Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Creamy Chicken Taquitos
These creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Taquitos are a delicious meal that the whole family will love! Be sure to make a double batch for the freezer. Then, you can pull out however many you want and throw them directly in the oven for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 – 1 1/2 pounds (2 large) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sub: chicken thighs)
- 1-ounce package of all-natural taco seasoning or 2 tablespoons of our homemade taco seasoning recipe
- 3/4 cup water or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup cream cheese (light works fine)
- 1/4 cup salsa (I suggest using medium or hot)
- 8 (8-inch) tortillas (flour, whole wheat, or gluten free will work)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese (how to easily shred your own cheese)
- Optional toppings: sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, salsa, Guacamole, Avocado Lime Salsa
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Place the chicken breasts in your slow cooker. Rub both sides of the chicken with all of the taco seasoning. Add water or broth.
- Cover and cook on LOW for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until it shreds easily. (Note: Chicken should be 165°F internally when done.)
- Shred the chicken with two forks and stir, so the seasoning is evenly distributed. Drain off any excess liquid in the slow cooker.
- Add cream cheese and salsa to the shredded chicken and stir until cream cheese is melted.
- 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 2-3 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll up tortillas tightly. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place the taquitos on a baking sheet, seam side down. Spray the tops with cooking spray and bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese melts and they are golden brown on top. (Note: If you have leftover cheese, you can sprinkle it over the top of the taquitos before they bake.)
- Serving suggestion: Top with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, salsa, Guacamole, or our Avocado Lime Salsa.
Freeze It For Later: Complete the recipe through Step 5. Then, place rolled-up tortillas side-by-side in a single layer in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Seal tightly and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: When ready to bake, you have two options:
Method 1 (Thawed): Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or microwave using the defrost setting. Bake as directed, beginning with Step 6.
Method 2 (From Frozen): Follow Steps 6-8, but cover the frozen taquitos with foil after spraying them with cooking spray. Then, bake for about 25 minutes or until warmed through. Remove the foil and bake another 5-10 minutes, until golden brown.
Notes/Tips
- This recipe was developed with kids in mind. To add more flavor and heat to the filling, use medium to hot taco seasoning and salsa. You can also sprinkle on extra chili powder and cayenne powder.
- If You Want to Add in Veggies: You can saute sliced or diced onions and green bell peppers and maybe even some jalapeno peppers in some oil on the stovetop (season with a little salt and pepper). Stir them into the cooked chicken mixture.
- Instant Pot Instructions: Try our Instant Pot Chicken Taquitos.
- Air Fryer Instructions: Try our Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos.
- Storage Tip: A great way to store this freezer meal or leftovers is in our favorite reusable freezer bags.
- Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our chicken from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, grass-fed beef, and wild salmon–and have used it for years ourselves.
