Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos the Whole Family Will Love
If you are like our family, sitting down to dinner together is challenging. It doesn’t happen often enough during the week. With almost every grandkid in a sport or activity these days, we spend most evenings in the week watching soccer, football, basketball, or baseball games. Not to mention all the activities I do regularly. Sunday seems to be the one day we always have the whole family at the dinner table together. So, I try to make Sunday dinners something special. Something that everyone will like.
These Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos always do the job; everyone loves them and wants them added into our dinner rotation. The kids and grandkids love them because they are tasty, and I love making them because, well honestly, there isn’t much involved in making them. This dish kind of cooks itself.
A huge thank you to Tiffany from Creme de la Crumb for the great recipe. A recipe that pleases everyone in my family can only mean one thing, this Pin Rocks!
Picky Eater Tested, Grandma Approved!
Every grandma’s kitchen table has at least one picky eater.
There is always the one kiddo that does not like meat. Another one that is deathly afraid of vegetables, the one that can’t have the mashed potatoes touching the carrots, and in every grandkid heard- the one that will not eat anything green, or blue, or red. The color changes weekly around my house.
So, what is a grandma to do when we need a dinner idea they will all eat and not complain?
It is much harder to complain about what they are eating when they can’t tell what’s in it. This tip is an old trick I picked up from my mom and passed down to my children. If they can’t see vegetables, or identify them, then that means the vegetables aren’t actually in there, right?
All the grandkids taste is the chicken and the cheese. However, you could be clever and puree up some veggies to add to these if you wanted to.
For those picky grand-kiddos, this taquito recipe nailed it. It is always a big hit.
This dish is a big hit with my grandkids for three main reasons:
- It has cheese.
Need I say more? Anything dripping with gooey cheese is a popular one with kids. Think about it, some of the most popular kid favorites are pizza, cheeseburgers, tacos, and burritos. Quickly translated, that means- cheese, cheese, and lots more cheese. If you have a grandchild who can’t have dairy, you can easily swap out dairy-free cheese on theirs. - They can eat with their hands.
What does that list above and these cream cheese chicken taquitos have in common? Your grandkids don’t need a fork, a spoon, or any other troublesome utensil to hinder their eating. It is just them and the food. There is almost a primal instinct with kids to eat with their hands, and these taquitos help fit the bill. - Dip, Dip, Dip!
I have found any food a picky eater would normally stick their nose up at, they will miraculously eat when it has something on the side to dip with. Any dip will work. I like to put our a salsa, sour cream, and extra melted cheese as a choice with these tasty taquitos. Some will choose one side, others may choose all three. I let them get wild and use their creative little imaginations here. If I am wanting to be super clever and add an extra healthy option, I whip up some guacamole! Shhhh, they don’t need to know it’s tasty AND good for them.
Let The Crockpot Cook While You Enjoy Family Time
I love pretty much everything about crockpot cooking. It’s easy, the meat is always moist and tender, the house smells so good when you get home and one dish to clean up is always better than a sink full.
While all of those reasons are great, the most wonderful reason of all is how I love that it allows me to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with my family. Sometimes life gets so hectic that we don’t take time to just enjoy each other’s company.
Last Sunday our two oldest children were visiting from out of state. My daughter, her 15-month-old daughter “muffin” or “stinkywink” to us, and our oldest son. It was bedtime for Muffin and she was getting a little fussy. My daughter found a pack of Glow Sticks in one of our upstairs bedrooms, everyone gathered in the living room, we turned off all the lights downstairs and one by one everyone lit up a glow stick.
Muffin squealed with delight as each glow stick lit up. We gave her 3 glow sticks and taught her how to wave her little arms so the Glow Sticks would make a pattern in the dark. Our glow stick playtime lasted an hour and a half. Muffin was entertained by the glow sticks, and we were entertained by Muffin’s excitement and antics.
It was the best part of our week together and helped remind me that it is truly the simple things in life that can bring us the greatest joy and happiness. I loved that the TV wasn’t on, no one had a laptop, tablet, or phone in their hand; as far as technology is concerned we were completely disconnected. As a family, we were making the connections that are meaningful and count, by doing something as simple as playing with Glow Sticks!
If I had been in the kitchen all day cooking, I wouldn’t have gotten this great time with my family. 
What You Will Need for This Recipe
These taquitos look fabulous, but before you jump into making this dish, you will need a few things.
- 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Chili Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Cumin
- Salt and Pepper
- (80z.) Cream Cheese
- 1- 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheese of Choice
- Pack of at least 12 tortillas (more if you have lots of grand-kids)
- Optional- Cilantro, Salsa, Sour Cream, or other toppings your family loves!
If you have someone in the family (that picky eater probably) who needs some veggies in their diet or a protein boost, you can always substitute or add in some fun alternatives like black beans or pureed zucchini. Don’t be afraid to mix up a batch of simple veggie and cheese taquitos if you want, and give your family a few different options.
I always stick to the recipe when I make a new dish for the first time, just to see if my family likes it. Original recipes are always great when you follow them to the T, but let’s be realistic, sometimes we work with what we have or need to adjust a little depending on our family. No matter what you stick in this dish, it will turn out yummy. Add a little of your flair here and there if you’d like.
After all, that is what makes it Grandma’s recipe!
Easy, Slow Cooker Chicken Taquitos For the Win!
Your time is precious, just like those grandkids of yours. While you love to cook healthy and yummy dinners for your family, you don’t want to spend every second of your day in the kitchen. I love my kitchen, but I want my grandkids to love coming over to share a meal with me. I want to make food that will keep them happy and begging them to come back.
Make your life a little easier, free up more of your time, and give big smiles and full tummies to your favorite little folks all at the same time with this fantastic Cream Cheese Chicken Taquito recipe tonight!
I will be surprised if your grandkids aren’t asking for them again by the end of the week!
Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt + pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 to 1 ½ cups shredded colby or Mexican blend cheese
- 12 6 inch corn or flour tortillas
- optional: cilantro salsa, sour cream, or other toppings as desired
Instructions
- Mix chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, cream cheese, and water in a medium mixing bowl. Pour half of the mixture into your crockpot, place chicken in crockpot and pour remaining mixture over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Minutes before serving, remove chicken from crock pot, shred with two forks, and return to slow cooker. Give it a stir. Cook about 15 minutes longer.
- Preheat oven to 400. Here is a great trick to keep your corn tortilla from falling apart. Place 1 corn tortilla on a skillet, put about 1/8 cup cheese on the corn tortilla. Warm the tortilla until the cheese melts, remove tortilla from pan. Melting the cheese on the corn tortilla will keep it from falling apart in the next step.
- Place about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture onto the middle of each corn tortilla that has the melted cheese on it or a flour tortilla.
- Top with 1-2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Roll tightly and place in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. If using corn tortilla brushing some olive oil over them will help with browning and crisping.
- Bake 10 minutes, until tortillas are slightly browned and shredded cheese is melted. Serve with desired toppings and sauces.
Check Out Our Video For This Recipe
Need More Creamy, Cheesy, Favorite Recipes?
Looking for some awesome new ideas to add to your meal plan this month? Add these other great dinner dishes to your supper rotation. Your family, and especially grandkids, will be sure to enjoy it!
- Let your grandkids personalize their meal with this fun dinner muffin idea!
- Make these finger food-approved Stromboli bites ahead of time and stick them in the freezer. Easy to pull out when those grandkids pop by.
- You can never go wrong with a great Mac-n-Cheese in your kitchen!
- If it looks fun, you know they will love it. Try these tasty Chicken Cordon Bleu BLT Cups.
- With a fun name like Pizza Cupcakes, it is sure to be a big hit!
HELP!!! I tried to make these for tonight and the corn tortillas just fell apart in my hands as I tried to fill them! what’s the strategy I didn’t know??? they tasted good but glad it wasn’t a company meal!
Hi Carole,
I am so sorry! I forgot to add my “tip” on how to keep the corn tortillas from falling apart. Here it is, place 1 corn tortilla on a skillet, put about 1/8 cup cheese on the corn tortilla. Over medium heat warm the tortilla until the cheese melts, remove tortilla from the pan. When you fill and roll the tortilla with the cream cheese chicken filling the melted cheese keeps the tortilla from crumbling or falling apart. This method also works great for yummy breakfast burritos. I’ve updated the recipe with this step. Thank you for bringing it to my attention, we are so grateful to have wonderful followers like yourself! Hope you have a great weekend! Tracy
You can also heat the tortillas wrapped in a cloth in the microwave just until the tortillas are soft and easy to roll.
Hey Gloria,
Thanks for sharing your tip about rolling corn tortilla’s wrapped in a cloth in the microwave. I always love learning a new cooking tip! Thanks for following us, Tracy
I get a tortilla warmer and put a stack in it…and nuke for a min…it softens the tortillas and does not take as much time…be sure to separate the tortillas so they do not stick together…
Corn or flour tortillas need to be warmed, either in micro or on dry skillet before rolling.
Hi Tracy,
Can the recipe be made with frozen chicken breasts or should I defrost them first?
Thanks for a yummy recipe. Rena
Hey Rena,
I used frozen chicken breasts and they turned out great! If you are using corn tortillas make sure to place a tortilla in a skillet on medium, put about 1/8 cup of cheese in the middle of the tortilla and warm it until the cheese melts. The melted cheese will keep your tortilla from falling apart when you stuff roll them up. Enjoy, Tracy
These look delicious and easy. However, I just read through these instructions like four times. Where does the cream cheese fit in? It’s in the ingredient list but I don’t see where to add it in the directions.
Hey Anna!
The cream cheese is listed in the very first part (# 1) of the instructions. Right after it says “salt and pepper to taste”, there are quite a few ingredients listed in that step so I can see how you missed it. I’m sure you and your family will love these! Thanks for following us, Tracy
We love this recipe, even my super picky son-in-law. I’m too lazy to make them skinny like taquitos. Just roll them up like burritos, spray with butter flavored spray and bake. We like to top them with shredded lettuce, chopped tomotes and onions, cilantro and salso. So yummy! Great recipe for the RV too!
Vicki,
I’m so happy we pleased you super picky son-in-law, please give him our best! What a smart idea to roll these up like burritos, spray with flavored spray and bake. Thanks for following us and commenting, Tracy
Tomatoes…sorry
Tracy, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for posting this recipe! We have my step-kids for 3 dinners a week, and it’s always a challenge to find something they will both like. I served these with some potato rounds seasoned like our favorite fast food taco joint’s, and a “southwestern ranch” dipping sauce, and the whole meal was a hit! My son asked for seconds before he was done with his first one; that rarely happens! My taquitos ended up a little different, but the idea was the same, and I wouldn’t have had that without your post!
Dani,
I am so happy these worked out so well for you and your family! I LOVE it when I find a recipe that everyone in my family likes. Thank you for following us and commenting. Have a great day, Tracy
Hello! Can these be frozen once fully made? How would you go about doing that, my boyfriend eats the boxed frozen kind but these sound so much better! Thanks!
Hey Jess,
Yes I think you could freeze these and eat them later. Just be sure to wrap them well and place them in an airtight container. Enjoy! Tracy
Do you think i could make these ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze?
Hi Heather!
Yes, I think you could make these and then freeze them for later. Just make sure they are wrapped well and sealed tightly. Good luck, Tracy
Appreciate this recipe so much! I have made it 7 times and each time it gets gobbled up, so no leftovers. My 16 year old instead puts the mixture on top of tortilla chips and adds sour cream making her own nachos. My 17 year old doesn’t care how they are made he just wants to eat them. I have 2 picky eaters, so when I find something they will actually eat I am overjoyed with great happiness. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi Stephanie!
Your comment made my day! I’m so happy that your kids love these so much, the nachos idea is brilliant. I have some friends stopping by this weekend and I’m going to give the nachos a try. Tell your daughter thank you for the tip about using the filling to make nachos! So glad you are one of our followers 🙂 Tracy
Thank you!!! my family loved this recipe – we had it this week and they are already asking me to make it again- that’s a winner in our busy house! This was super easy to make ahead and pop in the oven when we got home from practice and a hint for those who had issues with the tortilla’s breaking -I used king sized corn tortilla’s in a super hot cast iron skillet sprayed with oil (whatever your choice) and had no issues with sticking or rolling – worked perfect- thank you again!!
Hi Rita,
You are welcome! I’m thrilled that your family enjoyed this recipe so much, one of our readers said her daughter made nachos with the filling mixture. I tried it out this weekend and it was fantastic and only took a few minutes to make. Comments like yours make my day, thanks for following us, Tracy
This looks so good. I”m going to try it tomorrow! How many taquitos does it yield? I might have to make a double batch. 🙂
Hi Liz,
I got 15 to 20 taquitos depending on how full you fill the corn tortillas. One of our followers suggesting using the filling to make nacho’s, we gave it a try and everyone loved it! Enjoy, Tracy
Tracy, Can you just make some and I’ll come eat them?
Hey Heidi!
Ha, ha, we do need to get our families together, let’s pick a date and do it! Yes, I’ll make the taquitos and you make dessert, then we can chow down until we are full. Tracy
Can I use frozen chicken breasts, or do they need to be thawed? Looking forward to making this!
Sandy,
Using frozen chicken breasts would work fine with this recipe. Can’t wait to hear your results! Thanks for following us, Tracy
I made these tonight – DELICIOUS! So easy, too…I will definitely be making them again. I added about a teaspoon of Sriracha to the cream cheese/chicken mixture for some heat.
But – YOU NEED TO STOP SHREDDING CHICKEN USING TWO FORKS! So tedious and time-consuming to get it small enough! I learned from Pinterest that you can use an electric mixer to shred it in about 30 seconds (or less)!
Ashely,
Sriracha is a great addition idea, thanks for sharing! You are correct, shredding chicken with a electric mixer is much faster than using a fork. Thanks so much for following us and leaving your comment 🙂 Tracy
I am a college student and live with three other people and sometimes it is hard for us to find something that we call can agree on to eat. These sounded delicious and turned out perfectly!! It was so simple to make and I will definitely be making them again! Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
Hello Taylor!
It’s a glorious day when EVERYONE loves the dinner you put on the table, congratulations! Thank you so much for letting me know it worked out so well. We love hearing comments like this from our followers! Have a great day, Tracy
I have this in the crockpot but a little doubtful lol. I followed the directions and wasn’t sure if I had to use an electric mixer but I did because after trying to just mix it with a spoon it didn’t look right. I have a small crockpot but still didn’t have enough of the cream cheee mixture to put half in, the chicken, then the other half on top so I dumped it all then put chicken on top. Not sure if I’m missing some key part but it smells good. I didn’t have cumin or chili powder so just used some chipotle chili powder. Will update after I taste it 😉
Hi Amanda!
Using an electric mixer is fine and will not change the outcome of the recipe. Next time I would put a few spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on the bottom your crock pot and spread it around, then the chicken and pour the rest of the cream cheese mixture over the chicken. If you do not put some of the cream cheese mixture on top of the chicken it may get dried out. Can’t wait to hear how the chipotle chili powder tasted! So glad you follow us and left your comment! Tracy
My family thought is was a bit bland. The next time I make it, I will add a can or two of rotel to the crockpot mixture.
Hey Robin,
My husband is one of those people who loves hot and spicey foods, he loved these but said they would be better if they had a little more “kick” to them. I think a can or two of rotel would be a great addition. Thanks so much for giving these a try and leaving your comment. We love our followers and their opinions! Hope you have a wonderful holiday season, Tracy
Thank you so much for the tip about how to keep the corn tortillas from falling apart! I made these yesterday using the recipe from Tiffany’s website post, and I ended up resorting to making regular tacos last night when I could see the corn tortillas were going to crumble during the rolling. The filling was delicious, but I can’t wait to try making taquitos out of the left overs tonight!
Hi Llana,
You are welcome! I was so excited when I learned how to keep my corn tortillas from crumbling. My daughter has celiac disease, I make her corn tortilla breakfast burritos 3 out of 5 mornings. It’s a great grab and go breakfast for her! Thanks for following us, hope you have a great holiday season! Tracy
Started the crockpot this am and spending the day with the family watching football…my house smells amazing about now!!!
Hey Tara!
I love that yummy crockpot smell that fills the house, you guys are going to love these! Thanks so much for giving them a try and leaving your comment, Tracy
Hi,
This is probably a very silly question, but I do not have a crockpot and was wondering if I could just cook the chicken in a large pot on the stove. These look delicious and super easy, but I’m a struggling college student who can’t afford to buy a crock pot at the moment. Ha! Hopefully in the near future I will be able to. Thanks, M
Yes you can Maddie. The crock pot just makes it easier to put in and leave. But it should definitely work on the stove. You won’t be disappointed!
Fantastic! Will plan to put this into the rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Tamara,
You are welcome! They make the whole house smell incredible while cooking, you are going to love them! Thanks for commenting, Tracy
If using flour tortillas should I also follow your tip to avoid the tortilla from falling apart?
Hi Kayla!
The flour tortillas never fall apart the way the corn tortillas do. So no, do not worry about about melting cheese on them first. So glad you are making these, they are awesome! Thanks so much for following us, Tracy
Totally Church Pot Luck Worthy!
Delicious! And the family has asked for a repeat meal tomorrow night as well! Those who said even picky eaters would love them were right. I wasn’t so sure, the chicken mixture looked soupy, more like gravy, but it was very good. I improvised since I made a double recipe and only had one 8oz cream cheese and 8oz of Spicy Jalapeno cream cheese and it added just the right amount of kick. I followed the directions and the tip about warming the tortillas with cheese was brilliant! I may try heating them longer or cooking a few in oil to make them more crispy, but then again I really liked them not being greasy. Two thumbs up, five star review! And, getting a potluck worthy recipe is Golden…thank you 🙂
Hey Carolyn!
I love your idea of using Spicy Jalapeno cream cheese for a little extra kick! I’m thrilled to be the recipient of a two thumbs up, five star, potluck recipe that is Golden review, you made my day! Thanks so much for following us and leaving such a positive comment, Tracy
Do these freeze well? I am trying to make a list of good easy freezer meals that hubs can make after the new babe is born 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Audrey!
Congratulations on your new babe! I think as long as you wrap them tightly they should work out fine in the freezer. I’d love to hear your results, they would a great grab and go dinner on a busy night! Thanks for commenting, Tracy
How would I make these with pre-shredded chicken? I have already cooked up four chkn breasts and shredded them for the week. Could I just heat it all together in a sauce pan?
Hey Beth,
I think that would work out just fine! I would heat it at a low/medium temperature so the cream cheese will melt without separating or scorching. Let us know how it works our for you! Thanks for following us, Tracy
Could you use fat free cream cheese?
Hey Robin,
I haven’t used fat free cream cheese in a long time, I seem to recall it melts differently than regular cream cheese. I think you would have better luck with a low fat cream cheese. If you try the fat free CC I’d love to hear how it turns out. Thanks for following us, Tracy
I can’t wait to try these!
Hey Ellie,
Oh my they are so good! I’m in Virgina visiting my sister Sherri and we are making them for dinner tonight. Thanks for following us and hope you have a great day, Tracy
Even if these hadn’t been delicious (they were!), the EASY tip for keeping the corn tortillas from breaking would have been worth a fail! Will FOR SURE be making these regularly.
Hey Jane,
Learning how to keep corn tortillas from falling apart was a game changer for me! It meant I could make corn tortilla breakfast burritos for my daughter! Wish I had learned about it years ago :0) Thanks so much for following us and commenting, Tracy
Just discovered this recipe, Love it!!! so easy and delicious – my kids loved them so this is one we will make again and again – I added a small can of diced green chili’s and it came out wonderful.. Thank you again
Hi Rita!
So glad you and your family loved them! I’m in New York/Virgina with my sisters and we made them for dinner last night. The green chili’s are a great addition! Thanks for following us, Tracy
How many lbs of chicken? I know it says 2 breast just curious about pounds since each breast size can vary. Thanks!
Hey Jennifer,
When I use two large chicken breasts it ends up equalling about 1 pound. If you end up with a little more or less chicken the recipe will work just fine. Enjoy and thanks for following us! Tracy
Hi, these are so yummy! I wondered if you ever tried freezing them? I always have so much chicken left over, which I do freeze, but I have a friend who is having a baby next month and I wanted to prepare some freezer meals for her and wondered how these shells would hold up after freezing and thawing. Any feedback would be great!
Hi Jennifer! I haven’t tried freezing the whole taquito but you should be able to freeze the cream cheese chicken mixture just fine.
I am making these in the crockpot right now but it seems too liquidy, but I added the correct ingredients! Is it supposed to look like chicken in soup? Help!
Alisha,
Sorry it took so long to respond I was away on vacation. Once you shred the cooked chicken it usually absorbs any extra liquid. Sure hope they worked out for you! Best, Tracy
I can’t imagine eating, or trying to work with corn tortillas that aren’t fried first. It improves the taste drastically. Right out of the package, without cooking is “raw” in my opinion (although they will cook in the oven). Fry in a medium hot skillet…(we always used cast iron as it holds the heat well and once you get the temperature right, you can fry dozens of them one after the other as we do to make enchiladas)… with oil and as they cook, they will turn opaque instead of being the dull corn color and they will be very easy to roll. YUM!!! I’ve never tried to make taquitos, but I sure will now! These sound delicious and easy to make as well!
Hey Sarah,
I used to feel the same way about corn tortillas that were not cooked in oil! When we went gluten free I started making corn tortilla breakfast burritos for my daughter several days a week. I wanted an option that was healthier and took less time to prepare. Melting cheese on corn tortilla’s turned out to be the perfect answer. Homemade tacos are my one exception, I still fry the corn tortilla in oil (the way my mom always did), BEST tacos EVER! Thanks for following us and commenting, Tracy
Do you mean ½ POUND shredded cheese? Because ½ cup won’t be enough for all the taquitos if you are using 1/8 cup per tortilla. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Margaret!
Thanks for pointing this out to me, I just updated the recipe to read 1 to 1 1/2 cups cheese blend. Sure glad to have you as one of our followers, Tracy
How many taquitos will this recipe make?
Hey Diane,
The recipe will make 14 to 16 taquitos, depending on much filling you use in each one. They are awesome! Tracy
made tonight for the very first time, and my husband called them, “orgasmic,” and my autistic picky eater daughter said nothing, but ate two! I’ll be using this recipe again! Delicioso!!
Hi Stacy,
Finding a recipe that pleases everyone in the family is always the best! So glad your hubby and daughter enjoyed the taquitos. Thanks for following us, Tracy
How many taquitos were u able to make from 2 ck breasts?
Hi Marianne,
You will get around 8 to 10 taquitos depending on how much filling you use in each taquito. I always make a double batch and freeze any extra, which doesn’t happen too often! Enjoy, Tracy
This is an awesome recipe! I’ve made this a dozen times and my kids and husband love them. The only change I make is adding corn to the crockpot mix. Wonderful meal!
So glad you like it and corn would make a great addition. Thanks for the tip!
This sounds yummy! Will have to try it. Thanks for sharing
You won’t be disappointed!
I love this recipe and my family loved it the first time I made it!! Can I make these the night before then refridgerate and bake the next morning? Thinking of having them for a baptism brunch. What temperature and how long would you bake? I’m going to make a double batch using flour tortillas.
I would be a little worried about the tortillas getting soggy if they sit too long before baking. We’ve never done it that way so if you decide to try it, we’d love to hear how it turned out!
These look really good
We promise that you won’t be disappointed!
These are super yummy! I used chipoltle cream cheese and wow! Amazing!
Ooohhh!! I love that cream cheese idea!
Hey Tracy, So I got this cooking but I put more chicken in then 2 big chicken breast, should I double the recipe or just leave it?? I didn’t know if it would be to much..
I’m not sure how much more you put it but I’m hoping that it turned out ok!!
Is it suppose to be 2 whole chicken breasts or ( 1 whole = 2 pieces)? I want to make this for Christmas Eve along with other things. Merry Christmas!!!