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Flautas Recipe

Name: Hugo's Mexican Kitchens Flautas Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (dark or white meat); 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 0.25 cups onion, finely chopped; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional); 1 cups monterey jack or queso Oaxaca, shredded (for cheese flautas option); 4 each all-purpose flour tortillas (8-inch); 1 cups vegetable oil (for frying); 3 each roma tomatoes, medium, quartered; 0.25 cups white onion, small, quartered; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro; 1 each jalapeño (stemmed, seeds removed for mild, keep seeds for heat); 1 tbsp fresh lime juice; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce; 0.25 cups Mexican crema or sour cream; 0.25 cups crumbled queso fresco or grated cotija; 2 each lime wedges

Inspired by Hugo's Mexican Kitchen

Time35m

Serves2

Order of 4 flour tortillas, filled with chicken or cheese. Topped with house-made salsa, lettuce, crema and queso.

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Ingredients

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Flauta filling & tortillas (makes 4 flautas)

2 cups cooked shredded chicken (dark or white meat)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp Ground cumin

1/2 tsp Watkins garlic powder

1/4 cups Onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

1 cups monterey jack or queso Oaxaca, shredded (for cheese flautas option)

4 each all-purpose flour tortillas (8-inch)

1 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

House-made salsa

3 each roma tomatoes, medium, quartered

1/4 cups white onion, small, quartered

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 each jalapeño (stemmed, seeds removed for mild, keep seeds for heat)

1 tbsp Fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

Toppings & garnish

1 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce

1/4 cups Mexican crema or sour cream

1/4 cups crumbled queso fresco or grated cotija

2 each Lime wedges

Method

Flauta filling & assembly

Prepare chicken filling

If using leftover or rotisserie chicken, shred it finely so it rolls easily. In a medium bowl combine shredded chicken, finely chopped onion, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chopped cilantro. Mix until evenly seasoned. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.

Prepare cheese option

If making cheese flautas, use the shredded monterey jack or queso Oaxaca as the filling. For a hybrid option, mix 1 cup shredded cheese with 1 cup shredded chicken.

Warm tortillas

Warm tortillas briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat or wrap in a damp towel and microwave 20–30 seconds. This makes them pliable and prevents cracking when rolling.

Assemble flautas

Lay a warm tortilla flat. Place about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture (or ~1/4–1/3 cup shredded cheese) in a line along one edge of the tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch margin. Tightly roll the tortilla from the filled edge to enclose the filling and place seam-side down on a tray. Repeat with remaining tortillas to make 4 flautas.

Fry flautas

Pour about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high until shimmering (about 350°F / oil will bubble when a corner of a tortilla is tested). Fry flautas seam-side down first for 1.5–2 minutes per side, turning carefully with tongs until golden brown and crisp on all sides. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Transfer cooked flautas to a paper towel–lined plate to drain excess oil.

Oven-finish alternative

For a lower-fat option: brush rolled flautas lightly with oil and bake on a rimmed baking sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden.

House-made salsa

Place the quartered roma tomatoes, quartered onion, jalapeño (adjust amount of seeds for heat), and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until coarsely blended but not pureed — you want some texture. Transfer to a bowl, stir in lime juice and salt, then taste and adjust seasoning. Chill briefly if desired. This makes about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of salsa.

Toppings & plating

Place 4 flautas on a serving plate. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of house-made salsa over the flautas (or serve salsa on the side).

Top flautas with a handful of shredded lettuce to add crunch.

Drizzle crema (about 1–2 tablespoons per order) over the flautas in a thin ribbon or dot with a spoon.

Sprinkle crumbled queso fresco or grated cotija evenly over the flautas.

Garnish with lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Serve immediately while crisp.