Chicken Taquitos with an Avocado Salsa

Taquitos, Tacos Dorados or Flautas?

Chicken taquitos, tacos dorados de pollo, or chicken flautas? Whatever you call them, they are delicious. Growing up in California, I knew this dish as taquitos which means “little tacos.”

In Northern Mexico, they are called flautas which mean s “flutes.” In Central Mexico, they are known as “tacos dorados,” which means “golden tacos,” because they are fried until golden. A tasty variation on chicken tacos.

Preparing the No-cook Avocado Salsa

The avocado salsa makes this dish. It is fresh, tangy, a little spicy, and making it couldn’t be easier.

The ingredients to prepare the salsa:

• 2 very ripe avocados
• 3 small tomatillos
• 6 sprigs of cilantro
• ¼ white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp. salt

How to Choose the Avocados

Since this is a no-cook salsa the freshest, ripest ingredients are important. When you are choosing the avocados, you want ones that are very ripe and soft. Soft avocados give it a creamy texture.

To tell if an avocado is ripe enough, use your thumb and gently push on the top where the stem connects. This is the narrower end of the avocado.

The flesh should give easily. If it doesn’t give with very little pressure, it isn’t ripe enough.

Blending

• Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.
• If the salsa is too thick add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency that you want.
• Add 1 teaspoon salt and adjust to taste.

• This is what your salsa should look like. It should be a little thick so that it coats the back of the spoon. You don’t want it to be too runny.

Preparing the Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients

• 16 corn tortillas
• 1 ¼ lb boneless chicken breast
• 2 cups cooking oil
• ¼ cup Mexican cream
• 3 ounces shredded queso fresco to garnish
• 16 toothpicks

Cooking the Chicken

1. Put your chicken breasts in a pan.
2. Add just enough water to cover the chicken.
3. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water.
4. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil.
5. As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is just cooked through.
6. Allow the chicken to cool to the touch.
7. Cut the chicken into 1″ pieces and then shred with your fingers.

How to Roll Taquitos

• Start with a fresh pliable corn tortilla. If your tortillas aren’t pliable enough, put them on a plate and cover with a damp towel and microwave them for 10 to 15 seconds.

• Use about 1 tablespoon of shredded chicken for each. Don’t overdo it with the filling. You want to have a nice balance between the tortilla and the filling.

• Fold the edge of the tortilla over the filling to start rolling.

• You want to roll the taquitos tightly so that the filling doesn’t fall out of the tortilla during cooking.

• Use a toothpick to keep the tortilla from unrolling.

• Four taquitos per person is a good serving size. Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving.

Frying Taquitos

Taquitos are meant to be crispy and golden. That means cooking them in a good amount of hot oil. Nothing ruins taquitos like soft soggy spots.

• You will want to fry them in ½″ of cooking oil turning them once.
• Be sure to drain the cooked taquitos well so that they aren’t overly greasy.

• Drain the cooked taquitos on napkins or paper towels to remove excess oil so that they are not overly greasy.

Assembling the Dish

• Place four cooked taquitos on a plate.
• Spread a teaspoon of Mexican cream or sour cream on each taquito.
• Spread a tablespoon of avocado salsa on each one.
• Sprinkle with shredded queso fresco, a salty fresh crumbly cheese.

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Chicken Taquitos Recipe

How to make perfect, golden, crispy corn tortilla chicken taquitos topped with Mexican cream and an avocado salsa, a lunchtime favorite throughout Mexico.

Course Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chicken, flautas, tacos, tacos dorados, taquitos

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 16 taquitos

Calories 188kcal

Author Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

Avocado Salsa

• 2 very ripe avocados
• 3 small tomatillos
• 6 sprigs of cilantro
• ¼ white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp. salt

Taquitos

• 16 corn tortillas
• 1 ¼ lb boneless chicken breast
• 2 cups cooking oil
• ¼ cup Mexican cream (crema)
• 3 ounces shredded queso fresco
• 16 toothpicks

Instructions

Preparing the Salsa

• Add all of the salsa ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.
• If the salsa is too thick add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency that you want.
• Add 1 teaspoon salt and adjust to taste.

Cooking the Chicken

• Put your chicken breasts in a pan. 
• Add just enough water to cover the chicken. 
• Add a teaspoon of salt to the water. 
• Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. 
• As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is just cooked through. About 15 minutes.
• Allow the chicken to cool to the touch.
• Cut the chicken into 1" pieces and then shred with your fingers.

Rolling the Taquitos

• Spoon 1 tablespoon of shredded chicken onto a tortilla.
• Roll the tortilla tightly.
• Use a toothpick to keep the tortilla from unrolling.

Frying the Taquitos

• Add the 2 cups of cooking oil to a large frying pan.
• Preheat the oil to hot.
• When the oil is hot add 4 to 6 taquitos to the pan. Do not crowd them.
• Turn once during cooking.
• Cook the taquitos until they are crispy and golden.
• Remove the taquitos and place them on a plate covered with paper to drain the grease.
• Repeat until all of the taquitos cooked.

Assembling the Taquitos

• Place four cooked taquitos on a plate.
• Spread a teaspoon of cream on each one.
• Spread a tablespoon of avocado salsa on each one.
• Sprinkle with shredded queso fresco which is a salty fresh cheese.

Notes

• Taquitos should only be made with corn tortillas and they should be fried not baked.
• Serve immediately so that they remain crispy.

Substitutions

• You can substitute sour cream for the Mexican cream (crema).
• Serve with salsa verde instead of the avocado salsa.

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 230mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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• Creamy Avocado Salsa
• Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa
• Spicy Avocado Dip

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• Tomatillo Salsa Verde Chicken