While taquitos may be gluten-free, you may be curious if the popular Delimex taquitos are gluten-free. Below I share all I could glean about Delimex taquitos, as well as reveal how the brand fared when tested for hidden gluten. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.
If you’re avoiding gluten, a sticky protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats, you may be curious about what packaged foods are gluten-free and safe.
I’ve discussed the safety of gluten-free frozen dinners before, as well as how gluten-free canned soups and gluten-free cereals fared when tested for hidden gluten. Today I want to discuss taquitos and if they’re gluten-free and safe or not.
Taquitos are rolled tacos that contain cheese, meat, or vegetable filling inside a small corn tortilla. The rolled tortilla is then fried until it’s crispy. Corn tortillas are typically made solely of corn masa flour and are therefore gluten-free.
A flauta is like a taquito, but it can be made with either a flour or corn tortilla. A taquito, on the other hand, is almost always made with a corn tortilla. If you’re on a gluten-free diet, it’s wise to avoid flautas altogether.
Delimex chicken taquitos are a well-known frozen snack that you can find in freezers all over the country. But people who have celiac disease or are sensitive to gluten need to know: are Delimex chicken taquitos gluten free? Let’s take a closer look.
What Are Delimex Chicken Taquitos?
Delimex chicken taquitos are rolled, fried tortillas filled with shredded chicken, cheese, and spices. The crispy fried exterior wraps around the savory chicken and cheese filling for a tasty on-the-go snack.
Delimex chicken taquitos are sold frozen so they can be quickly heated and enjoyed anytime. They are made by Delimex, a company that specializes in frozen Mexican food products. In addition to chicken taquitos, Delimex makes taquitos with beef, bean, and cheese fillings.
Delimex chicken taquitos can be found in the frozen food aisle at major grocery stores across the United States. They are a popular option for an easy appetizer, snack, or light meal
Why Gluten Free Status Matters
For those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, eating gluten triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine. This can cause symptoms like diarrhea constipation, abdominal pain, bloating fatigue, headaches, and more.
The only treatment for celiac disease is strictly adhering to a 100% gluten free diet. Even tiny amounts of cross contamination can cause issues.
This makes knowing if foods like Delimex chicken taquitos are gluten free extremely important. Accidental gluten ingestion is a constant concern.
Delimex Chicken Taquitos Ingredients
To determine if a food is gluten free, you need to look at the ingredients list. Here are the ingredients in Delimex chicken taquitos:
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Flour tortilla (whole wheat flour, water, shortening [palm oil, soybean oil], contains 2% or less of the following: sugar, salt, dough conditioner [sodium metabisulfite, corn starch, microcrystalline cellulose, dicalcium phosphate], food starch modified, guar gum, baking powder [corn starch, sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate], yeast [baker’s, sorbitan monostearate, ascorbic acid], enzymes, cellulose gum, calcium propionate)
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Cooked chicken (chicken breast meat, water, textured vegetable protein [soy protein concentrate, caramel color], chicken flavor [chicken broth powder {chicken broth, yeast extract, salt, chicken fat, flavorings}, flavoring, canola oil], salt, sodium phosphates)
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Cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto color)
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Contains 2% or less of: dextrose, salt, spice
The Verdict on Delimex Chicken Taquitos
Looking at the ingredients list, unfortunately Delimex chicken taquitos are not gluten free.
The flour tortillas contain wheat flour as the first ingredient. Since these taquitos are made with wheat, people who can’t have gluten can’t eat them.
While some Delimex products use corn tortillas and may be gluten free, the chicken taquitos specifically are made with flour tortillas.
Delimex does not claim the chicken taquitos are gluten free or make any gluten free labeling statements. Their website also warns the flour taquitos are not suitable for those with wheat allergies.
Risk of Cross Contact
Even if the chicken filling itself was gluten free, there would still be a high risk of cross contact with the wheat flour tortillas during processing.
The facility and equipment used to make the flour tortillas likely also processes other wheat-based foods. It is very difficult to completely eliminate the chance for cross contact on shared lines.
For this reason, those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should avoid Delimex chicken taquitos and other products made using flour tortillas.
Safe Gluten Free Taquito Alternatives
While Delimex chicken taquitos contain gluten, there are some good gluten free taquito options:
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José Olé: Their gluten-free chicken and cheese taquitos are made with corn tortillas.
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El Monterey – Select varieties of their chicken taquitos are certified gluten free and made with corn.
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Trader Joe’s – Their chicken taquitos are made with corn tortillas and labeled gluten free.
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Homemade – Make your own taquitos using corn tortillas and gluten free fillings.
When in doubt, always check the ingredients list and labels. Foods that are truly gluten-free can also be found with the help of reputable third-party certifications like the GFCO.
Tips for Living Gluten Free
Avoiding gluten while still enjoying delicious foods like taquitos is possible with careful label reading and safe gluten free swaps. Here are some other tips:
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Look for corn tortillas, brown rice, quinoa, and other naturally gluten free grains.
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Check labels for gluten ingredients like wheat, barley, rye, malt, and oats.
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Look for “gluten free” labeling from trusted brands.
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Verify gluten free claims with independent GFCO certification.
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Cook more meals at home using gluten free ingredients.
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When dining out, ask about ingredient sourcing and preparation.
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Discuss gluten free needs with family and friends.
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Communicate with wait staff and double check food.
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Carry safe gluten free snacks when on-the-go.
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Join gluten free support groups for ongoing learning.
With proper precautions, those avoiding gluten can still eat tasty foods like taquitos as part of a healthy gluten free lifestyle.
The Bottom Line
Delimex chicken taquitos unfortunately contain gluten due to their wheat flour tortillas. They are not safe for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
However, alternatives made with corn tortillas can be a good gluten free option. As always, diligent label reading and ingredient checking is needed to find safe gluten free foods.
Eating gluten free does take some extra work. But being educated on label reading, cross contact risks, and safe substitutions helps make the gluten free diet totally possible to follow strictly.
Changes in Gluten-Free Labeling
I first discovered Delimex taquitos at Costco, and noticed that it displayed “gluten-free” prominently on the front of its packaging as pictured below.
However, a reader told me that Delimex taquitos found in grocery stores (not Costco) are not labeled gluten-free.
I bought a package of Delimex chicken taquitos at King Soopers, and to my surprise, it didn’t say anything about being “gluten-free,” even though it looked a lot like the one from Costco.
Please note that I pictured the chicken taquitos, but the same discrepancy exists for the beef taquitos as well. They’re labeled gluten-free at Costco, but not at the grocery store.
I thought it’s possible that the Delimex taquitos sold at Costco were made somewhere different from the ones sold in grocery stores. Maybe that explains the discrepancy?.
I visited the Delimex website and could not find any information about potential allergens, so I submitted a request to the company, which I learned is owned by Kraft Heinz. The customer supporter person responded several weeks later and said the following:
“Gluten content can almost always be determined from the label, and the most accurate information can be found by checking the ingredient list on our packages. Kraft Heinz products list all sources of gluten, including gluten-containing grains (wheat, wheatberries, durum, barley, rye, graham, oats, triticale, spelt, kamut, emmer, farro) and other ingredients (e. g. “natural flavor (contains rye)”, malt, brewer’s yeast, and wheat starch). Kraft Heinz makes every effort to disclose all sources of gluten, but unless specifically labeled as such, [it] does not guarantee that its’ products are gluten-free. “.
Ingredients in Delimex Taquitos
I bought Delimex white chicken taquitos at King Soopers. They are not labeled as gluten-free, but they have the following in them:
Tortilla (corn masa flour, water, salt), cooked chicken filling (white meat chicken, water, soy flour, seasoning (salt, dehydrated garlic, spices), corn oil, gelatin, modified corn starch, salt, vinegar, chicken base (chicken meat including natural chicken juices, salt hydrolyzed soy protein, fructose, chicken fat, autolyzed yeast, dry chicken broth, dextrose, modified corn starch, onion powder, natural flavors, spices including turmeric, modified corn starch, corn masa flour, and soybean oil.
At first glance, there doesn’t appear to be any huge red-flag ingredients (although who knows what “natural flavors” really means), so while I cannot say the product is “gluten-free,” I can say that it doesn’t appear to contain any gluten.
Another clue to help me decode the label is the “contains” statement, which is found under the ingredient list. A “contains” or “may contain” statement requires companies to disclose if a product contains any of the top eight allergens (soy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, and wheat). The only allergen found in the taquitos, as disclosed by the company, is soy.
Remember, however, that gluten is a protein and not considered an allergen. This means if a product contains barley, rye, or oats, a company doesn’t have to disclose these ingredients in its “contains” statement. Therefore, according to the Delimex “contains” statement, you can imply that the product does not contain wheat, but it may still contain barley, rye, or oats hidden in another ingredient.
Gluten-Free Chicken Taquitos As Made By Parker Bates • Tasty
FAQ
Is chicken taquitos gluten free?
Taquitos are not gluten-free because they may have gluten in the spices and meat marinades, even though the tortillas are gluten-free.
What are the ingredients in Delimex chicken corn taquitos?
Spiced with cumin and ancho chilies, our frozen taquitos are made with soft white meat chicken wrapped in a crunchy corn tortilla.
Are rolled tacos gluten free?
Are El Monterey taquitos gluten free?
El Monterey taquitos are generally not considered gluten-free. Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free, so some types may be made with them. However, the filling often has gluten-containing ingredients like wheat flour, soy, or spices.