Chicken Taquitos with Cilantro Cream

I had a few white corn tortillas, shredded chicken, and fresh cilantro left over after I made the Mexican Chicken Soup (below), so I turned them into a little snack.

No need to deep fry these taquitos, just a bit of oil coating the skillet will do, (less than an eighth of an inch.)

Of course you can serve them with any dip or sauce you like; salsa, guacamole, a squeeze of lemon or lime, sour cream, etc. But I also like this Cilantro Cream, it's good on plainly prepared chicken or fish, too. ~

Cilantro Cream

1/2 bunch Cilantro (including stems), rinsed and dried

1/4 cup Lime (or Lemon)* juice

1/4 cup Sour Cream

1/4 cup Cream fraiche (or plain Greek-style yogurt)

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon Fresh cracked pepper

Optional: A small amount of minced fresh jalapeno. Not necessary, but I had some on hand.

Method:

Puree the cilantro and lime (or lemon) juice in a blender until smooth (blender is recommended as a food processor doesn't puree as thoroughly for these ingredients)

Place the puree in a bowl. Fold in the sour cream and cream fraiche; blend well. Season with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour to allow the flavors to marry.

* I prefer lime, but lemon works, too.

Note: If the lemon is very tart, I reduce the amount then dilute just slightly with water to make 1/4 cup.

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Thin Taquitos

(your choice of filling)

In order to make the very thin taquitos it's best to use fresh tortilla (otherwise they will split when you roll them, even when warm.) Don't fret if your tortillas aren't the freshest though, as you can always simply warm them and fold them in half rather than rolling, then crisp them in the oil. The presentation will just be a slightly different.

To make the rolled taquitos I heat a small amount of vegetable oil in the skillet, dip the tortilla for a moment on each side, then place the tortilla on a paper towel lined plate or work surface. It doesn't take much filling to make each one; approximately a tablespoon and a half. Arrange the filling in a compact line near one edge of the warmed tortilla and roll fairly tightly. Secure by weaving one toothpick in and out once along the edge. I assemble all, then crisp them by frying, seam side down first, in very little oil, turning so they brown evenly. Remove to a paper towel to drain any excess oil, and remove toothpicks.

You can use almost any filling you like; cooked beef, pork, turkey, chicken, cheese, beans, or other vegetables. It's a delicious way to use up a bit of leftovers.

A question...

Does it make you feel satisfied to use up the last bit, creatively, and not waste food?

I try my best, but I'll probably never hone my skills of frugality as cleverly as my grandparents and parents (who lived through the depression of the last century) were able to do. I find it rewarding to try though.