Taquito Time

I cannot claim to be particularly versed in Mexican cuisine, nor do I pretend that my attempts at preparing something Mexican turn out, well, Mexican. I do know that I like words such as enchilada, taco and tamale, which is enough, in my opinion, to warrant this post.


Chicken taquitos are not something I consume often. In fact, I could probably count on both hands the number of times I've eaten them, and count easily on one hand the number of times I've prepared them. But don't let my infrequency of chicken taquito encounters fool you -- this stuff is good.

Poach chicken breasts until cooked through. (You could use dark meat, but I like the lightness of the meat against the crispy tortilla.) Once cool enough to handle, use your hands to shred the meat. Combine with fresh lemon and lime juice (either one on its own will do; I enjoy the combination of both citrus juices, and it's what I use in my guacamole), chopped fresh cilantro and salt.

Spoon the meat into the tortilla (any size will work. Also, I prefer whole wheat tortillas for a nutty flavor) and tightly roll. Place the seam side down into hot canola oil and rotate the tortilla to achieve an even golden brown color on all sides. Drain on a paper towel. Serve the tacquitos with salsa or pico de gallo, sour cream (or plain, non-fat Greek yogurt for a lighter touch), and guacamole.