Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups are full of amazing flavors perfect for any party! These easy chicken pinwheels can be made ahead of time & served up later!
One of my favorite things about parties is all the bite-sized foods just begging to be eaten. Easy slider recipes, pinwheel recipes, and crock pot dip appetizers are my go-to favorites for any occasion. Just pick your fillings and flavors to match the party theme and you’re in business! But my undisputed appetizer addiction is cream cheese pinwheel recipes. I have no shame in being “that guy” and taking the last tortilla roll every time. Of all these pinwheels and roll ups I’ve tried, these Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups are at the top of my list. They’re always a crowd pleaser!
SPICY CHICKEN TORTILLA ROLL UPS
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I love Mexican food and could easily eat it every single day. I have been finding myself making more and more of it lately, so I am really excited that Cinco de Mayo is this weekend! It will be a super fun day with a fiesta, friends, and lots and lots of amazing Mexican food. I think I need to get a pinata for the kids! I can’t wait for all the delicious appetizers, including Spicy Chicken Tortilla-Roll-Ups. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with cream cheese, especially when you combine it with more cheese and other yummy ingredients! These tortilla roll ups are full of great flavors, colorful, and perfectly festive! If you are going to have a lot of other things to take care of the day of the party, you can make the filling the night before, put the roll-ups together in the morning, and refrigerate until you are ready to serve them to your guests. So easy and SO good!
Want more pinwheel recipes?
- Chicken Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels
- Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels
- Ranch BLT Roll Ups
- Peanut Butter Banana Roll Ups
- Ranch Ham Roll Ups
- Club Sandwich Pinwheels
- More appetizer recipes…
Tools used to make this Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll-Ups recipe
Large Skillet: This skillet is my go-to kitchen tool. It’s large circumference and high sides make it perfect for cooking anything from one pan meals to soups and sauces.
Mixing Bowl: These mixing bowls are perfect for mixing and serving. I love the varied sizes so I always have to right size bowl for all my mixing needs.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 can Ro-tel diced tomatoes drained
- 12 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 6 scallions white and green parts, chopped
- 6-8 large flour tortillas spinach and cheddar jalapeno
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt, half of the cumin, and 1 tsp of the chili powder.
- Add chicken to a large skillet and add about 1 cup of water.
- Cover and cook on med-high heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add more water if necessary.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove to a plate or cutting board, cool slightly and shred with 2 forks.
- In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, drained tomatoes, cheese, remaining spices, garlic, cilantro, and scallions. Mix together until well combined. Add cooled chicken and stir together.
- Lay out tortillas and divide mixture evenly in the center of each one. Spread the filling into a thin layer leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Roll each tortilla tightly and do not fold in the ends like you would with a burrito but leave them free.
- Use a sharp knife to cut into 1-inch thick slices and transfer to a serving platter. (The end pieces will likely unroll a little so just eat the extras.)
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Cathy says
What size is the can of Ro-Tel tomatoes? Can I replace the Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with 1/2 cup of hot salsa? They don’t seem to sell Ro-Tel in Canada.
Eileen Clabuesch says
Sounds great
Michelle says
These are incredible! I used two large cans of canned chicken because I had them on hand and these came together great! This now my go to appetizer. Thanks for the recipe!
Aubrey says
Thanks Michelle!
Shauna says
I used canned pre-cooked white meat chicken and it made them so easy for a week night in a hurry meal. Thank You for the recipe idea
admin says
Shauna, I am glad you made them and enjoyed them! 🙂
Emily says
I am making these for my husband’s game night tomorrow night. I would prefer not to have to come home after work to put the spread on the roll ups and cut up, and I definitely don’t trust him with that part and cleaning up the kitchen before his guests arrive! Do you think it’s a big deal if they are completely made up 20 hours in advance?
Stacey says
Emily, Sorry I was out of town and just saw your message. I hope your husband enjoyed these for his game night!
Nicky says
Thank you for sharing this with us during Our Little Family Adventure’s Community Party and helping me celebrate my birthday. This quick and easy appetizer is sure to be a hit. I hope you’ll join us again this Friday for another Community Party www.facebook.com/ourlittlefamilyadventure
Nicky
Stacey says
Nicky, I am glad I was able to contribute to your community party and birthday celebration! See you again on Friday! 🙂
Nancy says
GREAT recipe! Just stopping by to tell you I tried it and we loved it. Thanks!
nancy
dosmallthingswithlove.com
Stacey says
Nancy, Thanks so much for letting me know! I am really glad you loved them!!!
Shannon {Cozy Country Living} says
I love Mexican flavors too! These sound great!
Stacey says
Thank you Shannon! I LOVE Mexican food and these are super yummy!!!
Cindy @Hun... What's for Dinner? says
These looks amazing! Thanks for sharing on Simple Supper Tuesday!
Stacey says
Thank you Cindy! They are so good!
Jeni says
Yummy! I am pinning these for later!
Stacey says
Thank you Jeni! They are really yummy!
Gloria @ Simply Gloria says
Love the idea of making this ahead. And it’s just so festive! The pinata sounds like a good plan, too! (=
Stacey says
Thank you Gloria! It is always nice to make some of the food the night before! The kids would love a pinata!!!