Monday, September 5, 2011

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I've seen these floating around the blogosphere for a little while now and I finally made them. 

Three things:

1. These are PERFECT for football season!
2. They are absolutely delicious.
3. They can be made ahead of time, frozen, and popped in the oven when you're ready to eat.

Need I say more?


Makes 12

INGREDIENTS:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons chopped green onion
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (My go-to recipe is here. Just cook it, then shred it.)
1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheese
Medium-size flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt (optional)
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

In a large bowl mix the first 7 ingredients. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese and mix thoroughly. 

Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20-30 seconds).

Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can. Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone. Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. (For a healthier option, eliminate the salt. It's not necessary.)

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden. 

Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole. 

For tips on freezing, click here