Easy Traditional Mexican Chicken Flautas Recipe

Learn how to make authentic Chicken Taquitos, also known as Flautas de Pollo.  Just five ingredients and a few garnishes makes this Mexican recipe an easy way to feed a crowd.  This recipe can easily be scaled to your needs.

I don’t know why I took so long to learn how to make Mexican flautas.  My hubby and I know them as Mexican taquitos and eat them frequently.  We buy them frozen in the supermarket but homemade is better right?

After watching oodles of YouTube videos some intense research, I realized flautas, also known as little flutes, are very easy to make and the filling is limited only to your imagination.  I chose a simple, chicken flauta to illustrate how easy they are to make.

Below are some answers to your hot-burning-questions:)

Your top questions about flautas

How to keep flautas rolled?

After rolling, place seam side down on your surface and press with your finger.  Also, make sure to use softened tortillas.  This works for me and now I don’t have to use toothpicks.

What is the difference between flautas and taquitos?

Traditionally, taquitos (little tacos) are smaller than flautas and made with corn tortillas.  Flautas (flutes) are a little larger and made with either corn or flour tortillas.

How to keep flautas warm?

Place an oven safe dish in the oven and preheat to 250F.  After frying the flautas and draining them, place in the pre-warmed dish and keep in the oven until ready to use.  If it will be longer than 30 minutes, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

How do you reheat flautas?

Flautas become soggy in the fridge.  You can make them crispy again by baking them in the oven.  Pre-heat an oven to 400F.  Place flautas in a pan, preferably on a wire rack, bake for 12 minutes.

What do you serve with flautas?

This is where your creativity really shines.  You can serve flautas with any of your favorite garnishes.  I have garnished with cilantro, green onions and cotija cheese and served with guacamole, salsa and sour cream.  Flautas are a bit mono-chromatic beige which isn’t very appetizing.  Since we also eat with our eyes, I like to use colorful garnishes and dips to serve with.  Queso and other cheese or sour cream based sauces would be divine also!

How do you fry flautas?

I like to shallow pan fry them in just 1/4 inch of oil, seam-side down.  Brown on each side.  You can deep fry them, the oil will get into the filling so it would taste even yummier but I like the lower fat method.

Grab that imagination of yours and take it out for a spin.  Here are some ideas to get you started.

Fillings for meat flautas

• ground beef or pork, onion, salt, cumin, chile powder
• shredded beef or pork, taco seasoning (cumin, chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, oregano), canned green chiles
• chorizo, chicken
• chicken, cheese, salt, chile powder

Fillings for vegetarian flautas

• oaxaca cheese, queso fresco, cotija, cilantro, salt, chile powder
• black bean, cheddar, taco seasoning
• butternut squash, spinach, black beans, cumin, garlic, chile powder, salt
• garlic, onion, poblano, salt, pepper, cumin, mashed potatoes or hash browns
• potatoes, butter, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, salt, fenugreek
• monterrey jack, poblano, salt

Stumped on ideas for garnishes?  Below are some Fusion Craftiness recipes you might want to take a gander at.

• Puerto Rican Rice in a rice cooker, easy peasey
• Creamy Jalapeno and Avocado Salsa
• Roasted Jalapeno Salsa
• Salsa Verde

Leave a comment if you have tried these before or if you have any questions.  I have only tried chicken but I am super excited to try this with other types of fillings, including FUSION fillings.  Korean BBQ flauta anyone?  Easy right?!

So put down that frozen carton of who-knows-what and give these a try!  Your homemade flautas will be so much healthier than the other kind;)

Buen Provecho!

Easy Traditional Mexican Chicken Flautas Recipe

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★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Tina
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 16 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Fry
• Cuisine: Mexican

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Description

Easy Traditional Chicken Flautas Recipe. Make a quick chicken filling, roll in a corn tortillas, shallow fry in some oil, drain on paper towels and serve with your favorite Mexican condiments. That’s it! An easy traditional flauta recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken thighs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 16 corn tortillas
• oil for frying

GARNISH

• Cotija cheese
• Cilantro
• Green onions

SERVE WITH

• Salsa
• Sour Cream
• Guacamole

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Instructions

1. Place chicken in a medium saucepan, add water to cover.  Cook on medium heat, simmering for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
2. Drain chicken and set aside to cool.  When cool enough to handle, shred or chop into small pieces.  Toss the chicken with the salt, chile powder & pepper and set aside in a medium bowl.
3. Heat up your tortillas in the microwave until very soft.
4. On your prep surface place a tortilla and scoop about 3-6 Tbs of chicken filling in your tortilla on one side.  Roll tortilla into a flute shape.  Place on a plate and press down with seam side down, this helps hold the flute shape.  Continue until all flautas are rolled.
5. In a large skillet with 1/4 inch of oil, heat until oil is hot.  You can test your oil either by placing a small piece of corn tortillas in the oil or a chopstick.  If small bubbles form immediately, it is hot enough.   Fry tortillas, turning as needed until golden.  Drain on paper towels and serve with optional garnishes and sides.

Notes

• As soon as you place food in hot oil, it drops the temp of the oil.  You can deal with this effectively by frying in small batches or turn up the heat to high for 1 minute with each iteration.
• This recipe is highly adaptable to different fillings, garnishes and sides.
• HEALTHY TIP – Serve two of these along with a healthy salad, slaw or a side of beans

Nutrition

• Serving Size: flauta
• Calories: 123
• Sugar: 2 grams
• Sodium: 301 mg
• Fat: 5 grams
• Saturated Fat: 2 grams
• Trans Fat: 0 grams
• Carbohydrates: 12 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Protein: 7 grams
• Cholesterol: 11 mg