Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
These crispy air fryer buffalo chicken taquitos will quickly become your new favorite game day appetizer! Serve them with an easy buffalo ranch dipping sauce for maximum flavor.
Equipment
Ingredients
Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
- ⅓ pound shredded chicken
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot
- 1 tablespoon light ranch dressing
- 8 small corn tortillas 6-inch
- Chives minced (optional garnish)
Buffalo Ranch Dressing
- ¼ cup light ranch dressing
- ¼ cup Frank's Red Hot
- ½ tablespoon butter melted
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- First, prepare the buffalo chicken taquito filling. Add chicken, softened cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing, and Frank's Red Hot to a medium bowl and stir very well to combine.
- Next, prepare to roll the taquitos. Line a small plate or baking sheet with parchment paper so you have somewhere to put the rolled taquitos.
- Heat 2 to 3 corn tortillas in the microwave between sheets of dampened paper towels until warm, about 15 to 20 seconds. They should be flexible enough to roll without cracking.
- Next, add about 2 tbsp of the filling in a line down the center of each tortilla. Then fold each tortilla in half and gently pinch around the filling to secure it before fully rolling the tortilla. Place rolled taquitos seam side down on the parchment paper.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all of the taquitos have been rolled. As you're working, keep an eye on the rolled taquitos and cover with a damp paper towel if you notice the tortillas are starting to dry out. This will prevent them from cracking.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the basket with cooking spray, then place as many taquitos as you can in a single layer in the basket. Grease the tops of the taquitos with cooking spray and cook for 5 minutes. Then flip the taquitos, lightly spray them again, and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until crispy. Transfer cooked taquitos back onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet to drain before serving. Continue cooking taquitos in batches as needed.
- In the meantime, prepare the buffalo ranch dressing. Whisk together ranch dressing, Frank's Red Hot, and melted butter in a small bowl. Season with a pinch of salt, to taste.
- Serve taquitos hot with a side of buffalo ranch dressing, optionally garnished with chives. Enjoy!
Notes
Shredded chicken: To prepare shredded chicken for this recipe, simply boil plain chicken breast until cooked through (about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on size) and then shred with two forks. Alternatively, you can use rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut!
Corn tortillas: Freshly made or organic corn tortillas tend to be more pliable and easier to roll than ones with a lot of preservatives. Microwaving them will also help you roll the taquitos without the tortillas cracking, but make sure you keep them warm and slightly damp while working so that the taquitos don't dry out as they sit on the counter.
Air frying taquitos: It's important to cook the taquitos in a single layer in the air fryer basket - and make sure to leave a little space between them as well. They'll end up super crispy and delicious if you leave enough room for good airflow! You will likely need to cook them in batches, so you'll need a little patience - but these taquitos are totally worth it. (Plus, who says you can't snack on one while the rest cook?)
Buffalo ranch dressing: We highly recommend making the buffalo ranch dressing to go with these air fryer taquitos!! It's so delicious and takes these taquitos from good to GREAT - trust us. I don't even like plain ranch dressing, but I couldn't resist this creamy, spicy dipping sauce. It's the perfect complement to crispy, crunchy taquitos!
Nutrition
Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 542mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 0.4mg
