If you’re craving something spicy, crispy, and ridiculously easy to throw together, these Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos are about to be your new obsession. They’re made with soft flour tortillas, a creamy buffalo chicken filling, and baked instead of fried for a lighter yet still super crispy finish. Dunk them in some ranch or blue cheese dressing for the perfect game day (or any day) meal!
So did we all grow up eating those frozen taquitos!? Iconically crispy on the outside and flavorful on the inside. Well I’m happy to report that you can easily make them at home…and they taste even better! Since it’s football season, I obviously have buffalo chicken on the mind and decided to transform them into buffalo chicken taquitos!
I will caveat by saying my baked buffalo chicken taquitos really don’t have much “itos” about them…AKA they aren’t little. These are what I’d consider “dinner-sized” taquitos that use 8″ flour tortillas. I prefer them this way, but you can of course use standard corn tortillas to make them smaller and a bit more authentic. You do you!
Either way, I think you’re going to love these buffalo chicken taquitos. They are creamy, spicy and cheesy, while being perfectly crispy on the outside and they pair so well with a bit of homemade greek yogurt ranch! They’re great for when you’re hosting a football/game day party, or just for a comforting weeknight dinner. Did I mention they’re baked instead of fried for a slightly more wholesome option? Enjoyyy!
Why You’ll Love these Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
- These are the perfect addition to your game day menu!
- They’re baked instead of fried for a healthier option.
- These buffalo chicken taquitos are simple but so flavorful and satisfying.
- They’re crispy on the outside and creamy, cheesy & spicy on the inside!
- Each taquito has 15g of protein.
What You Need to Make these Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
- Cream Cheese: This makes the buffalo chicken filling creamy and rich! You can use either normal or light (Neufchâtel) cream cheese, just make sure it’s softened.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce: A key ingredient of course! Buffalo wing sauce has a richer, tangier, and smoother consistency than traditional buffalo sauce. Frank’s or Whole Foods brand are my favorites.
- Green Onion: Chop it up finely so that it mixes easily into the buffalo chicken and adds some mild onion-y flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh minced is best.
- Ranch Seasoning, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: I use Hidden Valley ranch seasoning but feel free to use an equal amount of a homemade blend.
- Shredded Chicken Breast: See notes of the recipe card below for my favorite way to make shredded chicken breast. You can also use 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Sharp Cheddar & Low Moisture-Part Skim Mozzarella: An equal blend of sharp cheddar cheese for flavor and mozzarella for that melty, gooey consistency.
- Flour Tortillas: I prefer to make big taquitos using 8″ flour tortillas, but you can also make these with small corn tortillas (4-5″) for a snack-sized treat.
How To Make these Healthy Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
Prepare Buffalo Chicken Filling:
First, preheat your oven to 425F. Then, add softened cream cheese to a large bowl and use a spatula to mash it until smooth and spreadable. Add in the buffalo wing sauce, green onion, garlic, ranch seasoning, salt & pepper and stir until combined — it may look separated at first, but eventually it’ll come together. Stir in the shredded chicken and shredded cheeses until combined.
Warm up Tortillas:
It’s important to warm up your tortillas to ensure that they’re pliable and don’t break. Option 1: warm up your tortillas in a large pan over medium-high heat for about 15 seconds per side. Option 2: wrap your tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds. I recommend doing this in batches, so that they don’t get cold while you’re wrapping up the other taquitos.
Add Filling to Tortilla & Wrap Up:
Scoop out about 3-4 tbsp of the buffalo chicken mixture and add it in a line at one end of the tortilla, making sure to leave some room at the edges so it doesn’t overflow (see video for reference). Wrap up tightly, making sure the other edge of the tortilla ends up on the bottom of the taquito. Press down slightly. It should make about 9 large taquitos.
Bake Taquitos, Serve & Enjoy:
Transfer taquitos to a baking sheet and spray (or brush) with oil. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Allow them to cool down for a few minutes before dipping in some homemade ranch dressing. Enjoy!
What are Taquitos?
Taquito directly translates to “little taco.” They are a Mexican and Mexican-American dish that’s typically made by stuffing small tortillas with a savory filling then frying until crispy. They are similar to flautas, which are larger and often made with flour tortillas. Many people know taquitos as the frozen snack that gained popularity starting in the 1980s.
These buffalo chicken taquitos are certainly not authentic. They are more of a fusion recipe, drawing inspiration from taquitos, but with an Americanized spin. And if you use large flour tortillas as instructed in the recipe, then they are closer to flautas than taquitos. Either way, they are delicious and I hope you enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What type of tortillas should I use for these buffalo chicken taquitos? I personally prefer the flavor & texture of flour tortillas here and like to make these “dinner-sized” so I use 8″ flour tortillas. If you want smaller taquitos you can use corn tortillas and reduce the filling to 2-3 tbsp.
- How do I prevent my tortillas from breaking? First, use a quality brand like Maria & Ricardo’s and then be sure to warm them up before filling and rolling.
- Can I make these taquitos gluten free? For sure! Either use classic corn tortillas or substitute your favorite 8″ gluten free tortillas.
- Can I use rotisserie chicken or canned chicken? For sure! To make this recipe even quicker & easier, feel free to substitute 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken or canned chicken.
- How spicy are they? Not that spicy, thanks to the addition of the cream cheese and cheeses. You can increase or decrease the heat based on the buffalo sauce you choose and if you’re a heat lover feel free to add a bit of cayenne to the filling.
- What should I serve these with? I like to make my greek yogurt ranch to dip these in, but blue cheese dressing is another popular option.
How Should I Store Leftover Buffalo Chicken Taquitos?
These buffalo chicken taquitos are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat, re-heat the buffalo chicken taquitos in an oven or air fryer at 375F until hot on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 10-12 minutes for oven, or 6-8 minutes for air fryer. You can also microwave them, but you will lose the crispiness.
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Buffalo Chicken Recipes?
- High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
- Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Pulled Buffalo Chicken Tacos
- One-Pan Buffalo Chicken Orzo
Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
Equipment
- spatula
- large pan
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese (light or normal), softened
- â…“ cup buffalo wing sauce
- ¼ cup minced green onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tbsp ranch seasoning
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded chicken breast *
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (1.8oz)
- ½ cup shredded low-moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese (1.8oz)
- 9 flour tortillas (about 8" diameter)**
- homemade greek yogurt ranch for serving
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 425F. Then, add softened cream cheese to a large bowl and use a spatula to mash it until smooth and spreadable. Add in the buffalo wing sauce, green onion, garlic, ranch seasoning, salt & pepper and stir until combined — it may look separated at first, but eventually it'll come together. Stir in the shredded chicken and shredded cheeses until combined.4 oz cream cheese, â…“ cup buffalo wing sauce, ¼ cup minced green onion, 2 garlic cloves, ½ tbsp ranch seasoning, kosher salt & black pepper, 2 cups shredded chicken breast, ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup shredded low-moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese
- It's important to warm up your tortillas to ensure that they're pliable and don't break. Option 1: warm up your tortillas in a large pan over medium-high heat for about 15 seconds per side. Option 2: wrap your tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds. I recommend doing this in batches, so that they don't get cold while you're wrapping up the other taquitos.9 flour tortillas
- Scoop out about 3-4 tbsp of the buffalo chicken mixture and add it in a line at one end of the tortilla, making sure to leave some room at the edges so it doesn't overflow (see video for reference). Wrap up tightly, making sure the other edge of the tortilla ends up on the bottom of the taquito. Press down slightly. It should make about 9 large taquitos.
- Transfer taquitos to a baking sheet and spray (or brush) with oil. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Allow them to cool down for a few minutes before dipping in some homemade ranch dressing. Enjoy!homemade greek yogurt ranch
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.