A popular Tex-Mex appetizer is chicken flautas, which are made by rolling shredded chicken in flour tortillas and then frying them until crispy. They are like taquitos, but they use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas. Flautas are easy to make, can be changed to fit your tastes, and taste great! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make chicken flautas from scratch.
Ingredients Needed
To make chicken flautas you will need
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Shredded cooked chicken – Rotisserie chicken works great You will need about 2-3 cups
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Flour tortillas – 7-8 inch size works best. You’ll need around 10-12 tortillas.
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Cheese – Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, queso blanco all work well. About 1-2 cups.
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Canned green chiles – Adds flavor. Around 1/4 cup.
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Salsa – For flavor. About 1/2 cup.
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Sour cream – For moisture and tang. Around 1/2 cup.
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Oil for frying – Vegetable, canola or peanut oil. You’ll need around 1/2 – 1 cup.
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Seasonings – Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika etc.
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Toppings – Guacamole, pico de gallo, lettuce, crema etc.
Prep the Filling
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In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, green chiles, salsa, sour cream, and seasonings. Season generously with salt and pepper.
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Add in the shredded cheeses and mix well. You want the filling to be moist enough to stick together when rolled.
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Taste the filling and adjust seasonings as needed. It should be highly seasoned since the flavors will mellow when baked in the tortilla.
Assemble the Flautas
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Lay a tortilla flat on the counter. Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling in a line down the center.
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Fold the sides in and then tightly roll up the tortilla around the filling.
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Place the assembled flauta seam side down on a baking sheet. Use toothpicks to hold shape if needed.
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Repeat process with remaining tortillas and filling until everything is used up. You should get 10-12 flautas.
Cook the Flautas
There are a few different ways to cook flautas – frying, baking, or air frying. Frying makes them the crispiest:
To fry:
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Heat 1/2 inch oil in skillet over medium-high heat to 350°F.
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Working in batches, add flautas seam side down and fry 2-3 minutes until golden brown, turning occasionally.
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Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
To bake:
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Place flautas on a greased baking sheet. Brush with oil.
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Bake at 425°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and crispy.
To air fry:
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Brush flautas with oil and place in air fryer basket seam side down in a single layer.
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Air fry at 400°F for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy.
Serve the Flautas
Flautas are best served immediately while still warm and crispy. Have your favorite toppings ready to go. Some delicious options:
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Guacamole or avocado slices
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Salsa or pico de gallo
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Sour cream
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Shredded lettuce
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Queso fresco
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Cilantro
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Hot sauce
Serve with rice and beans for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Homemade Flautas
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Use corn or flour tortillas – both work great! Corn will make them more authentic.
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Warm tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds if cracking or breaking when rolling.
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Make sure the oil is hot enough, at 350-375°F, before frying for crispiest results.
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Let the filling cool slightly before assembling flautas so the tortillas don’t get soggy.
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Fry in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan so they brown evenly.
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Keep flautas warm on a wire rack in a 200°F oven if frying in batches.
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Allow flautas to rest on paper towels after frying to soak up excess grease.
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Serve flautas right away for maximum crispness.
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Leaveovers can be kept in the fridge for up to five days or frozen for up to three months.
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Reheat frozen flautas in a 400°F oven or air fryer until hot and crispy.
Get Creative with Fillings
What’s great about flautas is that you can fill them with just about anything! Get creative and try things like
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Shredded pork, beef or carnitas
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Refried beans or black beans
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Sauteed veggies like potato, sweet potato, or butternut squash
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Sauteed mushrooms with cheese
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Chili verde with pulled pork
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Shrimp with cabbage and cheese
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Spicy chicken with pepper jack
Do not forget to get some tortillas and try making these tasty, crispy chicken flautas at home. You can change the fillings and toppings to suit your tastes. They are fun to make and even more fun to eat!
30 minutes to a weeknight fiesta
Click here for the WTC recipe index and scroll to the bottom of this post for a printer-friendly PDF of today’s recipe!.
This week’s recipe had to be inspired by Mexico because it’s Cinco de Mayo this Thursday! As we all know, Cinco de Mayo is an American holiday that Mexicans don’t really celebrate. It gets a bad rap as a day when a bunch of ding dong Americans get tequila-drunk while wearing culturally exploitative sombreros — so let’s nix that, eh?.
Sometimes you just need a reason to feel festive and excited, ya know? And I think that’s what Cinco de Mayo can be for all of us. An excuse to respectfully celebrate a culture and cuisine that we love so, so much.
Flautas are one of my favorite simple weeknight meals — my kids LOVE THEM. We call them baby burritos and they get demolished every single time. I shared these chipotle black bean flautas last April, so be sure to check those out if you’re a new subscriber. If there are meat eaters and vegetarians at the party, make both types of flautas. Don’t worry if you make too many; they make the best leftovers. Just let them cool after cooking, pop them into a Ziploc, and freeze them!.
Crispy Chicken Taquitos | How To Make Flautas | Simply Mamá Cooks
FAQ
What are the ingredients in chicken flautas?
Chicken flautas, also known as rolled tacos, are made with a filling of seasoned shredded chicken, cheese, and often other ingredients like onions, chiles, and salsa. These are then rolled up in tortillas (either corn or flour) and fried until crispy.
What is the difference between taquito and flautas?
Flautas are made by rolling a filling inside a larger tortilla, while taquitos are made with smaller tortillas. Shape: Flautas are long and thin, while taquitos are shorter and rounder. If you want to make flautas, you can use either flour or corn tortillas. If you want to make taquitos, you usually use corn tortillas. Jan 13, 2023.
How to get flautas to stick together?
You can use toothpicks to hold them together. Once your flautas are rolled up you can fry them .
How long do chicken flautas take to cook?
These Chicken Flautas are “amazing!!!!” (read the reviews!) easy, cheesy, shatteringly crispy and on your table in 30 minutes! They can be shallow pan fried, baked or air fried, and even frozen for later – all instructions included! Follow the 5-star recipe or swap the shortcut shredded chicken for taco meat, carnitas, Mexican beef, etc.
How to make crispy chicken flautas?
How to make crispy chicken flautas. The key to crispy chicken flautas is to fry them in a high heat. Use a thermometer to make sure your temperature reaches 350-375°. Tip: As soon as the food hits the oil, you should hear a sizzle. If you’re not sure, test it with a tortilla strip.
How do you eat chicken flautas?
Transfer flautas to a large paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet. Repeat with remaining flautas. Serve immediately with pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole. Made with shredded chicken wrapped in flour tortillas and then pan-fried, flautas are somewhere between taquitos and chimichangas.
Can you make chicken flautas in advance?
YES. Chicken flautas are a great recipe to make in advance to have on hand for a quick snack or meal. The best way to make flautas ahead of time is to assemble, cook, and freeze. When ready to eat, simply warm flautas in the air fryer, toaster oven or oven until hot and crispy (instructions to follow).
What do you put on a flauta?
Flautas consist of a corn tortilla, filled with different ingredients such as the shredded chicken in this recipe, but it can also include beef or mashed potatoes. They are then rolled up and fried to golden-brown perfection. What Should You Put On Top Of A Flauta?.
What are chicken flautas?
From the juicy chicken, to the creamy sour cream, to the layers of spices, to the bubbly cheese, to the golden, crispy tortillas – these chicken flautas are perfection. They are simple yet irresistibly delicious dinner made with pantry friendly ingredients perfect for busy weeknights. IRRESISTIBLE FILLING.