Frozen Taquitos in Air Fryer

To cook frozen taquitos in the air fryer, preheat it to 400°F, lay the taquitos in a single layer and air fry for 8 minutes, flipping them at the 4-minute mark. They go straight from the freezer to the basket, no thawing and no oil, and come out crunchy outside and hot all the way through.

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ℹ️ Introduction

I’ve made Delimex, El Monterey, José Olé and Costco taquitos this way, chicken and beef, and they all cook in about the same time. The one thing that changes it is how full the basket is. If I’m doing a big batch, I add 2 minutes.

Note: your air fryer may be more or less powerful, so you should keep an eye on the taquitos and check on them periodically.

Store-bought taquitos are fried before they’re frozen, so all you’re doing is heating the filling and getting the corn tortilla shell crisp again. The air fryer is great at that. It’s faster than the oven too: 8 minutes versus 10, and there’s no need to wait for the oven to heat up.

They’re what I grab when friends show up for the game and I haven’t planned a thing. When I do have time, I make nachos with carnitas or a batch of chicken wings.

If you keep a freezer stash of snacks like I do, the air fryer handles potato skins, Totino’s pizza rolls, Totino’s party pizza, chicken nuggets, corn dogs, frozen chicken wings and chicken tenders just as well.

🧂 Ingredients for Frozen Taquitos in the Air Fryer

💡 Ingredient and Recipe Tips

Brands and Fillings

Delimex, El Monterey, José Olé and Costco taquitos all cook in about the same time in my air fryer, and so do chicken and beef fillings. I buy Delimex chicken most often.

The first time you try a new brand, check them 2 minutes before the timer goes off. Every air fryer runs a little different, and you’ll know the right timing after one batch.

Preheating

Preheat the air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes. Some models, like the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, preheat on their own before the countdown starts. My Cosori has a preheat button, so I heat it up first and then add the food.

Keep the taquitos in the freezer until the air fryer is ready. You don’t need oil, and I’ve never had them stick to the basket.

Spacing and Batches

Lay the taquitos in a single layer, never stacked. About a dozen fit in my Cosori basket, but it’s a squeeze. The more room between them, the crispier they get.

If you pack the basket full, add 2 minutes to the cook time.

For a bigger crowd, cook in batches and keep the first ones on a platter. If they cool down while the next batch cooks, put them back in for 1 to 2 minutes at 350°F.

Toppings

Taquitos are great plain, but I like to set out a few toppings: salsa, chopped fresh tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, green onions, chopped fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, sliced jalapeños or crumbled Cotija cheese.

❓ FAQs

⏲️ How to Make Frozen Taquitos in the Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes with the empty basket inside. Keep the taquitos in the freezer until it’s ready.
2. Lay the frozen taquitos in the basket in a single layer. Leave a little space between them if you can.
3. Air fry for 8 minutes at 400°F. At the 4-minute mark, flip them with tongs or give the basket a shake.
4. If the taquitos are packed in or crowded, flip them a couple of times and add 2 minutes to the cook time.
5. Move the taquitos to a platter and serve them with your favorite toppings.

🔥 Oven Instructions for Frozen Taquitos

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the frozen taquitos on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.