Christmas recipes: how to make chicken and black bean taquitos

The ‘calling birds’ that are sung about today were also called ‘colly birds’ or ‘collie birds’ which is the old-fashioned word for blackbirds.

Small tortillas filled with a spicy chicken and black bean mixture, rolled up tightly and baked until golden brown and crispy. Taquitos are usually fried, but who wants to be doing that on Christmas Day when you can brush them with a little oil and put in the oven to bake. A super little starter or fabulous finger food.

“On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me four calling birds…”

Ingredients (serves 3):

For the pico de gallo

1 medium sweet white onion, finely diced

5 medium tomatoes, finely diced

Small bunch of coriander, chopped

1 heaped tablespoon diced pickled jalapeños

Juice of half a lime

Large pinch of salt

For the taquitos

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

1 large onion

3 fat garlic cloves

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tin black beans, rinsed and drained

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeños

2 tablespoons jalapeño pickling juice

Juice of 1 lime

10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

100g Monterey Jack cheese, grated

9 small tortillas

To garnish

Chopped avocado

Chopped fresh coriander

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

To make the pico de gallo

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

To make the taquitos

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the chopped garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Tip in the salt and spices and stir to combine. Add the drained black beans and, using a potato masher, gently mash them so some are smashed and some are still whole.

Add one tablespoon of chopped pickled jalapeños and two tablespoons of their pickling juice. Squeeze in the juice of a lime and mix well together. Add the shredded chicken and tomatoes and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Leave to cool slightly.

Lay out the tortillas on a clean work surface and place a couple of tablespoons of the cooled chicken and black bean mixture in a line on the bottom third of each tortilla then top with some cheese. Roll the taquitos up very tightly and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the taquitos with a little oil and bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy. To serve, place three taquitos on each plate with a spoon full of Pico de Gallo, some chopped avocado and a sprinkling of chopped fresh coriander over the top.

Find more of Beverley's recipes here. Follow her on Instagram @thelittlechelseakitchen for more inspiration.