Description
Crispy Chicken Flautas made with shredded rotisserie chicken, sautéed onions and garlic, rolled in corn tortillas, and fried to golden perfection. Served with a creamy avocado salsa verde sauce, pico de gallo, crema Mexicana, and queso fresco for an authentic and delicious Mexican appetizer or meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Filling
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for sautéing onion)
- 1 medium onion, diced very finely
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use 1/2 teaspoon if all you have is table salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 garlic cloves, minced very finely
- 1 pound rotisserie chicken, shredded (about 4 cups)
Frying and Assembly
- 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying, enough to go 1-inch high in your pan)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for rubbing on tortillas)
- 30 corn tortillas
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water (enough to make a glue-like paste)
Avocado Sauce
- 12 ounces salsa verde (homemade or store bought)
- 2 small avocados (or one large)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste; use less if all you have is table salt)
- 2 teaspoons roasted chicken better than bouillon
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup water (plus an extra 1/2 cup, to desired thinness)
- 1 jalapeno (optional, if you want it spicier)
Toppings and Serving
- Crema Mexicana (table cream or sour cream styles)
- Queso Fresco cheese, crumbled (cotija or feta are good substitutes)
- Pico de Gallo (freshly made recommended)
- Shredded lettuce (optional)
- Cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Make Pico de Gallo. Prepare fresh pico de gallo (recipe referenced) and keep chilled until ready to serve.
- Prepare Avocado Sauce. In a blender, combine salsa verde, avocados, salt, roasted chicken bouillon, lime juice, and 1/2 cup water. Blend 30-60 seconds until smooth. Add jalapeno if desired for heat, blending again without seeds for milder spice.
- Adjust sauce consistency. Add water gradually in 2-3 tablespoon increments until the sauce reaches a drizzling, thin consistency, not exceeding 1 cup total liquid. Cover and set aside.
- Make the chicken filling. Finely dice the onion. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sauté 5-8 minutes until translucent.
- Add garlic. Mince garlic cloves finely and add to the onions. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add shredded chicken. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and heat through on medium heat. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- Preheat frying oil. Pour vegetable oil into a high-sided skillet to a depth of about 1 inch. Heat over medium-low heat until oil reaches 375°F (190°C), about 15 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
- Oil the tortillas. Pour 2 tablespoons oil into a small bowl. Using fingers, lightly coat both sides of one tortilla with oil without soaking. Repeat with all tortillas, placing them covered with a damp paper towel to keep pliable.
- Make the tortilla glue. In a small bowl, mix corn starch with 2 tablespoons water, stirring to a thick paste. Add water in teaspoon increments until glue-like consistency is achieved to seal the flautas.
- Microwave tortillas. Cover the stack of oiled tortillas with damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute. Check pliability and heat in 20-second intervals if still stiff, avoiding overheating that causes breakage.
- Roll the flautas. Place one tortilla on a baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons of chicken filling near the edge closest to you. Tuck the edge over the filling and roll tightly into a cylinder, leaving about 1/2 inch open at the end.
- Seal with glue. Brush cornstarch paste onto the tortilla edge and finish rolling to seal. Place seam side down on the baking sheet and cover with a damp paper towel. Repeat with 5-10 flautas before frying to maintain freshness.
- Prepare oven to keep warm. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet, set oven to its lowest setting (around 170°F/77°C) to keep flautas warm after frying.
- Monitor oil temperature. Ensure frying oil is at 375°F before adding flautas.
- Fry flautas. Fry seam side down in batches for 1-2 minutes per side until golden but not brown. Remove with tongs and place on cooling rack in oven immediately.
- Continue rolling and frying. Alternate rolling, sealing, and frying until all flautas are cooked.
- Serve. Arrange flautas on plates, drizzle with crema Mexicana and avocado sauce. Top with pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, crumbled queso fresco, cilantro, and lime wedges as desired. Excellent served alongside Mexican rice and Tejano beans.
- Store leftovers. Refrigerate cooled flautas in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in air fryer, oven or toaster oven for best texture.
- Freeze for later. Freeze uncooked or cooked flautas in a single layer on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bag and store up to 2-3 months. Fry straight from frozen, adding about 1 minute per side.
Notes
- Use kosher salt or adjust amount when using table salt, as it is more concentrated.
- Removing seeds and membranes from jalapeno reduces heat without losing flavor.
- Do not overheat tortillas in the microwave to avoid cracking when rolled.
- The cornstarch glue eliminates the need for toothpicks and keeps flautas secure during frying.
- Maintain oil temperature at 375°F for crisp, not greasy flautas and avoid over-browning.
- Keep finished flautas warm in a low-temperature oven to maintain crispness before serving.
- Leftover flautas reheat well in an air fryer or oven for crisp texture restoration.
- Freezing is possible for convenience, but be sure to cool flautas before freezing.
