you can store them in an airtight container for five days.
In the freezer, they get soggy. So, the correct way to retain their crispiness is to put them again in an air fryer from the freezer and reheat them at 400° F. They will be crispy again.
When making taquitos, how do you keep corn tortillas from cracking?
If you warm fresh corn tortillas in the microwave, they should not crack.
Wrap 10 tortillas in damp paper towels before microwaving for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You can also ensure they’re fresh by making your own corn tortillas.
Conclusion
Air-fried Taquitos are easy to make yet delicious and give life to any dinner or lunch.
- Making Taquitos in the air fryer is very easy because they are ready to be served in 5-8 minutes.
- Taquitos can be sided with fantastic things, like Mexican sweet corn and Arroz con Granules.
- Suppose Taquitos roll is giving you a hard time in rolling them up. Tie them together with a toothpick because a toothpick is air fryer safe.
- Taquitos are cooked at 400°F temperature in the air fryer.