Chicken Taco Pinwheels (2024)

Last Updated on February 16, 2024 by Bintu. Leave a Comment

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Need a quick and easy appetizer for a party, game day, Super bowl party, tailgating, Christmas, holidays, or just to chow down on for lunch or after school? I got your back with this easy peasy chicken taco pinwheels. What’s not to love?!

Like these Chicken bacon ranch wraps, this creamy Mexican Chicken pinwheels recipe is easy to make, full of flavor and super convenient and easy to whip up. Just grab a few simple staples from your kitchen and you are good to go.

I always have leftover chicken or canned chicken around the house, so I am always looking for any excuse to make chicken roll ups every single day.

Speaking of tasty, the creamy chicken flavor is just right, but if that’s not your jam, it’s such a flexible recipe you can mix and match with some of the options down below.

And be sure to check out this collection of tastyPinwheel Recipesfor even more ideas – you might get a new favorite appetizer.

Why Make This Recipe

Convenient – Pinwheels are easy to assemble and keep on hand for substantial afternoon snacks, finger foods or appetizers for a gathering.
Fun – There’s something about pinwheel wraps that makes you smile!
Tasty – The classic Mexican chicken flavor doesn’t disappoint. Plus, this style is flexible so the flavor combinations are endless!

Ingredient Notes

Shredded chicken — Use cooked, shredded chicken breasts, a rotisserie chicken or canned chicken.I have also used leftover turkey.
Cream cheese — It is easier to work with softened cream cheese to hold the ingredients together.
Sour Cream – Adds a little extra creaminess to the mix.
Taco seasoning – This adds great flavor to the tortilla roll ups.
Chives — You can use chives, scallions, or green onions, depending on your taste preferences.
Mexican hot sauce — Use any hot sauce to your liking and adjust the heat level by increasing or decreasing the amount.
Corn tortillas — Great flavor and perfect for gluten free diet. Feel free to use regular flour tortillas instead.

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How To Make Chicken Taco Pinwheels

Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Step 1. Combine the cooked and shredded chicken, softened cream cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning chives, and Mexican hot sauce in a bowl and mix well until all the ingredients are evenly combined.

Step 2. Lay out one corn tortilla on a clean surface and spread a thin layer of the creamy chicken filling evenly over the tortilla, leaving a small border around the edges.

Step 3. Roll each of the filled tortillas and refrigerate so they firm up and are easier to slice. Make sure the ends are covered so they don’t dry out.Then, use a sharp knife and cut each one into approximately 1-inch thick slices.

Recipe Tips For Success and Variations

Feel free to warm the corn tortillas slightly to make them more pliable and prevent cracking. You can wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 20-30 seconds.
If desired, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate pinwheels for about 1-2 hours to allow them to firm up before slicing. This step is optional but can help the pinwheels hold their shape better for slicing.
Careful not to overfill the wraps, or they will be hard to roll up and might even fall apart.
Make sure to wrap them up tightly so that they are easier to slice.
Customize the roll ups by adding your favorite ingredients like diced bell peppers, shredded Mexican cheese, Rotel tomatoes, cilantro, spinach, black beans, and jalapenos for extra flavor and texture.
You can use low fat cream cheese instead.
Add in a mix of cheeses like Cheddar, Pepper jack, Cotija, and Monterey Jack.

Budget Friendly Tips and Storage

Use canned chicken or leftover chicken to turkey to make this.
You can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd of for meal prep.
If taking to a potluck, it might be better to transport them whole and slice them at your destination.
Prep Ahead – Since these only take 10 minutes to prep, you can make these ahead of time and store them in the fridge for a few hours in an airtight container. This will also help them stay together.
Freeze – Do not freeze prepared pinwheels, but you can freeze the cooked chicken to use later. The tortillas and cream cheese won’t hold up in the freezer.

FAQs

Can I make these with leftover chicken?

Yes, you can. Using leftover homemade chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken, chopped chicken is a great time-saving idea! Just pull the cooked chicken and proceed with the recipe.

I love making it with canned meat as I always have some to hand.

Can chicken pinwheels be frozen?

No, do not freeze the already assembled pinwheels. This can cause the texture of the tortillas and cream cheese chicken mixture to change with thawing.

However, feel free to freeze the cooked and shredded chicken separately, then thaw and assemble the pinwheels fresh for serving

More Recipes You Might Like

For more appetizer recipes and snacks you might like, check out these;

Chicken shawarma wraps.
Chicken bacon ranch wraps.
Buffalo chicken sliders.

Serving Suggestions

Crockpot buffalo chicken dip with plenty of chips and buffalo chicken wings.
Colorful fruit salad is an easy to make and refreshing accompaniment.
Wendy’s chili copycat is a perfect side.

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