Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

These Buffalo chicken taquitos crisp up beautifully in the air fryer with a creamy filling made from shredded or rotisserie chicken. They bring a fun Mexican-inspired flavor that works for easy snacks, quick lunches, or simple 30-minute meals when you need dinner fast. You'll get helpful tips for making homemade chicken taquitos that roll tight, cook evenly, and turn into reliable last-minute dinners. Pin this recipe now so you always have a fast, flavor-packed idea ready for busy nights.

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Why this is the best buffalo chicken taquitos in the air fryer recipe

This buffalo chicken taquito recipe is absolutely delicious! The combination of juicy, shredded chicken with ranch dressing and hot sauce, a hint of garlic, and a quick cook in the air fryer is such a flavorful dinner! Drizzled with hot sauce and ranch, these will delight both kids and adults alike. No one will want to stop at one chicken taquito!

This is a quick and easy dinner, appetizer, or potluck recipe. Start with chicken, add ranch dressing, hot sauce, and garlic, roll the flavorful chicken mixture into corn tortillas, place them in the air fryer, and cook. That's all there is to it. It's even easier than it sounds!

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The ingredients for the dish are common and easy to find. You likely already have most of the simple ingredients for this easy air fryer recipe in your pantry. If you need an ingredient or two, you can easily find them in most local grocery stores or on Amazon!

These buffalo chicken taquitos taste amazing! These chicken taquitos are flavorful on their own, but add a drizzle of hot sauce and ranch dressing, and they make a satisfying dish!

This recipe is allergy-friendly and great for special diets. As written, this simple recipe is gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free, but it does include ranch dressing, which usually contains dairy. Corn tortillas are high in carbs, so are probably not appropriate for a keto diet, but they are normally okay for bariatric diets.

What you'll need to make easy buffalo chicken taquitos

Equipment

• Air fryer to cook the taquitos
• A chicken shredder is a must if you are using rotisserie chicken or freshly cooked chicken. I use my chicken shredder at least three times a week.
• A garlic press minces your garlic. If you don't have a garlic press, use the flat part of your chef's knife to smash the clove, then remove the papery skin and mince the garlic as fine as possible with the sharp edge.
• Toothpicks will hold your taquitos together after you wrap them. You should leave the toothpicks in place until the taquitos are fully cooked.

Ingredients  

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

• Shredded chicken - Your chicken needs to be pre-cooked, whether you use rotisserie chicken, a can of chicken, or chicken breasts you've freshly cooked.
• Fresh garlic - I recommend fresh garlic in this recipe. There are only a few ingredients, and they all matter. You will notice a difference if you don't use fresh garlic.
• Frank's RedHot Sauce or buffalo sauce of your choice - I love Frank's but you are welcome to use any brand or style of hot sauce.
• Cream cheese, ranch dressing or sour cream - This is for making the chicken a little creamier, and it tones down the heat a bit.
• Corn tortillas - Taquitos traditionally use corn tortillas, which are naturally gluten-free. If you prefer flour tortillas, you can use them.
• Shredded cheddar cheese - I like to throw a handful or two of shredded sharp cheddar or shredded Mexican blend cheese, for a little added creaminess. It is not pictured below and is optional but makes a nice addition.

How to make Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

1. Place chicken, hot sauce, garlic, and softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and mix completely.
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2. Corn tortillas lose their pliability quickly if they sit for more than a couple of days. If they aren't soft enough to wrap without breaking, warm each tortilla in the microwave between two damp paper towels for 5-10 seconds.
3. Add a spoonful of chicken mixture to each warm corn tortilla, and roll the taquitos as shown below. Keep taquitos pinned closed with toothpicks as needed. Don't remove the toothpicks until they are fully cooked.
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4. Place taquitos in the air fryer basket in a single layer with some space between them. You may need to cook them in batches.
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5. Cook at 370ºF for 9-10 minutes or until crispy and golden. The filling mixture is fully cooked, so you are just crisping the tortillas at this point.
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6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with ranch dressing and/or buffalo sauce and serve.
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Substitutions & variations

Depending on the spice level, you might want to use BBQ sauce, honey mustard, or sweet chili sauce in place of the buffalo sauce. You could still use ranch with BBQ sauce, but I would switch to sour cream for honey mustard or sweet chili sauce, or leave that out altogether.

Swap proteins. You can use shredded turkey, beef, or pork, or chopped shrimp. Or make it vegan with tofu or chickpeas.

Add a handful of beans or corn to the filling, or add sauteed veggies like bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes to the taquito chicken mixture.

This recipe is created for the air fryer, but you can also use the oven, toaster oven, or deep fry your buffalo chicken taquitos.

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Storing leftovers

Cool completely after cooking to avoid condensation making the taquitos soggy. Place room temperature taquitos in an airtight container or wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. If they're not in an airtight container, they will likely get hard before that.

Reheat in the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Arrange the taquitos in a single layer and heat for 3-5 minutes.

To freeze: Place taquitos on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid (1-2 hours). Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Reheat one or two frozen taquitos at a time in the air fryer at 375°F for 10-12 minutes. No need to thaw before heating.

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Check out more delicious air fryer recipes.

• Air Fryer Donuts
• Air Fryer Asparagus
• Air Fryer Salmon Bites
• Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
• Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
• Air Fryer Cherry Almond Danish
• Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies

Check out our Air Fryer Archives with all the air fryer recipes we've ever published.

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