Crispy Baked Chicken Taquitos with Pinto Beans

This dish could be called Slow Cooker Chicken and Beans.  It started out that way, then sort of morphed into taquitos.  Spraying the taquitos with cooking spray and baking them gave them a nice crunchy texture without the added fat of frying. Be sure to throw the beans into a pot of cold water the night before.

• 3 C. dry pinto beans
• 6 C. water
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 oz. can of diced green chilies, divided
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, do not drain
• 3 t. salt
• 1/2 t. chili powder (or more to taste)
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 1 t. cumin
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 4 whole chicken legs or 2 lb. chicken thighs on the bone
• small, thin corn tortillas
• 1 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• cooking spray

Rinse the beans and cover them with cold water in a pot.  Let them soak for 8 hours overnight.  In the morning, rinse them again and pour them into the slow cooker with 6 C. of water, the onion, 1/2 of the can of chilies, the tomatoes with the juice, and all the spices.  Lay the chicken on top of the beans.  Cover and cook on low for 9 hours.  At this point you can eat the chicken and beans as is.  To make the taquitos, remove the chicken from the pot and take all the meat off the bones.  Discard the bones and skin.  The meat should be soft enough that it will fall apart easily.  Combine the meat with the rest of the chilies and the cheese.  Wrap the tortillas with damp paper towels and heat them in the microwave.  Corn tortillas tear easily unless they are heated.  Scoop about 1/2 C. of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla and roll up tightly.  Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and lay the taquitos, seam side down.  Spray the taquitos with cooking spray.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until crisp and beginning to brown.  Sprinkle them with a little course salt as they come out of the oven.  Serve with the beans on the side.

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