Description
Crispy and flavorful Chicken Flautas made with shredded chicken, cheese, and salsa, rolled into tortillas and fried to golden perfection. This recipe is perfect for a crowd, offering a satisfying combination of spice and crunch served with fresh toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, and cilantro ranch dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 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
Tortillas
- 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
For Frying and Serving
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
- Salt, to taste
- Shredded lettuce
- Chopped tomatoes
- Green salsa
- Guacamole
- Cilantro Ranch dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to the warm setting or approximately 200°F to keep the flautas warm after frying.
- Heat the oil: Fill a large saucepan with about ¾ inch of vegetable or canola oil and heat over medium heat until it reaches 375°F for frying.
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, Mexican blend cheese, salsa, diced chiles, garlic salt, and pepper, mixing well to blend the flavors.
- Fill and roll tortillas: Working with 4 tortillas at a time, spread a heaping spoonful of the chicken filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll them up tightly around the filling and secure each roll with a toothpick to keep it intact during frying.
- Fry the flautas: Using tongs, carefully place each rolled flauta into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side to ensure crispiness and thorough cooking. Remove and drain on paper towels; season with salt while hot.
- Keep warm: Transfer the fried flautas to a foil-lined baking sheet and place it in the warmed oven to keep them warm while frying the rest.
- Serve: Serve the flautas warm topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, green salsa, guacamole, and cilantro ranch dressing for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Notes
- You can substitute shredded beef for chicken if preferred.
- Using corn tortillas will make the dish gluten-free, but flour tortillas offer a softer texture.
- Be careful when frying; keep oil temperature steady at 375°F for best results.
- To prevent rolling tortillas from opening, secure them well with toothpicks before frying.
- Leftover flautas can be reheated in the oven for crispiness, avoid microwaving to keep them crunchy.
