Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

All I can say about this dish is YUM!!! It is now mine and Daniel's favorite dinner dish. I found the recipe this fall on my favorite food blog Our Best Bites who is very excitingly coming out with their own cookbook later this year! 

I've wanted to share the recipe for a while and I thought now would be a great time. This would be a great filling appetizer for a New Year's Eve party if you are throwing one. Or if you're like me, just make it for dinner ;). I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I do.

It looks like a lot but a lot of these are kitchen staples, so don't worry.

1/3 C. cream cheese

1/4 C. salsa verde {green salsa}

1 T. fresh lime juice

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. onion powder

1 t. chili powder

1/4 t. garlic powder or granulated garlic

3 T. chopped cilantro

2 T. sliced green onions

2 C. cooked shredded or finely chopped chicken {seasoned-see below}

1 C. grated pepperjack cheese

tortillas {flour, whole wheat or corn}

kosher salt

spray cooking oil like PAM

1. Get the chicken cooking first so you can be prepping the other ingredients while it cooks. I have found 2 chicken breasts renders the right amount when finely chopped. Keep them whole for now and either season them with a packet of taco seasoning or you can mix up your own like I do. Just throw on some salt and pepper, probably 1 tablespoon each of: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder. These are the same flavors you'll use later so you won't have to worry about them not meshing well. Coat all sides of chicken breasts, and really rub these spices in. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. 

2. While waiting for the chicken to cook soften the cream cheese in the microwave 10-15 seconds at a time until soft and easy to stir. Add cream cheese to a large bowl along with salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir until combined.

3. Add chopped cilantro and green onions. I like my cilantro a tad more finely chopped than a rough chop. It's just not fun to take a bite and pull out half a green leafy thing in the middle of your meal. {Oops, when I ran out to Target in the middle of our snowstorm to grab a few things they didn't have green onions, so we just did without.}

4. By now the chicken is probably finished baking, turn up the oven to 425 degrees. Allow the chicken to rest to redistribute juices and cool enough to handle it without burning yourself. Shred or finely chop chicken-I like the fine chop because then you actually get little tiny chunks of chicken when you eat the taquitos. If you steal a few bites of this yummy taco chicken while you're slicing away no one will notice....at least they haven't at my house yet!

5. Add chicken and cheese to bowl and stir all together. It should all become sticky and paste-like but chunky....believe me, this is how you want it. Lay tortillas flat and add a large spoonfull of the mixture close to one edge-not in the middle. Whichever edge the mixture is on start rolling tortilla from the same side. You will roll the edge into the mixture-make it snug-and keep rolling all the way up. Lay each taquito seam-side down on a baking sheet that has foil and cooking spray on it already.

6. Once all the taquitos have been rolled and placed on the baking sheet spray the tops of them all with the cooking spray and then sprinkle your kosher salt all the way up and down each one. It sounds like one of those useless cooking details but I promise this one makes a difference! The oil helps the outside of the tortilla crisp up and turn golden so when you bite into them it tastes like it's been rolled up in a crispy tortilla chip! Bake for 15-20 minutes or just until the edges start to turn brown. In my oven 14 minutes almost burns them so I usually set the timer for 11 minutes and stay close to the oven until they're finished cooking.

7. Devour! I like to serve mine with more salsa verde to dip in but this night we just had some Pace Picante which worked just fine. Some people like to use guacamole or sour cream...just whatever floats your boat. 

 Just two of the large tortillas filled both my husband and myself and if we use the tinier tortillas then it only takes 3 or 4. Just have fun with this dish, it is so worth it.

  Bon apetit!