Description
These crispy and flavorful Chicken Flautas are a perfect appetizer or meal, featuring shredded chicken mixed with cheese, salsa, and diced chiles, wrapped tightly in flour tortillas and fried until golden brown. Served warm with classic toppings like shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, green salsa, guacamole, and cilantro ranch dressing, these flautas offer a delicious taste of Mexican-inspired cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying (about ¾ inch in saucepan)
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (or shredded beef)
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- ½ cup salsa (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced chiles
- Garlic salt with parsley flakes, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
- Salt, to taste
Toppings
- Shredded lettuce
- Chopped tomatoes
- Green salsa
- Guacamole
- Cilantro Ranch dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to the warm setting or about 200°F to keep the flautas warm while you finish cooking.
- Heat the oil: Fill a large saucepan with about ¾ inch of vegetable or canola oil. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 375°F. This temperature is crucial for frying to get the flautas crispy without absorbing too much oil.
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cooked chicken, shredded Mexican blend cheese, salsa, diced chiles, garlic salt with parsley flakes, and pepper. Mix well to evenly distribute all the flavors.
- Fill and roll: Working with 4 tortillas at a time, place a heaping spoonful of the chicken filling along the center of each tortilla. Roll the tortillas tightly around the filling and secure each rolled tortilla with a toothpick to prevent unwrapping during frying.
- Fry the flautas: Carefully place each flauta into the hot oil using tongs. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Once fried, remove and drain the flautas on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Season with salt immediately while still hot.
- Keep warm: Transfer the cooked flautas to a foil-lined baking sheet and keep them warm in the preheated oven while frying the remaining tortillas.
- Serve: Serve the flautas warm with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, green salsa, guacamole, and cilantro ranch dressing for a delicious and complete meal or appetizer.
Notes
- Ensure oil temperature stays at 375°F for perfect frying results.
- You can substitute shredded cooked beef for chicken to vary the flavor.
- Using flour tortillas yields a crispier flauta, but corn tortillas can be used for a more authentic taste and gluten-free option.
- Be sure to drain the fried flautas well to reduce excess oil.
- Roll tortillas tightly and secure with toothpicks to prevent filling leakage during frying.
- Leftover flautas can be reheated in the oven to maintain crispiness.
