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You must be hungry. Are you looking for a recipe that packs a punch at dinnertime? Then let’s talk Taquitos with Morita salsa. This recipe combines crispy, golden chicken taquitos drizzled (or smothered) in spicy, smoky Salsa Morita that will leave your toes tingling. This recipe makes enough for about 18 taquitos, so it’s perfect for larger groups (think appetizers served like finger food). However, you can also scale it down to feed your family during the midweek dinner slump. Taquitos are a good way to use up leftover ingredients, like shredded chicken. Try shredded beef, plain pulled pork or refried beans and cheese for a vegetarian option. Just stick to something that won’t fall out when you roll and fry them.
Salsa Morita
The star of the show is the Salsa Morita. Morita chiles are dried, smoked jalapenos, that are slightly fruitier. This salsa adds a wonderful depth of flavor and a kick of heat that pairs perfectly with the crispy taquitos. Do you need both dried chiles? No, but they bring different things to the salsa. The dried morita provides smoky flavor and dried guajillo gives a nice floral tang. Start by dry roasting the veggies and chiles. The dried chilies will soften enough for you to remove all the seeds without cracking the pods to dust. Do you really need to dry roast your other veggies? No, you can boil them…but then you miss the natural sugars caramelizing and that charred aroma in your finished salsa. If you can’t find dried morita chiles, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce make a good substitute (just skip the dry roasting step). You can also get a quick char by broiling your vegg or get ultimate smokiness by grilling them.
Taquitos with Salsa Morita
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- water, to cover
Salsa Morita
- 1 pound tomatillos, washed (about 6-8)
- 1/2 white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 dried chile morita
- 1 dried chile guajillo
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2-1 tsp salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1/4 bunch cilantro
Taquitos
- vegetable oil to fry
- shredded chicken (see recipe above)
- 18 corn tortillas
- 1 white onion, sliced into rings
- cilantro, to garnish
Instructions
Chicken
- Put the chicken, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves into a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce the heat to simmer until chicken is cooked through (This will vary depending on size of your chicken. Plan for 20-30 minutes.)
- Remove chicken from pot. Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken and then set aside.
Salsa Morita
- In a large cast iron skillet, char (dry roast) the tomatillos, onion, garlic and both dried chiles. You may have to work in batches.
- Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles.
- Place all the roasted ingredients into a blender and pulse a few times to get a rough chop.
- Add chicken stock, salt, oregano and cilantro and puree until smooth.
- Pour into the same cast iron pan, bring it to a boil over medium heat, ten reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the salsa thickens and the flavors meld. Adjust the seasoning with salt as needed.and then remove from heat and set aside.
Taquitos
- Warm the Tortillas: To make the tortillas pliable, warm them in a skillet over medium heat or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds. You just want them pliable enough to roll.
- Assemble the Taquitos: Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Roll them up tightly and secure with a toothpick if needed.
- Fry the Taquitos: In a large skillet, heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the taquitos, seam side down. Fry in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve taquitos hot with Salsa Morita, cilantro and rings of raw white onion.
Notes
If you can't find morita chiles, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce make a good substitute.
Other garnishes include: crema Mexicana, sliced radishes and guacamole.
Baking Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Lightly brush assembled taquitos with oil, or spray with cooking spray. Arrange onto foiled baking sheet, leaving space between taquitos, and bake until crispy, about 18-20 minutes.
