Tender chicken, rolled in a corn tortilla and fried to perfection, these Crispy Chicken Flautas are the perfect party bite or Tex-Mex inspired weeknight dinner!
Crispy Chicken Flautas
Chicken Flautas are hands-down my favorite thing to order in a Mexican Restaurant. Each flauta is a corn tortilla wrapped around shredded chicken and then deep fried. Then you can dip your flautas in anything you want: salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or queso. Or my favorite use all the dips!
I first had chicken flautas as a young girl almost 50 years ago. My sister brought the recipe when she moved home from Texas. When we made enchiladas and rice, we also made these.
As with the enchiladas it’s nice to have two people working to make these. There is hot oil involved so this is an adults only recipe.
What is the Difference between Flautas and Taquitos?
You may have seen similar looking dishes labeled two different names: flautas and taquitos. Generally, the terms are used interchangeably to mean the same thing. Like any classic dish, there may be variations depending on where you’re at and local specialties.
Flautas – or taquitos – are corn tortillas wrapped around meat to form a cylinder, then fried until golden and crispy. It’s a simple dish, often served with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.
If you ask this question on Google, you might see some sources claiming that flautas are usually larger, made with flour tortillas, or even cone shaped. All I can say is that I’ve never seen them served that way. I lived in Mexico as an exchange student and my husband’s family is of Hispanic descent and lived in Texas before Texas was a state. Flautas to us look like what is pictured here. We do sometimes call them taquitos.
But whatever you call them, flautas (or taquitos) are delicious!
— Stacey
Ingredients
- Tortillas
- Chicken
- Cheddar cheese–optional
- Oil for frying
Kitchen Supplies Used
- Dutch oven or stainless steel heavy bottomed pan for frying oil
- tongs
- toothpicks
Instructions
- Chop chicken into small pieces. If not already salted, you can add salt to taste.
- Heat oil in a pan or large skillet. Use enough to make about 1 1/2 inches of oil.
- Dip each tortilla in hot oil for about 20 seconds, then remove and place on a plate or cutting board.
- Roll 1/12th of the chicken into the hot tortilla, but be careful and make sure it’s not too hot to touch. Secure with 3 toothpicks.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken.
- Fry each rolled flauta in the hot oil until crispy and browned. Remove from oil to drain on paper towels.
- Remove toothpicks from flautas ad place in baking dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do You Cook the Tortillas in Oil Before Making Flautas?
Corn tortillas can be fragile because they are thin. Quickly heating them in oil keeps them moist and easier to roll without cracking. It’s an essential step to making good flautas that will hold up during frying.
What Do You Serve with Flautas?
Flautas or taquitos make a great appetizer because they’re handheld and you can enjoy them all on their own. However, they are also delicious when dipped in ranch dressing (yes, really!) or salsa. I also love to serve them over rice with homemade guacamole.
Related: Try our copycat Chili’s Salsa recipe to go with your flautas!
Grab a Free Copy of Our Chicken Taquitos Recipe:
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Crispy Chicken Flautas
Equipment
- Heavy bottomed pan for frying
- Plate for rolling
- Tongs
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 1/2 Pound Cooked chicken shredded
- 12 Corn Tortillas
- 4 oz. Cheddar Cheese
- Light tasting oil for frying Peanut oil, light olive oil
Instructions
- Chop chicken into small pieces. If not already salted, add salt to taste
- Heat oil in a pan or large skillet. Use enough to make about 1 1/2 inches of oil
- Dip each tortilla in hot oil for about 20 seconds, remove to plate
- Roll 1/12 of chicken into hot tortilla. (Be careful!) Secure with 3 toothpicks
- Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken
- Fry each rolled flauta in the hot oil until crispy and browned. Remove from oil to drain on paper towels.
- Remove toothpicks from flautas ad place in baking dish.
- Top with grated cheddar cheese and heat in 350 degree oven until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Be sure to pin our chicken taquitos on Pinterest:
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Tex-Mex Beef & Cheese Enchiladas
