Crispy Chicken Tortilla Rollups (Weekend Gourmet)

Crispy Chicken Tortilla Rollups & Spicy Avocado Crema

a Weekend Gourmet Original

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400. Make the chicken filling by combining the following ingredients in a bowl: 12 ounces shredded cooked chicken, 1/2 cup jack cheese, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup corn kernels, 1-2 sliced green onions, 2 grated or minced garlic cloves, 1/3 cup salsa, 1 tsp. cumin, the juice of half a lime, 1 tsp. salt, a finely diced seeded serrano pepper, and 1 container Chobani 0% Greek yogurt.

Step 2: Heat 1/3 cup canola oil and two grated garlic cloves in a small saucepan over med heat. When the oil is hot, turn off the heat and let the garlic infuse into the oil for 5-10 minutes. Assemble the tortillas by adding about 2 tbs. of the filling along the lower third of 8-10 flour tortillas — feel free to sprinkle with a bit more cheese on top if you like it extra cheesy! Roll up and place seam-side-down on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.

Step 3: Brush the tortilla rollups with the garlic oil and sprinkle with salt, dried cilantro, and chipotle chile powder. Bake for 8-10 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking so both sides are able to brown and crisp. I sprinkled the tops with green cilantro and red chili powder since that’s the colors of Mexico’s flag.

Step 4: While the rollups bake, make the avocado crema. Add one large ripe avocado to a bowl and mash until creamy. Add one small container of Chobani 0% plain yogurt, the juice of half a lime, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder. Stir well to thoroughly combine and scoop into a pretty serving bowl.

These babies baked up golden crisp in the oven, with a nice flavor boost from the garlic-infused oil, salt, and spices sprinkled on top. The filling is slightly creamy from the yogurt and cheese…with a bit of heat from the salsa and serrano pepper. I really enjoyed the added texture from the corn and green onion too.

The avocado dipping sauce is cooling and creamy…and velvety smooth. The chili powder and lime juice give it just enough tang and heat to keep things interesting. Let’s put it this way: Michael isn’t a huge avocado lover…and he specifically commented on how good the dipping sauce tasted! I also served these with salsa on the side for dipping.

This is a slightly-less-guilty finger food…suitable for a party, or even a simple dinner. By shredding the meat from a roasted deli chicken, these rollups can be assembled and into the oven in about 20 minutes. In the spirit of full disclosure, I initially made a few actual taquitos using corn tortillas. They were tasty enough, but I wasn’t as happy with their texture after baking. If you decide to go the traditional route and use corn tortillas, I suggest frying them in oil rather than baking.