Chicken Flautas | Muy Delish

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These homemade Chicken Flautas are filled with shredded chicken, all wrapped up in flour tortillas and baked to crispy perfection. 

Flautas Mexicanas that everyone will love!

Flautas

I am so excited to introduce you to this baked chicken flautas recipe!  This easy Mexican dish uses pantry friendly ingredients to deliver an explosion of flavors and textures in each and every bite! 

In additional to making the flautas, you’ll need a few toppings like lettuce, Mexican pickled onions, guacamole, queso fresco which can be made ahead of time. This means you can make this delicious dinner any night of the week!

It’s the perfect recipe for when you’re short on time and/or short on ingredients but still want a homemade Mexican dish. 

♥️ xo, Ana

**This post was originally published on May 2022. It has been updated to be more helpful.

Flautas vs Taquitos

Don’t confuse Taquitos and Flautas! They’re similar but are not the same. The difference between these two is the type of tortilla. A taquito is made with corn tortilla while a flauta is made with a flour tortilla. Hence a flauta is larger in size than a taquito!

The fillings & toppings can be the same but it all comes down to the tortilla you use. Flautas’ origin is from the state of Sinaloa where flour tortillas are very popular like most Mexican northern states. This is where the flauta is the most popular too due to this fact. They’re the perfect way to use leftover flour tortillas.

Ingredients

• Olive oil and butter – the butter gives great flavor to the chicken and adding olive oil to the butter prevents the butter from getting brown and smoky.
• Chopped onion – White or yellow will work.
• Chicken – Use a use rotisserie to speed up the process. Plus they taste amazing too!
• Chipotle pepper – this is optional but it’s highly recommended!
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper – Grinding the pepper yourself always taste better!
• The tortillas – Use flour tortillas that are about 6 to 8 inches big and not too thick. If they’re thick they will not crisp as well.

**You’ll find the complete recipe and ingredient list in the card at the end.**

How To Make Flautas

1. In a medium skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Lower heat to medium. Add the shredded chicken, chipotle pepper, salt and black pepper. Combine all ingredients well.

3. Cook chicken until it has been reheated through. About 5 minutes.
4. Remove skillet from heat to prevent the chicken from drying out.

5. Add about ⅓ cup of chicken to a tortilla and roll tightly to prevent from filling coming out at the ends. 6 6″ flour tortillas
6. Place the tortilla’s seem down on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Repeat till all the wrappers are made.

How to Bake

• Preheat oven at 395 degrees F. Bake on cooling rack (over the baking sheet) for 10 to 12 minutes turning once at halfway point.
• Note: Make sure flautas are not touching so that the hot air circulates and crisps all sides evenly.

How to Fry

• Heat enough oil in a deep stock pot/Dutch oven or skillet to reach ½ inch up the sides. Heat to 350 degrees F.
• Fry flautas, 3 at a time, until golden brown, turning a few times while frying. Drain on paper towels.

Toppings:

These layers of toppings add an amazing flavor and hard to resist. In this case, more is better!

Avocado or guacamole
Mexican pickled onions
Radishes
Queso fresco or cotija
Pico De Gallo
Tomato Consome

What to serve with flautas

Serve flautas for lunch, dinner or even as an appetizer! Either way I guarantee they’ll be hit. Here are some recipe pairing ideas for ultimate flavors:

Print Recipe:

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Make the chicken filling

• In a medium skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

  1 Tbsp olive oil, divided, 2 Tbsp butter, ½ cup chopped onion

• Lower heat to medium. Add the shredded chicken, chipotle pepper, salt and black pepper. Combine all ingredients well.

  3 cups cooked shredded chicken, 1 chipotle pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• Cook chicken until it has been reheated through. About 5 minutes.

• Remove skillet from heat to prevent the chicken from drying out.

• Add about ⅓ cup of chicken to a tortilla and roll tightly to prevent from filling coming out at the ends.

  6 6″ flour tortillas

• Place the tortilla’s seem down on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Repeat till all the wrappers are made.

Baked Flautas

• Preheat oven at 395 degrees F. Bake on cooling rack (over the baking sheet) for 10 to 12 minutes turning once at halfway point.

• Note: Make sure flautas are not touching so that the hot air circulates and crisps all sides evenly.

Fried Flautas

• Heat enough oil in a deep stock pot/Dutch oven or skillet to reach ½ inch up the sides. Heat to 350 degrees F.

• Fry flautas, 3 at a time, until golden brown, turning a few times while frying. Drain on paper towels.

Storing:

• Refrigerate a batch in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.

• Freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container or freezer bags for up to 3 months.

Serving: 1flauta | Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

Why are they called flautas?

Their look is long & skinny and their shapes resembles a flute which is flauta in Spanish.

What is the difference between chimichangas and flautas?

A flauta is a rolled taco made with flour tortilla then lightly fried or baked until crispy. Flautas originated in Mexico. While a chimichanga is a deep-fried large burrito that was originated in the United States and is very common in Tex-Mex and other Southwestern U.S. cuisine.

Where do flautas originate?

They originated in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico and gained popularity throughout Mexico. Specially in the northern states.

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