Chicken Flautas
Chicken Flautas
These ahogada-style Chicken Flautas are perfectly crispy and drenched in a homemade salsa verde sauce. Perfect for game day or Cinco de Mayo!
You can fry or bake them and they come together in no time at all using store-bought rotisserie chicken. A quick and easy weeknight dinner or party appetizer!
Table of Contents
The Best Chicken Flautas
Growing up in Southern California means I’ve always had a deep love for Mexican food. Every taco shop in San Diego has some version of flautas or rolled tacos on their menu–typically piled high with sour cream, crispy lettuce, cotija cheese, and either salsa verde or salsa roja. They’re truly my favorite type of taco and I just can’t get enough!
I’ve already spent lots of time bemoaning the fact that the taco shops in Texas pale in comparison to San Diego, so I had to make my own version. These take me right back to ordering from my favorite late-night taco shop after coming off a 12-hour shift at the restaurant.
They’re crispy, cheesy, and so incredibly delicious. We’re making the recipe even easier by using store bought shredded rotisserie chicken–you can have these on the table in no time at all! They’re a favorite in our house for Cinco de Mayo, game days, or any time the craving for a crispy taco hits.
What is a Flauta?
Flautas go by a couple of names including tacos dorados, taquitos, and rolled tacos. Fillings like beef, chicken, pork, cheese, and potato are rolled up in corn or flour tortillas and fried until golden and crispy. They’re topped with anything from cheese and crema to salsa to guacamole and lettuce.
‘Flauta’ literally translates to ‘flute’ in english–a nod to their flute-like shape. These are ‘ahogada’-style flautas because they’re ‘drowned’ in sauce. This is optional and the salsa can be served on the side for dipping or drizzling.
How to Make Chicken Flautas
Anytime I fry food, I always use cast iron or enameled cast iron. It holds heat so much better so I recommend a high-sided cast iron pan for frying your chicken flautas!
Tools Needed
Recipe Ingredients
full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- shredded chicken – I use rotisserie chicken for ease, but you can cook breasts or thighs and shred them yourself as well
- Oaxaca cheese
- tomatillos
- serrano
- white onion
- garlic
- cilantro
- lime
- corn tortillas
- canola oil
Step-by-Step Photos & Instructions
- Make the salsa verde. Rinse the tomatillos and place them in a small saucepan with the onion wedges, serrano, and garlic cloves. Cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatillos are soft and yellow-ish in color. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatillos, onion, serrano, and garlic to a blender with the cilantro and lime juice. Blend until smooth, using some of the simmering liquid to thin out the sauce until it’s smooth and pourable. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, half of the thinly sliced onion, 1/2 cup of the salsa verde, the Oaxaca cheese, and the ground cumin. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
- Roll the flautas. Wrap the tortillas in stacks of 4-5 in a damp paper towel and microwave for 1 minute, just so the tortillas are flexible and easy to work with. Lay a tortilla on a clean work surface, fill with 3 tablespoons of chicken filling and roll tightly into a log and secure lengthwise with a toothpick or two. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Fry the flautas. Heat about 1/2 inch of canola oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, about 350°F, add 3-4 of the flautas to the skillet (work in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan) and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Lift the flautas out of the oil with tongs and let the excess oil drain off before laying them on a paper towel-lined plate. Season them lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining flautas.
- Serve. Lay the flautas on a bed of salsa verde and top with the remaining thinly sliced onions. Drizzle with mexican crema and top with cilantro and crumbled cotija.
Baking & Air Frying Chicken Flautas
If you don’t want to fry your chicken flautas, you can bake or air fry them instead!
To bake: Place the flautas directly on a metal baking sheet and lightly brush or spray them with cooking oil. Bake in a 425°F oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they’re golden brown and crispy. Remove the toothpicks, sprinkle with salt, serve, and enjoy!
To air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the flautas in a single layer in the basket seam side down. Spray the tops with cooking spray, air fry for 5 minutes, flip and spray again, then air fry for 4-5 more minutes. You will likely have to do this in batches!
Serving Suggestions
Chicken flautas are great served simply with salsa verde, crema, thinly sliced onion, cilantro and cotija but I’m nothing if not very extra. I firmly subscribe to the belief that the more toppings, the better!
You can pile your flautas high with guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded lettuce, pickled onions, etc–they sky is the limit. When I make these for dinner, I typically also serve refried beans and Mexican rice or arroz verde on the side.
Storage Instructions
To store, place the flautas in an airtight container or storage bag and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The salsa verde can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 weeks.
To freeze, place them in a freezer-safe storage bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Chicken flautas are best reheated in the air fryer or oven until crispy and warmed through.
These easy, ahogada-style Chicken Flautas are so crispy and cheesy–perfect for when the taco craving hits! If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try
Beef Enchilada Skillet
Pork Chile Verde
Pork Pozole Rojo
Arroz Verde
Chicken Tinga Tacos
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Crispy Chicken Flautas with Salsa Verde
Ingredients
Salsa Verde
- 1 lb tomatillos, husked and stems removed
- 1/2 white onion, peeled cut into wedges
- 1 serrano pepper, stem removed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
Chicken Flautas
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken, i use store bought rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 14-16 medium-sized corn tortillas
- canola oil, for frying
- 1/3 cup Mexican crema
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/3 cilantro leaves
- kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the salsa verde. Rinse the tomatillos and place them in a small saucepan with the onion wedges, serrano, and garlic cloves. Cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatillos are soft and yellow-ish in color. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatillos, onion, serrano, and garlic to a blender with the cilantro and lime juice. Blend until smooth, using some of the simmering liquid to thin out the sauce until it’s smooth and pourable. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, half of the thinly sliced onion, 1/2 cup of the salsa verde, the Oaxaca cheese, and the ground cumin. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
- Roll the flautas. Wrap the tortillas in stacks of 4-5 in a damp paper towel and microwave for 1 minute, just so the tortillas are flexible and easy to work with. Lay a tortilla on a clean work surface, fill with 3 tablespoons of chicken filling and roll tightly into a log and secure lengthwise with a toothpick or two. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Fry the flautas. Heat about 1/2 inch of canola oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, about 350°F, add 3-4 of the flautas to the skillet (work in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan) and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Lift the flautas out of the oil with tongs and let the excess oil drain off before laying them on a paper towel-lined plate. Season them lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining flautas.
- Serve. Lay the flautas on a bed of salsa verde and top with the remaining thinly sliced onions. Drizzle with mexican crema and top with cilantro and crumbled cotija.
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