Instant Pot Chicken Taquitos

These taquitos are stuffed with a delicious shredded chicken recipe made in your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker and baked to crispy perfection. Topped with salsa, avocado and cheese these Instant Pot Chicken Taquitos will be an instant family classic recipe!

I recently celebrated my 8 year blogiversary! While I technically bought the domain and started working on the blog in November 2012, it took me a few months before I had the courage to actually hit publish on my first post. I used to be pretty committed to celebrating my blogiversary but over the years I’ve let it pass me by a few times. I can’t say that 8 years feels any more significant than 7 or 6 or 5, I can’t help but acknowledge how far I and this space has come.

I am not the same person who published their first post on February 24th, 2013 – which is a good thing! – but this space has also become infinitely better in so many ways. Part of this has to do with the changing landscape of blogging, but I also committed to making THM as helpful and resourceful as I possibly could. I used to spend hours writing blog posts and sharing funny anecdotes about my life, but these days I spend far more time recipe testing, perfecting recipes and taking step-by-step photos as often as I can. My goal is to help make your lives a little bit easier and I’m proud that each year this blog becomes a little bit better at doing that. I have no doubt these Instant Pot Taquitos will fit the bill! Let’s dig in…

Ingredients for Instant Pot Taquitos

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Yellow onion
• Hot sauce
• Garlic
• Spices – paprika, cumin, salt
• Lime juice
• Corn tortillas
• Shredded cheese – we like monterey jack but you can use whatever you prefer
• Salsa – store-bought or try homemade (can also replace with my pico de gallo recipe)
• Avocado (or guacamole)
• Optional toppings – chopped cilantro, shredded lettuce, sour cream etc…

Of course, you’ll also need an Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker). I use the Classic Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 and I absolutely love it. Mine is the 8 qt version but you can make these Instant Pot Chicken Taquitos in any version.

What is the Difference between Taquitos and Flautas?

Taquitos – a traditional Mexican dish of rolled up corn tortillas stuffed with a meat filling such as chicken or beef and then typically fried to crisp up the corn tortillas. For these Instant Pot chicken taquitos recipe I’m baking the taquitos rather than frying them to keep them a bit healthier.

Flautas– flautas are essentially identical to taquitos but instead of using a corn tortilla you use a flour-based tortilla. You can absolutely make this recipe with flour instead of corn tortillas, but you’ll just want to reduce the baking time by a few minutes as wheat tends to bake quicker than corn.

How to Make Instant Pot Taquitos

STEP 1:  In the Instant Pot combine all chicken ingredients except lime. Close top, seal vent and set to pressure cook in high for 10 minutes.

STEP 2: Quick release vent when chicken is done, remove top and use two forks to shred chicken. Add in lime juice and stir to combine.

STEP 3: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with spray or olive oil. Place corn tortillas on a plate and place a sheet of paper towel between every two tortillas (6 paper towel sheets total). Microwave for 30-60 seconds. *See comments below if you don’t have a microwave. Place about a 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture along the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with roughly 2 tablespoons of cheese.

STEP 4: Roll up taquitos and place seam side down on baking sheet. Spray or drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy. In last remaining minute remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place back into oven until cheese is fully melted – about 1 minute.

STEP 5: Top taquitos with salsa, avocado (or guac) and optional toppings for serving.

Your Questions Answered:

Can I Use Frozen Chicken Breasts?

Yes! Absolutely. You’ll just want to cook your frozen chicken breasts in your Instant Pot for 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes.

Can I Fry the Taquitos Instead of Baking Them?

Yes. While I personally prefer baking them (it’s way less messy and a bit healthier), you can pan fry your chicken taquitos instead of baking them. You’ll want to add 1/4-1/2 cup of a more neutral oil to a large pot or deep frying pan. Bring pan to medium heat and add a few taquitos at a time. They should sizzle when you place them in the pan. Cook for a few minutes on each side until they’ve fully crisped up.

Can I Make These Taquitos In a Slow Cooker?

Absolutely. Just add all your chicken ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on high for about 3 hours. You’ll want to flip your chicken about halfway through cooking (1.5 hours). When it’s done cooking you’ll shred your chicken with two forks and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Can I Soften My Tortillas Without a Microwave?

If you don’t have a microwave you can still soften your corn tortillas to make them pliable for these chicken taquitos. You can heat each tortilla individually in a pan for 15 seconds on each side. Then add your tortilla to an airtight container and seal with the lid. Repeat, stacking each tortilla on top of one another and seal with the lid after each. Let “sweat” in container for a few minutes. Then your corn tortillas should be ready for stuffing and baking!

Can I Meal-Prep these Chicken Taquitos?

Yes. These will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and you can just reheat in the microwave or pan fry them. If I’m being honest they’re best served fresh but alternatively you can just meal prep the Instant Pot chicken and finish up the remainder of the recipe the day you decide to cook them.

Print

Like these Instant Pot Taquitos? Here are some other recipes you might enjoy:

• Instant Pot Enchilada Soup
• Spicy Grilled Shrimp Tacos
• Chipotle Burrito Bowls
• Quinoa Taco Salad