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A plate of golden crispy air fryer buffalo chicken taquitos arranged in a row on a dark slate plate, perfectly golden and crunchy exterior, one taquito broken open showing spicy buffalo chicken cre...
Sarah Mitchell

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

I'm about to tell you something that might change the way you snack forever: if you're not rolling buffalo chicken and cream cheese inside a tortilla and air frying it until it shatters when you bite into it, you are seriously missing out. These taquitos are the kind of recipe that makes people text you the next day asking for it.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 295
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup buffalo hot sauce (Frank's RedHot is classic)
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
  • 1 green onion, sliced
  • 8 small flour tortillas (6-8 inch)
  • Cooking spray
For Serving
  • Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping
  • Celery sticks
  • Extra buffalo sauce

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Mixing bowl
  • Microwave (for warming tortillas)
  • Cooking spray

Method
 

  1. In a bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with buffalo sauce until smooth and well combined.
  2. Add the shredded chicken, mozzarella cheese, ranch dressing, and sliced green onion. Stir until everything is evenly coated in the buffalo cream cheese mixture.
  3. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds (this prevents cracking when rolling). Place about 3 tablespoons of filling along one edge of each tortilla.
  4. Roll each tortilla up tightly around the filling, like a cigar. Place seam-side down on a plate.
  5. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Spray the basket and spray each taquito generously with cooking spray.
  6. Place taquitos seam-side down in a single layer in the air fryer. Air fry for 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy on all sides.
  7. Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing, celery sticks, and extra buffalo sauce for dipping.

Notes

Soften the cream cheese first — this is the most important prep step. Cold cream cheese creates lumps and an uneven filling. Roll the taquitos as tightly as you can without tearing the tortilla — tight rolls crisp up better and hold together. And don't forget to spray the outside with cooking spray — that's what creates the deep golden color and crunch.