Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Taquitos

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of taquitos?  Automatically, my first thought is those deep fried, light and flaky, crispy tortillas filled with and ooey gooey, cheesy chicken concoction that you find in those “heat boxes” (for lack of a better word) in the convenient store.  Come on, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  I must admit, I was addicted to those things in high school.  It’s been a while since I’ve had one, so I don’t know if they would live to my memories expectations…some things are better left as just a memory! 

Even though I haven’t had one in a while doesn’t mean that I don’t crave them from time to time.  I’ve seen many taquito recipes circling the internet for quite some time, time after time I’ve planned to make them but for one reason or another those plans have gotten pushed to the side.  I have multiple recipes taquito recipes bookmarked, but when the opportunity finally presented itself I decided to make taquitos filled with cream cheese, chicken, bacon and ranch.  You can’t tell me that doesn’t sound good.  How could this not be good?

These taquitos were incredibly simple to prepare, perfect for weeknight meals.  I prepared the filling and stuffed the tortillas in no time.  While they were baking I prepared a few sides as well as a dipping sauce and our meal was on the table in under 30 minutes.  You can’t beat that!  Even better, the filling can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before use.  I also love the idea of taquitos because they can be stuffed, rolled and stored in the freezer for future use.  These are perfect for appetizers, party food, but hearty enough to be served as the main course for a meal.    

These were full of flavor.  I love the combination of cream cheese and shredded cheese, it made for a rich, creamy, and flavorful filling.  The shredded cheese brought back the memories of the convenient store taquitos; the cheese was gooey and stringy.  The addition of sour cream helped to cut the richness of the cream cheese while also lending a bit of a tangy flavor.  To finish off the flavor profile ranch dressing mix is added along with moist, juicy chicken and crunchy, salty bacon.  These is a crowd pleaser for all ages!  This recipe was such a hit I can’t wait to try some of the other recipes I’ve come across with a variety of different mix-ins. 

Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Taquitos

Ingredients:

1 (8oz) package cream cheese (full, light or non-fat can be used )
1/4 Cup sour cream
1 Package bacon
4 Cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1 (1oz) package ranch dressing mix
1 Cup pepper jack cheese
1 Cup cheddar cheese
1-2 Green onions, chopped
1-2 Tbsp chopped jalapenos
20 (6 inch) flour tortillas
Salt and pepper, to taste
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.

Cook bacon to desired doneness.  Place on a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool.  When cool enough to handle, crumble.

Meanwhile, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch dressing mix in a large bowl and stir to combine.  Add both cheeses and jalapenos and stir.  Add the chicken and crumbled bacon and mix.  Season to taste.  Lastly, gently fold in the green onions.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture into tortilla, roll and place seem-side down on prepared baking sheet.  Repeat process with remaining ingredients.  Mist the tops of the taquitos with non-stick cooking spray, olive oil, or vegetable oil.  Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes; until heated through and cheese has melted. 

Remove from oven and allow to set for 5 minutes.  Serve with desired dipping sauce.

Notes-
Use a rotisserie chicken not only to save time but add another layer of flavor.

Use pre-cooked bacon as another time saver.

These are perfect for freezer meals.  Simply prepare the filling, stuff the tortillas and place in a freezer bag.  Store in the freezer and remove the desired amount and bake.

Use for your child’s lunch.  Bake in the morning, allow to cool, pack in a plastic bag and they can heat it up during lunch time. 

For a more hearty portion size use burrito size tortillas in place of 6-inch tortillas.

Recipe source: adapted from Six Sister’s Stuff