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These air fryer buffalo chicken taquitos are the perfect appetizer to have up your sleeve for upcoming tailgates, superbowl parties, or really any other occasion that requires something delicious that can be whipped up in a matter of minutes.

I realize that I haven’t shared many appetizers here on the blog (& that has to change in 2025), but this instant pot buffalo chicken dip and easy blender salsa are a few tried and true favorites that I know you will love!

Unfortunately this isn’t one of my 5 ingredients or less recipes (it has six), but they are still super simple to whip up and full of flavor which is always a win in my book! Another way to simplify this recipe is to use rotisserie chicken – it cuts the prep time in half!

If you’re a fan of easy air fryer recipes like this one, be sure to try these Air Fryer Salmon Bites and these Hot Honey Air Fryer Chicken.

Here’s what you need to make these Buffalo Chicken Taquitos:

Preparing the Buffalo Chicken Mixture

To get the cheesy, tangy buffalo chicken filling, combine the shredded chicken, shredded cheese, softened cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and buffalo sauce into a large bowl and mix until well combined.

Now is also a great time to preheat your air fryer to 400°F Fahrenheit so that it will be ready to go once the taquitos have been rolled.

In addition to rotisserie chicken, I also used colby jack cheese for this recipe but you can also use shredded cheddar or any other cheese that you prefer.

Using softened cream cheese adds a creamy texture to the buffalo chicken but it’s not 100% necessary.

Depending on how spicy you prefer these to be, you can use a traditional hot sauce but I have been obsessed with Sweet Baby Ray’s Garlic Buffalo Wing Sauce. Nope this isn’t sponsored, but this sauce is great with everything and I highly recommend it for this recipe.

Rolling the Taquitos

I used flour Taquitos for this recipe. I prefer corn but for some reason I couldn’t find the size I wanted in store.

While the type of tortillas isn’t necessarily make or break in this recipe, you must warm the tortillas before adding the filling and rolling them together. Warming the tortillas beforehand prevents them from cracking and makes them a lot easier to roll.

To warm them, place the tortillas on a microwave-safe place, place a damp paper towel on top, and microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Once the tortillas are warmed and ready to go, place about 2 tablespoons of the buffalo-chicken mixture along one edge of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling, securing it with a toothpick if needed.

Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Air Frying The Taquitos

Once your air fryer has preheated, spray the air fryer basket with non-stick spray and place the taquitos in a single layer in the air fryer basket, seam side down.

You may need to cook them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

While completely optional, I recommend lightly brushing or spraying the taquitos with olive oil or cooking spray to help them crisp up.

Air fry for 6-8 minutes at 400°F Fahrenheit, flipping them halfway through until the taquitos are golden brown and crispy.

Using tongs, carefully remove the taquitos from the air fryer and allow them to cool for at least 5 minutes on a cooling rack.

After 5 minutes, plate them however you like and serve!

I like to garnish with fresh, chopped green onion and serve with ranch!