If you’re craving a dish that delivers a sensational crunch paired with vibrant, creamy freshness, look no further than this Chicken Flautas with Avocado Verde Sauce and Crema Recipe. It combines crispy, golden flautas filled with savory shredded chicken, all perfectly complemented by a zesty avocado verde sauce and a touch of luscious crema. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or treating yourself to a flavorful feast, this recipe will quickly become one of your go-to favorites because each bite is a fiesta of texture and taste that feels like a warm embrace.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Getting the ingredients right is the key to nailing this Chicken Flautas with Avocado Verde Sauce and Crema Recipe, and surprisingly, all you need are some simple pantry staples and fresh produce that come together beautifully to create layers of flavor and color.
- Vegetable oil for sautéing: Adds a subtle richness to soften the onions and garlic perfectly.
- Medium onion (diced finely): Provides sweetness and texture to the chicken filling.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Essential for seasoning and enhancing natural flavors.
- Garlic and onion powder: Bring depth and a mellow punch to the filling.
- Fresh garlic cloves (minced): Burst of aromatic flavor that wakes up the dish.
- Rotisserie chicken, shredded: The star protein that’s juicy, tender, and full of flavor.
- Vegetable oil for frying: Necessary for that perfect crispy exterior on each flauta.
- Corn tortillas: The classic wrapper that crisps to golden perfection.
- Corn starch: Used to make a natural “glue” to hold them tight.
- Water: To adjust consistency of glue and sauce.
- Salsa verde: Brings tangy brightness and a delicious green hue to the avocado sauce.
- Small avocados: Creamy, rich texture in the avocado verde sauce.
- Roasted Chicken Better Than Bouillon: Intensifies the savory notes in the sauce.
- Lime juice: Adds a zesty pop that wakes up all the flavors.
- Jalapeno (optional): For those who love an extra kick of heat.
- Crema Mexicana or sour cream: Adds a cool and velvety finish atop the flautas.
- Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese (crumbled): Salty, crumbly topping for contrast.
- Pico de Gallo: Fresh bursts of tomato, onion, and cilantro to brighten every bite.
- Shredded lettuce (optional): For a refreshing crunch and color on the plate.
- Cilantro and lime wedges: Perfect finishing touches to elevate your presentation and flavor.
How to Make Chicken Flautas with Avocado Verde Sauce and Crema Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Pico de Gallo
Start by chopping fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapenos to make your own pico de gallo. This fresh salsa adds brightness and texture when served on top and will chill nicely in the refrigerator while you prepare everything else.
Step 2: Whip Up the Avocado Verde Sauce
In a blender, combine salsa verde, ripe avocados, salt, chicken bouillon base, lime juice, and water. Blend until completely smooth. If you like it spicy, throw in a jalapeno, seeds removed for less heat, then blend again. Adjust the water to get a silky sauce that’s just thin enough to drizzle beautifully over the flautas.
Step 3: Sauté the Aromatics
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add your finely diced onions with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. Cook until translucent and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes. Toss in minced garlic and cook just for 30 seconds to avoid bitterness but get that lovely aroma.
Step 4: Add and Warm the Chicken
Stir in your shredded rotisserie chicken, mixing it with the onions and spices. Heat through on medium for a few minutes so the flavors meld, then remove from heat and cover until ready to assemble.
Step 5: Prepare the Oil and Tortillas
Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pan to about one inch depth and slowly heat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, brush both sides of each corn tortilla with a little vegetable oil using your fingers, ensuring they are lightly coated but not soaked. Keep them covered with a damp paper towel to remain pliable.
Step 6: Make the Tortilla “Glue”
Mix corn starch with water a little at a time, stirring until you create a glue-like paste. This will hold your flautas closed beautifully without the fuss of toothpicks, making frying and eating much easier.
Step 7: Warm the Tortillas
Microwave the stack of oiled tortillas covered with damp paper towels for about one minute. Check their flexibility; if they crack when rolled, microwave in short increments until soft but still sturdy enough not to fall apart.
Step 8: Roll and Seal the Flautas
Place about two tablespoons of chicken filling on the edge of a warm tortilla, fold and roll tightly. Brush the edge with your corn starch glue, press to seal, and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel to keep them supple while you roll the rest.
Step 9: Fry Until Crisp and Golden
Carefully drop flautas into the hot oil seam side down, cooking 1-2 minutes per side until golden and crispy but not dark brown. Remove with tongs and let them rest on a rack over a baking sheet placed in a warm oven to keep their crispy texture while you finish frying the batch.
Step 10: Serve with Style
Once all flautas are fried, load up your plate with several pieces, then drizzle generously with smooth avocado verde sauce and cooling crema. Top with fresh pico de gallo, shredded lettuce if you like, and crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese to add savory, tangy crunch.
How to Serve Chicken Flautas with Avocado Verde Sauce and Crema Recipe
Garnishes
Fresh herbs like chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice bring brightness to the dish, balancing the richness of the fried flautas and creamy sauce. Crumbled queso fresco adds that irresistible salty tang that you’ll want every bite to have.
Side Dishes
This Chicken Flautas with Avocado Verde Sauce and Crema Recipe pairs beautifully with classic Mexican sides like fluffy Mexican rice or slow-cooked Tejano beans. These sides add heartiness and round out the meal perfectly without stealing the spotlight.
Creative Ways to Present
For a fun twist, serve your flautas standing upright in a tall glass or wrapped in parchment paper for casual sharing. Or arrange them artistically on a platter scattered with pico de gallo and lime wedges for a vibrant, festive centerpiece at your next gathering.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep any leftover cooked flautas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Covering them well helps maintain crispness and flavor for reheating later.
Freezing
You can freeze both uncooked and cooked flautas. Just freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a ziplock bag for up to 2-3 months. This way, you can enjoy this Chicken Flautas with Avocado Verde Sauce and Crema Recipe anytime with minimal effort.
Reheating
Reheat leftover flautas in an air fryer, oven, or toaster oven to keep them crispy. Avoid microwaving as it can make the tortillas soggy. If frozen, add about a minute per side when frying straight from the freezer for best texture and taste.
FAQs
Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?
While corn tortillas are traditional and crisp up beautifully, flour tortillas can be used if you prefer a softer, less rustic flauta. Just be sure to oil and warm them properly to roll without cracking.
What if I don’t have rotisserie chicken?
You can cook your own chicken breasts or thighs and shred them. Season and sauté with the onions and spices as directed to infuse maximum flavor into the filling.
Is there a vegetarian version of this recipe?
Absolutely! Replace the chicken with sautéed mushrooms, black beans, or spiced roasted vegetables for a delicious vegetarian twist that still pairs perfectly with the avocado verde sauce and crema.
Can I bake the flautas instead of frying?
Baking is a lighter option but will yield a different texture; they won’t be quite as crispy. To bake, brush the rolled flautas with oil and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through.
How spicy is the avocado verde sauce?
The sauce has a mild to moderate heat level depending on whether you add jalapeno. Removing the seeds tames the spice, making it accessible to most palettes while still delivering a pleasant kick.
Final Thoughts
Trust me when I say this Chicken Flautas with Avocado Verde Sauce and Crema Recipe is pure joy on a plate. With its perfect balance of crispiness, creamy sauce, and fresh, zesty toppings, it will win over anyone at your table. Give it a try, and you might just find your new favorite way to enjoy a classic Mexican treat.
Print
Chicken Flautas with Avocado Verde Sauce and Crema Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 30 flautas
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
These crispy Chicken Flautas are a flavorful Mexican dish featuring shredded rotisserie chicken, lightly sautéed with onions and spices, rolled in corn tortillas, and fried until golden brown. Served with a creamy avocado salsa verde sauce, fresh pico de gallo, crema Mexicana, and crumbled queso fresco, these flautas make a delicious appetizer or main course perfect for gatherings or family dinners.
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for sautéing onion)
- 1 medium onion (diced very finely)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use 1/2 teaspoon if using 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)
For Frying and Tortillas
- 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying, enough to go 1-inch high in pan)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for rubbing on tortillas)
- 30 corn tortillas
Tortilla Glue
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water (to make 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, less if 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, for spice)
For Serving
- Crema Mexicana (or sour cream)
- 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: If making fresh pico de gallo, prepare it and keep chilled in the refrigerator until serving.
- Prepare Avocado Sauce: In a blender, combine salsa verde, avocados, salt, roasted chicken bouillon, lime juice, and 1/2 cup water.
- Blend Sauce: Blend for 30-60 seconds until fully pureed. Add jalapeno for spice if desired and blend again.
- Thin the Sauce: Add additional water, 2-3 tablespoons at a time, until the sauce reaches a thin, drizzling consistency. Do not exceed 1 cup total water. Cover and set aside.
- Chop Onion: Finely dice the onion more finely than usual for the filling.
- Sauté Onion and Spices: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When shimmering, add onion, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until translucent.
- Add Garlic: Mince garlic cloves finely, add to onions, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Chicken: Stir shredded rotisserie chicken into the onion mixture and heat through on medium heat, then remove from heat and cover.
- Preheat Frying Oil: Pour oil into a high-sided skillet to 1-inch depth. Heat over medium-low until oil reaches 375°F, about 15 minutes.
- Oil Tortillas: Pour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil into a bowl. Using fingers, lightly coat both sides of tortillas to give them a sheen without soaking.
- Cover Tortillas: Place oiled tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel to keep moist.
- Make Tortilla Glue: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water starting with 2 tablespoons water, adding more in teaspoon increments until a thick glue-like paste forms.
- Microwave Tortillas: Cover stack of tortillas with damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute. Check pliability and microwave in 20-second increments until soft but not falling apart.
- Roll Flautas: Place one warmed tortilla on baking sheet, add 2 tablespoons chicken near edge, tuck edge over filling and roll tightly to form a cylinder leaving about 1/2 inch open end.
- Seal Flautas: Brush cornstarch glue on tortilla edge, finish rolling, and place seam-side down on baking sheet. Cover with damp paper towel immediately.
- Repeat Rolling: Roll 5-10 flautas then proceed to frying, alternating rolling and frying to keep flautas intact.
- Prepare Oven: Place cooling rack on baking sheet and preheat oven to lowest setting (~170°F) to keep cooked flautas warm and crisp.
- Check Oil Temperature: Verify oil temperature at 375°F using an instant read thermometer and adjust burner if needed.
- Fry Flautas: Fry flautas seam side down a few at a time for 1-2 minutes until golden, flip and fry other side for 1-2 minutes. Avoid over-browning as flautas darken after frying.
- Keep Warm: Place fried flautas on cooling rack in oven to maintain warmth and crispness until serving.
- Continue Cooking: Repeat rolling, sealing, and frying process until all flautas are cooked.
- Serve: Plate flautas and drizzle with Mexican crema and avocado sauce. Top with pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges as desired.
- Store Leftovers: Refrigerate cooled flautas covered for up to 3 days. Reheat in air fryer, oven, or toaster oven.
- Freeze for Later: Freeze uncooked or cooked flautas in a single layer on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, then transfer to freezer bag for 2-3 months storage. Fry from frozen, adding 1 minute per side to frying time.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for convenience and flavor, but leftover cooked chicken works as well.
- Adjust jalapeno amount in avocado sauce for desired spiciness.
- Oiling tortillas before microwaving helps them become pliable and prevents cracking when rolling.
- Cornstarch glue is a toothpick-free method to seal tortillas, but toothpicks can be used as an alternative.
- Maintain oil temperature around 375°F for crispy flautas without burning.
- Serve flautas immediately for best crispness, or keep warm in low oven until ready.
- Leftover flautas can be reheated in air fryer for a crisp finish.
- Freezing flautas before or after frying extends shelf life and maintains flavor and texture.
