You may have noticed I make a lot of what some call “dude food.” It would be easy to blame a house full of men—“I have a husband and five sons…”—and pretend I subsist on carrot sticks and hummus. Don’t get me wrong: I do enjoy carrot sticks and hummus. But I also adore hearty, indulgent food. My grandma used to joke that her corduroys whispered “nacho… nacho…” as she walked. Family tendencies run deep. Today I’m sharing Baked Cheesy Chicken and Bean Taquitos—an irresistible recipe that had everyone at my table grinning.

Full disclosure: while these taquitos are baked, they’re not a health food. If you want to pretend the black beans and shredded chicken cancel out the oil—that’s fine. I won’t argue. Every so often I need a proper indulgence to keep my mood sunny. As I’ve said before, I generally eat and drink in moderation—except when I don’t. So yes, I’m unapologetic: do you want a Baked Cheesy Chicken and Bean Taquito?

If you crave a little cheesy, crisp, slightly greasy, meaty, absolutely-delicious taquito, this recipe is for you. With the big game coming up, these would vanish from any snack buffet—fast.

These taquitos can be a bit messy to assemble, but a big plus is they rehearse well. You can make them up to 24 hours ahead and re-crisp on a foil-lined pan in a 350°F oven right before serving. That gives you time to clean the kitchen and be ready for guests.

Cook’s Notes

If you want to minimize oily drips while assembling, lay down a layer of newspaper on the counter. I usually skip that—my stainless counters and eager helpers handle the cleanup—but it’s an option.
Have everything ready before you heat the tortillas: foil-lined baking sheets, preheated oven, filling mixed and within reach, tongs on hand, and a plate with a small rim next to the pan for the hot tortillas.
Corn tortillas are flavorful but delicate. Keep extra tortillas on hand in case one rips when you move it from the oil.
When you lower a tortilla into the hot oil, you’ll see tiny bubbles around the edge—this means the oil is ready. Work quickly: flip the tortilla after a couple of seconds and remove it after about 10 seconds. Yes, they’ll be oily; that’s intentional. The oil softens the tortilla so you can roll it without cracking and helps produce crispiness after baking.
Don’t overfill the tortillas. Too much filling increases the chance a tortilla will split while you roll it.
If you’ll re-crisp the taquitos later, bake them closer to 10 minutes now so they don’t over-crisp. If serving immediately, bake up to 20 minutes for maximum crunch.

Recipe: Baked Cheesy Chicken and Bean Taquitos

Author: Rebecca Lindamood

Ingredients

4 cups shredded fully cooked chicken
1 can black beans (or 1 1/2 cups cooked, drained, and rinsed)
8-ounce brick Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
A handful of cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
About 30 small corn tortillas (roughly 6-inch), plus extras for breakage

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil, dull side up, and set aside.
Heat a heavy skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Pour in the oil and warm it through.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, beans, shredded cheese, green onions, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, and kosher salt. Mix until evenly distributed.
One tortilla at a time, ease it into the hot oil and immediately flip using tongs. Heat another 10 seconds, then lift the tortilla onto a plate. It will be greasy—this is desirable so the tortilla is hot and flexible. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in a line down the center of the tortilla and roll it tightly. Place seam-side down on the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Bake the taquitos for at least 10 minutes and up to 20 minutes—the longer they bake, the crispier they become. For seriously crisp taquitos, bake about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool until comfortable to handle before transferring to a serving plate.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition tool.