Description
These Honey BBQ Slow Cooker Chicken Taquitos combine tender slow-cooked chicken with a sweet and tangy homemade BBQ sauce, cream cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and fresh cilantro, all rolled into crispy baked whole grain tortillas. Perfect for a flavorful, crowd-pleasing appetizer or meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the BBQ Sauce:
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Remaining Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
- 4 ounces (1 cup) shredded Monterey jack cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 18 small whole grain tortillas
- cooking spray
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the BBQ Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the BBQ sauce ingredients until well combined and smooth.
- Cook the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker and pour the BBQ sauce over the top. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 3 ½ hours or on high for 2 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Thicken the Sauce: Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl, leaving the liquid sauce behind in the slow cooker. Add cornstarch to the sauce and whisk until dissolved. Increase the slow cooker to high and cook the sauce, uncovered, for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Mix the Filling: Shred the cooked chicken finely. Add ¾ cup of the thickened BBQ sauce, cream cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and cilantro to the shredded chicken. Stir everything together until well combined. Reserve remaining BBQ sauce for serving.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Warm the Tortillas: Microwave tortillas between two damp paper towels until warm and pliable to prevent tearing during rolling.
- Assemble Taquitos: Spoon about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture onto the bottom third of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all tortillas and filling. (Optional: flash freeze before baking for storage.)
- Bake the Taquitos: Lightly spray the rolled taquitos with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-16 minutes until they are lightly golden and crispy. Serve with extra BBQ sauce if desired.
Notes
- To freeze taquitos before baking, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a labeled freezer bag and store up to 3 months.
- To bake frozen taquitos, no need to thaw. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 18-20 minutes until heated through and golden.
- Warming tortillas before rolling helps prevent cracking or tearing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 taquitos
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
