Taquitos Dorados de Pollo con Escabeche de Taquería
La Base de Todo (Salsas, Beans, and Foundations)
A weeknight taquito isn't a sacred museum piece; inside a cinderblock Oaxacan taquería, the first thing that hits you isn't frying corn—it's the tang of jalapeños, carrots, and oregano hitting hot oil. That scent of escabeche cuts right through these taquitos, which start with a supermarket rotisserie chicken and rely on a brilliant grandmother's trick: mixing melty Oaxaca cheese directly into the shredded chicken so the interior stays luxurious and moist while the tortilla shatters in your mouth. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet until the hot oil spits, fry them hard for the sharp, fatty contrast of a midnight street snack, and eat them standing up.
Before you start
Sauté the vegetables.
Heat 3 tablespoons of neutral oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat, then sauté the carrots, onions, garlic, and jalapeños for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions soften and the jalapeños blister.
Bloom the spices.
Stir the oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns into the hot oil for 30 seconds until highly fragrant.
Boil the pickling liquid.
Stand back and carefully pour in the vinegar and water, add the salt and sugar, and bring to a gentle boil before immediately turning off the heat.
Steep and store.
Let the vegetables cool completely in the pot, then transfer everything to a large glass jar and store in the fridge overnight.
Ingredients
- neutral oil3 tbsp
- carrots3 large
- white onion1 med
- fresh jalapeños6 med
- garlic cloves6 med
- distilled white vinegar1 1/2 cup
- water1 1/2 cup
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- bay leaves2 med
- dried Mexican oregano1 tsp
- dried thyme1/2 tsp
- black peppercorns6 small
- cooked chicken breast3 cup
- chicken broth2 tbsp
- Queso Oaxaca1 1/2 cup
- corn tortillas15 med
- neutral oil1 cup
- Iceberg lettuce2 cup
- Crema Mexicana1/2 cup
- Queso Fresco1/2 cup
- salsa verde1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Prepare the filling.
In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, warm chicken broth, and pulled Queso Oaxaca to guarantee a creamy interior that binds the meat together.
- 02
Warm the tortillas.
Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds until steaming and highly pliable. Cold tortillas will inevitably crack and ruin the taco.
- 03
Roll and secure the taquitos.
Place two tablespoons of the filling off-center on a warm tortilla, roll tightly into a cigar shape, and weave a wooden toothpick through the seam to hold it securely closed.
- 04
Fry to a crisp golden brown.
Heat a half-inch of neutral oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the taquitos seam-side down in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until perfectly crispy.
- 05
Drain and remove the toothpicks.
Transfer the fried taquitos to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and immediately pull out the toothpicks while they are still hot.
- 06
Garnish and serve.
Plate the taquitos under a heavy blanket of shredded lettuce, a generous drizzle of crema, crumbled queso fresco, and salsa. Serve immediately with a hefty side of the homemade escabeche.
Notes
Toothpick safety.
Do not forget to remove the toothpicks before serving to avoid a very unpleasant trip to the dentist.
The secret to the escabeche.
You cannot just boil vinegar and pour it over raw vegetables. The magic happens when you fry the vegetables and spices in oil first to release their essential oils.
Sourcing Queso Oaxaca.
If you cannot find authentic Queso Oaxaca at your local market, standard low-moisture mozzarella string cheese pulled into thin threads is a near-perfect textural substitute.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.