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Weeknight style Crockpot BBQ Beer Chicken Taquitos…with Street Corn Salsa and lime crema too. Because crispy, crunchy, cheesy taquitos need all the toppings. Shredded chicken in a spicy chipotle BBQ beer sauce, mixed with cheese, rolled up in tortillas, and oven baked. All made in the crockpot (along with instant pot and stove-top variations). These taquitos are crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve with a creamy, salty, lime crema sauce, and street corn salsa. These come together easily and are so delicious…the perfect weeknight dinner. Bonus, this saucy BBQ chicken is great leftover and piled high onto your favorite tortilla chips from some seriously delicious BBQ chicken nachos.
A lot of times I get asked if I ever wonder what the heck to make for dinner. The honest answer? No, I don’t usually have to wonder what to make. I typically have leftovers in the fridge from recipe testing throughout the day, so the answer is usually right there in my fridge. That said, I sometimes find myself stumped on just what to create and share with you guys. My list of recipes to test and try is a mile long, but sometimes I’ll scan my ideas and nothing pops out.
This happened recently. I just was not feeling any of the ideas I had jotted down in my google doc. I really, really wanted to share at least one last summer corn recipe this week. But for the life of me, I just didn’t have an idea that excited me. It felt like all the corn recipes have been made for the season. There’s chowder, enchiladas, and even corn pasta, what more do we need, right?
But then I did some thinking. Lots of thinking really. And then, it finally hit me while hiking…taquitos. But not just any ole’ taquito. I wanted them to be saucy, cheesy, crispy, and crunchy…and topped with a street corn style salsa. I had a very specific idea and I finally felt excited.
And that’s the story of how this recipe came to be. A bit long-winded, but that’s just a glimpse into my brain. It’s chaos, but I guess it works for me.
Anyway, today we have taquitos. You can make them in the crockpot, toss them in the instant pot, or slow braise them on the stove. Either way, they’re easy to throw together and sure to become a new family favorite. Or at least that’s my hope. Guys, these are GOOD.
Let me just paint a picture in your head. You have saucy, slow cooked BBQ chicken in a spicy, sweet chipotle BBQ sauce. The chicken gets rolled up into tortillas with a sprinkling of cheese, then they’re oven baked until crispy on the outside, but saucy and cheesy inside.
And to finish things off? A tangy, lime, grilled corn salsa complete with creamy garlic-lime crema too.
Put everything together and you’ve got some really delicious taquitos…not average…really delicious.
First up, you can make this chicken in the instant pot, the crockpot, or on the stove-top. I wanted to make sure that everyone could enjoy these saucy tacos so I gave directions for all.
You’ll want to combine the chicken with a few seasonings, your favorite beer, and your go-to BBQ sauce. I’m a huge fan of my homemade BBQ sauce. But I also really like Primal Kitchen BBQ sauce, which is what I use when I don’t make my own. You can either cook quickly in the instant pot, or cook low and slow in the crockpot. For this recipe, either option is just as good. It simply depends on how little or how much time you have. Once September hits, I always prefer slow cooking so that warming smells can run through my house. It’s always kind of cozy to slow cook once the weather cools off a bit, which has officially happened here.
Now, if you don’t love beer, or just don’t drink, you can easily use chicken broth, or even apple cider, in place of the beer. The beer adds a deep flavor to the sauce, but it’s definitely not a must, so do what works best for you!
Once the chicken is cooked and shredded, it’s time to make the actual taquitos themselves. Instead of frying, which is traditional, I much prefer to oven bake. It’s healthier, easier, and to be honest, I like the flavor so much better. You actually taste the food, not the fried oil.
Here’s the key, you must rub each tortilla with olive oil before rolling up the meat. This is the trick to getting the taquitos crispy all around. Once the tortillas are oiled, roll up the meat and cheese inside, then oven bake. Ten or so minutes later you’ll have crispy taquitos.
Make that street corn. And don’t even think about skipping this, it’s too good.
You’ll want to make the creamy crema first. I use a mix of yogurt and my favorite avocado oil mayo, lots of lime, and a pinch of salt. Then toss the grilled corn with plenty of cilantro and pinch of chile powder. Then take a couple spoonfuls of the crema sauce and toss it with the corn.
This is the perfect sauce/salsa combo to dollop onto each cheesy, crunchy taquito. The sweet corn bursts in your mouth and adds a nice, refreshing bite.
It’s a very different taquito, but again, trust me. These tacos are a game-changer.
And speaking of games. These are not only great for busy weeknights, but how fun will these be for Monday (Thursday+Sunday) night football! The chicken can slow cook all day, then just assemble and bake before dinner.
Easy, fun, and all-around good. Have fun with these, and enjoy!!
Looking for fun Mexican inspired dinners? Here are a few ideas:
Crockpot Carne Asada Tacos with Cilantro Lime Garlic Sauce
Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch
Sheet Pan Chipotle Cheddar Corn Chicken Enchiladas
Lastly, if you make these Crockpot BBQ Beer Chicken Taquitos with Street Corn Salsa be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
these are seriously DELICIOUS!! definitely going to be a new favorite in my household – they’re super easy, yummy, and made with things that I almost always have in my kitchen. HUUUGE thank you for thinking of this recipe, big big hit 🙂
Thank you so much Morganne! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
We love this! I make 12 servings of the chicken in the instant pot and then freeze it in servings of 2 for a quick dinner.
Amazing! I am really glad this recipe has been turning out so well for you, Anna! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
Everything was delish! But I dont know what type of tortillas you used but mine broke and you could see the filling 🙁
Hi Mirna! I use mission brand tortillas! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
The flavors are so yummy but I had a terrible time with the tortillas. Even though I warmed them, they still fell apart. Any tips??
Hey Liz,
So sorry you had issues with the tortillas. Next time try heating them and coating in olive oil. If this doesn’t do the trick then I would recommend using a different tortilla brand. I like Whole Foods 365. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This sounds SO good and I’ll definitely be making them! If I do them in the IP can I use frozen chicken breasts? Thank you so much!
HI Heather! Sure you can use frozen chicken, but add 5 minutes to the Instant Pot cooking time. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
The flavors of this dish EXPLODE in your mouth and the ease of the recipe is unbelievable. Seriously don’t skip this one!
Thank you so much Brenna! xTieghan
Oh my GOODNESS these were amazing!! Rose way above my expectations. I opted to use a corn/wheat tortilla which came out wonderfully and a good ‘ole Trader Joe’s BBQ sauce. Absolute perfection and easy too. Will definitely be making these again!
Delicious!
Thank you so much Joffa! xTieghan
making this tonight! If I omit the mayo, but love avocado, can I incorporate the avocado in any way?
Hey Ashley,
Sure you could add diced avocado as a topping! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have the worst luck with working with corn tortillas. They always break 🙁 any suggestions on how to make them stay in tact??
Hey Katie,
So sorry you are having issues with the tortillas! I would recommend heating them first and coating in olive oil. If this does not work I would switch up the brand of tortillas that you are using. I like to use Whole Foods 365 brand. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
Great recipe! The chicken gets amazingly tender and flavorful in the crockpot, and I used the leftovers to make an enchilada casserole.
Thank you so much Katherine! xTieghan
Easy, delicious, and fun! I also added your avocado creama! We enjoyed this for dinner and had plenty leftover for meal prep during the week!
Thank you so much! xTieghan
Got the chicken in the crock pot and I can’t wait to try these! Question- where does the juice from the 2nd lime come into play? Am I missing it in the recipe? Assuming it might be just for drizzle afterwards? I love lime, so I want to make sure I’m not messing that part up 🙂
Hey Liz,
Yes, you can just use the lime as garnish! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! Can I use canned corn? If so How do I need to prepare it before making the salsa? Thank you!!! ❤️
Hey Sophie,
Yes canned corn is fine, I would just be sure to drain really well. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These were great! My whole family loved them! I didn’t make the corn salsa because I would have been the only one eating it but it sounds wonderful. Thanks for so many great recipes! I have made a lot of them now and love every one of them.
Thank you so much Jen! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan