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
Scale
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.
