Air Fryer Hack: Perfect Jose Ole Taquitos

Air fryers are a quick and easy way to cook frozen taquitos, including the popular José Olé brand. They produce a crispy exterior and a juicy, flavourful filling. The cooking time is significantly shorter than that of an oven, and the results are crunchy and delicious. You can cook any variety of frozen taquitos in an air fryer, including chicken, beef, chorizo, or veggie options. The cooking time is typically between 6 and 11 minutes, depending on the air fryer model and the thickness of the taquitos.

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the cooking process. It ensures that your food cooks evenly and efficiently. Not all air fryers require preheating, so it is important to check the instructions for your specific model. If your air fryer does not have a built-in preheat functionality, you can manually preheat it by turning it on and letting it heat up before adding your food.

For cooking Jose Ole Taquitos, it is recommended that you preheat your air fryer to a temperature between 375°F and 400°F. This temperature range will ensure that your taquitos cook through and become crispy. If you are using a Cosori Air Fryer, you may need to adjust the temperature to 380°F.

The preheating process for an air fryer is similar to that of a conventional oven. However, it is important to note that air fryers heat up much faster than ovens. Therefore, the preheating process for an air fryer will typically take less time than that of an oven.

When preheating your air fryer, it is important to ensure that the air fryer basket is prepared with a nonstick cooking spray to prevent your food from sticking to the surface. Additionally, it is recommended to place the frozen taquitos in a single layer in the basket to ensure even cooking.

Place frozen taquitos in the air fryer basket

When placing frozen taquitos in the air fryer basket, it is important to ensure that they are arranged in a single layer, with space between each one. This will allow the hot air to circulate evenly around each taquito, ensuring that they cook through and crisp up nicely. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may be able to fit about a dozen taquitos in the basket, but be careful not to overcrowd them. The more space there is between the taquitos, the crispier they will become.

It is also recommended to prepare the air fryer basket with a nonstick cooking spray if needed. This will help to prevent the taquitos from sticking to the basket and make cleanup easier. You can also spray the taquitos themselves with cooking oil, which will help them to achieve a golden brown colour and crispy texture.

It is important to note that the taquitos should be placed directly into the air fryer basket while they are still frozen. Do not thaw or defrost them beforehand, as this may affect their texture and cooking time. Simply take them straight from your freezer and place them into the air fryer basket.

Once the taquitos are arranged in a single layer and sprayed with cooking oil (if desired), you can proceed to set the temperature and cooking time on your air fryer. Depending on your preferred level of crispiness, you may also choose to flip the taquitos halfway through the cooking process and respray them with cooking oil.

Air fry for 6-11 minutes

Air frying Jose Ole taquitos is a quick and easy way to get a crispy exterior and a juicy and flavorful filling. It is important to note that the cooking time may vary depending on the brand and style of your air fryer.

For best results, it is recommended to preheat your air fryer to 375-380°F/190°C. If your air fryer does not require preheating, skip this step.

Once preheated, place the frozen taquitos into the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure there is space between each taquito. Spray generously with oil.

Now, you are ready to air fry your Jose Ole taquitos. Set your air fryer to 375-400°F and air fry for 6-11 minutes. The exact cooking time will depend on the brand and style of your air fryer, as well as your desired level of crispiness. For a Cosori Air Fryer, it is recommended to air fry at 380°F for 8-10 minutes, or until fully cooked and golden brown. If using a different brand or style of air fryer, you may need to adjust the temperature and timing accordingly. For a PowerXL Vortex Air Fryer, for example, the taquitos will be ready in about 9 minutes.

Keep in mind that air fryers work fast, so it is important to keep an eye on your taquitos to avoid overcooking. For extra crispy taquitos, you can flip them halfway through cooking and respray with oil.

Flip halfway through cooking

Flipping your taquitos halfway through cooking is a great way to ensure even cooking and maximise crispiness. When cooking Jose Ole taquitos in an air fryer, it is recommended to flip them halfway through the cooking process, which takes 7-11 minutes in total at 375°F.

Before flipping your taquitos, it is important to prepare them correctly. First, preheat your air fryer to 375°F/190°C. If your air fryer does not require preheating, skip this step. Then, place the frozen taquitos in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are in a single layer with space between each one. Spray them generously with oil.

Once your taquitos are in the air fryer and have been sprayed with oil, you can begin cooking them. After 3-4 minutes, open the air fryer and flip the taquitos. Respray them with oil at this point if you want your taquitos extra golden brown and crispy. Close the air fryer and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Flipping your taquitos is a simple yet effective technique to ensure even cooking and maximise the crispiness of your dish. By flipping them halfway through the cooking process, you can achieve a consistent golden brown colour and a crunchy texture all over your taquitos.

Serve with toppings and sides

Once you've cooked your Jose Ole taquitos in the air fryer, it's time to serve them. You can serve them as they are, or you can add a variety of toppings and sides.

For toppings, you could add shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, sliced jalapenos, green onions, or cilantro. If you want to add a dip, you could try Mexican street corn salad with a squeeze of lime.

If you're serving the taquitos as a main dish, you could serve them with Spanish rice and seasoned Mexican black beans, or cilantro lime rice and black beans. For a side dish, you could serve them with slow cooker birria stew, chilaquiles rojos, Instant Pot shredded Mexican beef, or Instant Pot taco pasta.

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