Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 1 dozen, or about 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
• 12 small corn tortillas*
• 1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil, divided 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp salsa verde
• 3 oz cream cheese, diced into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once hot add one corn tortilla at a time and cook 10 - 15 seconds per side (until tortillas become more pliable), then immediately transfer to a plate and cover with a skillet lid (to seal in moisture. Be sure it's a lid that will basically seal on bottom, as in there shouldn't be any space between the plate and the lid. This should prevent tortillas from cracking). Repeat with remaining tortillas and set aside.
• In a large non-stick heat 1/2 Tbsp of the canola oil over medium-high heat. Once hot add onions and saute until soft and slightly golden, about 3 - 4 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Remove skillet from heat, then add salsa verde and diced cream cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low, and return skillet to heat. Cook stirring constantly until cream cheese has melted. Add in chili powder, paprika, cumin, lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in shredded chicken, cilantro and monterey jack cheese (you can add in another 1 - 2 Tbsp if of the salsa verde if you think it needs it, you want it to be creamy but not too wet or it will keep the taquitos from getting perfectly crisp).
• Spread about a scant 1/4 cup (about 3 Tbsp) of the chicken mixture in a row, closer to one side of the tortilla (about 1-inch from edge), then snuggly roll tortilla to opposite side. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture, spacing tortillas at least 1-inch apart on baking sheet for even toasting.
• Brush tops and sides of rolled tortillas lightly with remaining 1 Tbsp canola oil. Bake in preheated oven until edges are golden brown and taquitos are crisp, about 18 - 20 minutes. Serve warm with dipping of choice (i.e. sour cream, salsa verde, guacamole, tomato salsa, hot sauce).
• *I wouldn't recommend using the corn tortillas they've recently come out with that are now "softer and improved." Some brands still stick with the regular kind (they are more firm and not as pliable) and I tested out both for these and the regular version worked out better and didn't break at all whereas the newer kind did.
• From Cooking Classy