Chicken Taquito Fail

I’ve felt pretty on top of the cooking world lately. With the exception of my butternut squash ravioli snafu most of the things I have made have come together beautifully and tasted pretty great. How could I have known that chicken taquitos would knock me off my high horse?

When Eric came home from China I wanted to make him Mexican food since it’s the only thing he can’t get there. I didn’t just want to do lobster enchiladas, but I didn’t want to make a crazy feast for two either. So, I decided to make some crunchy, flavorful and “easy” taquitos. Well, they ended up being flavorful, but crunchy and easy is debatable.

Maybe it was the corn tortillas I got? Or maybe I’m not a fry master yet? I don’t know what wrong. Wait, that’s a lie. I totally know what went wrong. The tortillas were stiff and I couldn’t get them to stay rolled and then the second I got them in the pan they got too mushy and feel apart. Maybe it was the tortilla’s fault. Maybe there was just too much oil. Regardless, FAIL.

Even though they fell apart and only one was kind of crispy (I gave up after two and decided to just spend time with the man) the flavor was still really good.

You should give them a try and show ME how to do it!

For 8 taquitos you will need…
2 large chicken breasts pounded thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
8 tablespoons pepper jack cheese
8 (soft and pliable) corn tortillas
3 tablespoons peanut oil for frying

Start by heating up the olive oil in a sauté pan until it is nice and hot. Season both sides of the chicken with the garlic powder and some salt and pepper to taste. When the oil is nice and hot, cook the chicken for about four minutes on a side or until cooked through. When the chicken is cook, set aside and wait for it to cool. When it is no longer hot, shred the chicken. I am barbaric so I just used my hands.

When the chicken has been shredded, lay out a tortilla and fill it with about ¼ cup of chicken or as much as you can get in and still be able to roll it up. Add about 1 tablespoon of cheese and roll up the tortilla. If it is not staying on its own (my issue) secure it with some toothpicks.


When all 8 have been rolled, heat the peanut oil in a sauté pan. When it is nice and hot, add the taquitos a couple at a time. Cooking about 30 seconds on a side or until golden brown and crisp.



When they are golden, remove and set on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Serve hot with salsa and guacomole and any remaining cheese.


I wish you better luck than I had!


Love and Beer Floats
Angela