There is a short list of meals in my house that pleases all five of us. It seems like everyone has their own aversions and favorites, which can be exhausting sometimes. Can any moms out there relate??
While I really believe in presenting all kinds of foods to my kids and encouraging them to try new foods, sometimes the hubs and I just want peace around the dinner table. If I’m honest, we’re just dog tired at the end of the day and not looking for one more kid “battle”. (Can I get an amen!?) So, when I find a meal like Slow Cooker Chicken and Cheese Taquitos that pleases my whole family, I want to do a little happy dance. Here is a quick video to prove how easy this recipe is!
Here’s another other great thing about Chicken and Cheese Taquitos. I didn’t have to deal with raw meat…and all the subsequent dirty surfaces, dishes, and hands. This is a dump in the slow cooker and go meal for the the filling part, at least. Then, the rolling up and baking part just takes minutes. I also love that I can make these in advance and pop them in the oven right before dinner. Double this and freeze the extras, because it makes for a easy and whine-free (not to be confused with wine-free!) dinner.
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Slow cooker chicken and cheese taquitos are a delicious meal that comes together in a snap! Be sure to make a double batch for the freezer. You will thank yourself later!
Ingredients
- about 1 pound (2 large) chicken breasts
- 1 package of all-natural taco seasoning or our homemade taco seasoning recipe
- 3/4 cup water or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup cream cheese (light works fine)
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 8 8-inch whole grain tortillas
- about 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese (here’s how to easily shred your own to save money)
- Optional: sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, salsa, guacamole
Instructions
- In your slow cooker, place chicken breasts. Cover both sides of chicken with taco seasoning. Add water or broth.
- Cook on LOW for about 3-4 hours, until it shreds easily. Shred chicken and stir so the seasoning is evenly distributed.
- Add cream cheese and salsa to shredded chicken and stir until cream cheese is melted.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. Top each tortilla with an equal amount of chicken mixture, leaving a little room at the edges so the filling doesn’t spill out. Top chicken mixture with about 2-3 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll up tortillas tightly.
- Place on a baking sheet, seam side down. Spray with cooking spray and bake 10-20 minutes, until cheese melts and they are golden brown.
- Serving suggestion: Top with salsa, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, and/or guacamole.
Notes
Freezer Meal Instructions:
To Freeze:
Complete the recipe through Step 5. Then, place rolled up tortillas in a freezer bag before baking. Freeze.
To Prepare:
When ready to bake, you have 3 options:
– Preferred method: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed.
– Defrost in the microwave. Bake as directed.
– Place frozen taquitos on baking sheet, cover with foil (so they don’t brown too quickly), and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until warmed through. Remove foil and bake about 5-10 more minutes until golden brown.
How necessary is the cream cheese?
The cream cheese makes it creamy, of course, but you could leave it out.
Looks delicious! I am wondering how long the chicken would take in the instant pot?
We have found that 1-2 pounds of medium sized chicken breasts in the IP take 7 minutes from fresh. Hope that helps! We have the entire Instant Pot version of this recipe here: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/instant-pot-chicken-and-cheese-taquitos-freezer-meal/
Made these for the first time yesterday, and they came out PERFECT! Very simple and very tasty! I also made the Creamy Avocado Dip, and it was a perfect combo.
★★★★★
Oh yum, I serve these with Creamy Avocado Dip, too. Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
This came out super runny for me. It was tasty but I had to figure out a way to either drain all of the liquid or thicken it up.
★★★★
So yummy, I have made them twice now, going to make a bunch and freeze for when my kids/grandkids are home. I put them in foil and put on the grill on low, then take them out of foil and put them on grill grates for a few minutes until browned and crunchy. So good
★★★★★
Wow, great idea to utilize the grill. I’m so glad your family enjoys these!