Chicken and Cheese Taquitos with Cilantro-Lime Crema

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless chicken breast
• salt (To taste, for seasoning the chicken)
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika powder
• 0.5 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp taco seasoning
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 tsp cumin powder
• 1 cup water
• 0.5 cup sour cream (For the chicken filling)
• 2 tbsp cream cheese (For the chicken filling)
• 1 tbsp lime juice (For the chicken filling)
• 20 mini flour tortillas (The source says mini flour tortilla)
• 1.5 cup mozzarella cheese (For assembling the taquitos)
• oil (For frying)
• 0.5 cup sour cream (For the cilantro-lime crema)
• 0.333 cup mayonnaise (For the cilantro-lime crema)
• 1 garlic clove (For the cilantro-lime crema)
• 2 tsp lime juice (For the cilantro-lime crema)
• salt (To taste, for the sauce)
• 0.75 cup cilantro leaves (For the cilantro-lime crema)
• salt and pepper (To taste, for the sauce)
• 0.5 tsp lime zest (For the cilantro-lime crema)

Steps

1. 1

   Season the chicken breast with salt, smoked paprika, red chili powder, garlic powder, taco seasoning, red chili flakes, black pepper, and cumin powder.

2. 2

   Heat oil in a pan. Add the seasoned chicken and cook on both sides for 10 minutes total, flipping it during cooking.

3. 3

   Add the water, cover the pan, and cook until the chicken is fully cooked.

4. 4

   Shred the cooked chicken in the pan or after transferring it to a bowl.

5. 5

   Add the sour cream, cream cheese, and lime juice to the shredded chicken. Stir over low heat until the cream cheese melts and the mixture becomes creamy.

6. 6

   Taste the chicken mixture and adjust the salt if needed. Let it cool slightly before assembling.

7. 7

   Place 2–3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the center of each mini flour tortilla.

8. 8

   Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the chicken filling.

9. 9

   Roll each tortilla tightly and place it seam-side down while preparing the remaining taquitos.

10. 10

    Heat oil in a pan over medium heat to about 350°F.

11. 11

    Fry the taquitos seam-side down first. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.

12. 12

    Remove the taquitos from the oil and serve warm.

13. 13

    Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, salt, cilantro leaves, salt and pepper, and lime zest to a blender or food processor.

14. 14

    Blend the sauce until smooth. Adjust the salt and lime to taste, then chill for 20–30 minutes for the best flavor.

Notes

The source does not specify the exact covered cooking time for the chicken; cook it until fully cooked. The amount of frying oil is not specified. The sauce is best chilled for 20–30 minutes.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• appetizer
• Mexican-inspired
• chicken
• crispy
• fried
• cheese
• party food