See my guide on how to use an Air Fryer.

Air Fryer Taquitos are easy to make and so crispy! In this recipe, soft tortillas are filled with a creamy chicken and cheese filling, rolled up tightly and then cooked in the air fryer until crispy and golden.

Looking for more Taco Tuesday recipes? Try these Instant Pot Chicken Tacos, Breakfast Tacos or Taco Salad.

Chicken taquitos stacked on a plate with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and chopped onion garnish.

Taquitos are small, tightly rolled tacos, typically made with corn tortillas and a beef, chicken or cheese filling. This Mexican dish is often fried, but cooking them in the air fryer is easier, healthier and much less messy!

Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Taquitos

  • Cooks faster than the oven. Taquitos need just 7-8 minutes of cook time in the air fryer, compared to 15 minutes in the oven for Chicken Taquitos.
  • Crispy! Air frying taquitos makes them so crispy!
  • Creamy, cheesy filling. The chicken filling is creamy, perfectly seasoned and just a bit spicy.
  • Dinner, snack or appetizer. These air fryer taquitos are a kid-friendly dinner idea, tasty snack or appetizer.
Ingredients for air fryer taquitos recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Cream Cheese: To make the filling creamy.
  • Salsa: Adds flavor and spice. I use medium salsa.
  • Seasonings: You’ll need chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder and salt.
  • Shredded Cheese: I like to use a shredded Mexican cheese blend from the grocery store because it’s flavorful and saves time. You can also use shredded Monterey jack and/or cheddar cheese.
  • Shredded Chicken: To cook the chicken for shredding, try Instant Pot Shredded Chicken or Crockpot Shredded Chicken. You can also use rotisserie chicken from the store.
  • Tortillas: You can use corn tortillas or small flour tortillas.
  • Olive Oil or Avocado Oil Spray: Lightly spray the taquitos with oil before air frying to help them to crisp up as they cook.

Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.

How to Make Taquitos in an Air Fryer

Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, salsa and seasonings. Stir in the shredded cheese and shredded cooked chicken.

Cream cheese, salsa and seasonings in a large mixing bowl.
Shredded chicken and cheese added to bowl with cream cheese mixture.

Warm the tortillas. Place the tortillas between two paper towels and warm them in the microwave until they’re soft and pliable.

Roll the taquitos. Put 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in a line across the lower third of each tortilla. Roll up as tightly as you can.

Chicken filling placed down the center of a corn tortilla.
Rolling up a chicken taquito.

Air Fry. Preheat air fryer to 400° F. Lightly spray the taquitos with oil spray. Air fry for 5 minutes. Then flip the taquitos over and air fry for 2-3 more minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

Eight cooked taquitos in a single layer in air fryer basket.

Recipe Tips

  • Soften the cream cheese to room temperature so that it will easily mix into the filling.
  • Warm the tortillas, especially if you are using corn tortillas, so that they will roll up without tearing.
  • Don’t overstuff taquitos. I know it can be tempting to stuff a lot of filling into each taquito, but using only about 2 tablespoons of filling per taquito will allow you to roll them up tightly so that they stay rolled while cooking.
  • Cook taquitos in batches as needed. They should be in a single layer in the air fryer so that the hot air can circulate around each one as they cook. After they’re all cooked, you can stack the taquitos together in the air fryer if you need to reheat earlier batches.
Cooked taquitos stacked in air fryer.
Air fryer taquitos stacked on a plate with garnish.

Serving Suggestions

Serve taquitos with Salsa, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo or sour cream for dipping. If you’re serving them for dinner, round out the meal with:

Taquito dipped in salsa.

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

Try one of these air fryer recipes next!

Chicken taquitos stacked on a plate with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and chopped onion garnish.
5 from 5 ratings

Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos

Servings: 12 taquitos
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
These crispy Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos are filled with a creamy chicken and cheese filling and then cooked in the air fryer until they're golden brown and crispy. Serve them with guacamole or salsa for dipping.
Print Recipe Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ⅓ cup salsa
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend, or Monterey jack or cheddar, about 1 cup
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 12 corn tortillas, or small flour tortillas
  • olive oil or avocado oil spray
  • For serving: salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc.

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, salsa, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Add the shredded cheese and shredded cooked chicken and stir until well combined.
  • Preheat air fryer to 400° F.
  • Working with 4-6 tortillas at a time, place the tortillas between two paper towels and warm them in the microwave to make them soft and pliable (so that they will roll up without tearing).
  • Working with one tortilla at a time, place 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in a line across the lower third of the tortilla. Roll up as tightly as you can and place seam side down on a sheet of parchment paper. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Lightly spray taquitos with olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray.
  • Place taquitos seam side down in the air fryer basket, leaving a little room in between each one. (Cook in batches.)
  • Air fry at 400° F for 5 minutes. Then flip the taquitos over and air fry for 2-3 more minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
  • Serve with salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream for dipping.
Serving: 2taquitos, Calories: 331kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 430mg, Potassium: 293mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 569IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 197mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Mexican
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
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