These air fryer chicken a taquitos are the perfect way to indulge without feeling too guilty. They come out surprisingly crispy in the air fryer and don’t compromise the flavor at all. I used chicken thighs in this recipe but if you want to make them healthier, then substitute the thighs for chicken breast.
Why I prefer chicken thighs over breast
Pros
- They have more fat which means flavor and better tasting.
- Seasoning and searing them on a pan adds even more flavor.
- Easy to cut and chop up.
Cons
- More fat which means more calories and less healthy and less protein.
Since I am not on a diet, I would prefer using chicken thighs 10/10 times. If you are, you can prepare the chicken breast by boiling until fully cooked and shred them apart using a couple forks. I would highly recommend trying to make this with the chicken thighs because I do believe they add a LOT more flavor.
Corn vs flour tortillas
The reason I use flour tortillas over corn is because I find that they are easier to work with and they actually get crispier in the air fryer. When using corn tortillas, you will need to warm them up first to get them soft, then air fry them afterwards. To me, this is an unnecessary step and I enjoy flour tortillas anyways. The tortillas I use are about 8 inches.
Cutting chicken for air fryer chicken taquitos
When cutting the chicken, you want to make sure they have cooled own, otherwise it will be extremely hot and you will lose the juices. Make sure to give them a really fine dice, this will make our filling more compact and stick better.
Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 10 medium flour tortillas
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or sub for chicken breast)
- ½ tbsp salt
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp onion powder
- ½ tbsp cumin powder
- ½ tbsp paprika
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- 4 oz light cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Salsa
- 1 tomato
- ¼ onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Garlic mayo
- ½ cup mayo
- 2 cloves grated garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, and cumin. Cook on a high heat pan for 5 minutes each side until cooked through.
- Give cooked chicken a fine dice and place in a bowl.
- If you are using chicken breasts, then boil for 30 minutes and shred.
- Add buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and mozzarella cheese into the bowl with the chicken. Mix until well combined.
- Add about ¼ cup of the filling into the center of a tortilla. Roll while keeping the filling tight and place into an air fryer.
- Spray with oil and air fry at 375F for 8 minutes flipping them half way through and applying more oil.
- Top with garlic mayo, salsa, and cilantro.
Salsa
- Give tomatoes and onions a fine dice then add them into a bowl with the remaining ingredients.
Garlic mayo
- In a bowl add mayo, grate in garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Mix.
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