Cheesy Chicken Taquitos with Avocado Salsa (Whole Wheat!)

Ah, taquitos. My naughty food.

You see, when we head to this TexMex joint nearby, I’ll usually order fish tacos, a guacamole tostada, something reasonably healthy–reasonably, let’s not get loco here–but when my ordering mindset is “screw it”? Taquitos, man. Deep-fried, super crunchy, queso-on-the-side taquitos. Oh mommy, mommy, mommy.

So when I stocked up on organic chickens on sale a little while back, I knew healthier, homemade taquitos had to be on the meal plan. Bonus points? You can totally go to town on a plate of taquitos one-handed, baby squirming in the other arm.. just saying.

Since I wouldn’t be deep frying them, I mixed the shredded chicken with a bit of cream cheese and shredded cheese, rolled them in whole wheat tortillas, rubbed them down in avocado oil (Can we even talk about how much I love avocado oil?! So much.), and baked them. They were surprisingly crispy, crunchy, and flavorful.. not to mention quick and easy! They’re a perfect way to use up a rotisserie chicken, but they work well with your typical baked chicken, too.
And this avocado salsa? I’ve already written a love letter to this stuff, but it bears repeating: this stuff is good. The perfect balance of creamy and slightly tangy, it’s pretty much good on everything and is healthy enough to offer a guilt-free slathering in this case. Dip, dunk, immerse.. no judgment here.

You’ll love these because they’re easy and delish, and because you kids (and husband ?) will love them. That counts for something, right? Like.. a huge something.

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Cheesy Chicken Taquitos with Avocado Salsa (Whole Wheat!)

Cheesy chicken taquitos with avocado salsa (whole wheat!). Flavorful, crowd-pleasing, quick, and easy.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine TexMex

Keyword avocado salsa, cheesy chicken, taquitos, whole wheat

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 301 kcal

Author Cheryl Malik

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken , shredded or chopped
• 2 ounces cream cheese , softened
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt , to taste
• 10 whole about 10 whole-wheat flour tortillas
• 1 tbsp neutral oil , for baking, like avocado oil, light olive oil, or refined coconut oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet.
2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.

3. Soften tortillas by wrapping a few at a time in a damp paper towel and microwaving in 15 seconds bursts, until a bit warm but not hot. Working with one at a time, spoon about 2 rounded tablespoons of chicken filling in the middle of the tortilla. Spread loosely towards the edges, keeping in a line shape, staying about a 1/2"-3/4" from the edge. Roll tightly and place seam-side down on the wire rack. Repeat until all filling is used. Brush taquitos generously with oil on all sides and bake 18-22 minutes, or until a bit browned and crispy. Remove from oven and serve with avocado salsa.

Recipe Notes

Serve with avocado salsa.

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Chicken Taquitos with Avocado Salsa (Whole Wheat!)

Amount Per Serving (4 g)

Calories 301 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 80mg27%

Sodium 957mg42%

Potassium 194mg6%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 660IU13%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 166mg17%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.