Description
These crispy Chicken Flautas are a delicious Mexican-inspired appetizer or main dish featuring shredded chicken, cheese, and spices rolled in flour tortillas and fried to golden perfection. Served with fresh toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, and cilantro, they make a flavorful and satisfying meal or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- ½ cup salsa (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 cups freshly shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Tortillas
- 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
For Frying
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
Toppings
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced avocado
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, kosher salt, chili powder, and ground cumin, sautéing for a few minutes until the onions soften and become fragrant. Stir in the shredded chicken and salsa, mixing well to combine all flavors. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Assemble the flautas: Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and a sprinkle of shredded Monterrey Jack cheese in the center of each flour tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly to enclose the filling and place seam side down on a plate to prevent unrolling.
- Fry the flautas: Pour half of the vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat it over medium heat. Carefully place 4 flautas seam side down into the hot oil. Fry for approximately 1 minute on one side until golden brown, then flip and fry the other side for another minute. Repeat with the remaining oil and flautas until all are crisp and golden.
- Serve: Arrange the crispy flautas on a serving platter and garnish with your favorite toppings such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, sour cream, and fresh cilantro to add freshness and contrast to the rich fried flautas.
Notes
- Use fresh or leftover cooked chicken for the filling to save time.
- If you prefer a spicier filling, add chopped jalapeños or hot sauce to the chicken mixture.
- For a healthier option, bake the flautas at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through until golden and crispy.
- Make sure to roll the flautas tightly to avoid the filling falling out during frying.
- Adjust the amount of oil for frying depending on your pan size to ensure even cooking.
