Chicken Taquitos with Ranch Sauce

Ingredients:

Chicken

• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 700 g of skinless and boneless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. ancho chili powder
• 1 tbsp. l. ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 can (220 g) of tomato sauce
• Juice of 1 lime

Sour cream ranch dressing

• 1 cup sour cream
• 0.5 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro + extra for serving
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 0.5 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• A little hot sauce
• A pinch of coarse salt

Takito

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1.5 cups grated Colby-Jack cheese
• 18 small corn tortillas

Preparation:

1. Chicken:

   
   Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until well browned, 1-2 minutes per side; set aside. Add the garlic and onion to the skillet and cook briefly. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, tomato sauce, and 2/3 cup water, then return the chicken to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce has reduced by half, 12-15 minutes.
   

2. Sour cream sauce:

   
   Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, cilantro, dill, chili powder, garlic, hot sauce, and salt until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
   
3. Once the sauce in the pan has thickened, use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Shred the thighs with two forks, then return the chicken to the pan and mix thoroughly. Add lime juice and season the sauce with salt if needed. Set aside and let cool slightly, 10-12 minutes.

4. Taquitos:

   
   Fill a large cauldron halfway with vegetable oil and heat it to 190°C.
   
5. Mix the cooled chicken with Colby-Jack cheese. Divide the filling among the tortillas, then roll them tightly into tubes and secure with toothpicks.
6. Drop the taquitos, a few at a time, into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per serving. Transfer the cooked taquitos to a plate lined with paper towels and repeat with the remaining taquitos. Remove the toothpicks and serve with sour cream ranch dressing.