Taquitos

We recently acquired a Sam’s Club membership (thanks Kim!), which has been a delight for the cheap Icees, bulk designer clothes and bargain vacuums. What’s not so delightful?

Every time we go to Sam’s Club, my husband begs me to buy the huge, bulk sized nasty frozen taquitos. Bleck. I love Mexican food, but frozen food? Not so much. Frozen Mexican food? Even less.

Then I stumbled upon this recipe on Pinterest: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/04/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos/

From the amazing blog, ourbestbites.com. Thanks for the great recipe!

I made a few adjustments based on what I had available, and it turned out delish! This would be a perfect party food, as this made enough filling to cook 30+. Rumor has it they are also easily frozen.

I cooked 1 whole ~3 pound chicken in a slow cooker with some salt and pepper. I took the chicken straight out of the freezer and threw it in for 6 hours on high, with a lot of water, and it was perfectly done.

Ingredients:

Meat from 1 whole cooked shredded chicken

1 package fat free cream cheese (or full fat if you’re living on the edge :))

1 can black beans, drained

juice from 1 whole lime

Mama’s Spice or any favorite Mexican spice mix, to taste

1 small jar green salsa

1 handfull of Cilantro, roughly chopped

2 cups shredded colby jack cheese

2 packages fajita tortillas

Shred chicken, maximizing as much as possible. (dark meat is your friend! Not your heart’s friend, but your friend!)

Warm cream cheese in microwave for 30 seconds, or until stirable. Mix in juice from 1 lime, and can of green salsa. Fold in chicken. Throw in cilantro and fold in black beans. Lastly, mix cheese into the mixture and season to taste with spices. Don’t add salt – the mixture is already a bit salty from the chicken/beans/salsa, and you will be topping the taquitos with salt.

Lay aluminum foil out on cookie sheets. (You may need several, or to cook several batches)

Put 4-5 tortillas at a time in the microwave between two paper towels. Microwave for 30 seconds. This will make the tortillas pliable. Put heaping spoonful of mixture in tortilla, roll tightly. Place seam-side down on pan. Repeat until pan is full. Do not let your taquitos touch.

Spray taquitos lightly with cooking spray, top with sea salt. Bake at 450 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, or until lightly toasted and dark brown on ends. Taquitos should come out nice and crispy.

Serve with salsa, sour cream of quacamole.

Warning: Taquitos do not taste as crunchy the next day. However, they would be delicious turned into enchiladas the next day by covering the tops with sauce and cheese and baking until heated through.