Flauta vs Taquito
Before we dive more into this flautas recipe, I’ve been asked what the difference between flautas (meaning flute in Spanish) and taquitos are? The differences are extremely subtle:
Tortillas: taquitos are generally made with corn tortillas; flautas are made with flour tortillas. Size: taquitos are smaller because they are made with small corn tortillas; flautas are larger because they are made with taco-size flour tortillas which are about 7-8 inches (or larger). Course: taquitos are often served as an appetizer because of their size; flautas are often served as the main dish but can also be served as an appetizer.
Sour cream: silky, creamy sour cream adds a depth of creaminess to the filling. You may also use half sour cream and half softened cream cheese. Salsa: makes the filling juicier while pumping it with flavor. Use mild to hot depending on your preference. We like it hot at our house. Green chiles: one 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies please. Make sure they are MILD and not HOT. Cheese: use both sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese for the best flavor and texture. Monterey Jack melts beautifully with a mild buttery flavor and sharp cheddar adds the needed kick of flavor. tortillas: use 7-8 inch flour tortillas or raw tortillas. seasonings: chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder – no bland chicken taquitos here!
Best Cheese for Flautas
I wouldn’t swap out the sharp cheddar as it adds tons of flavor, but you can swap the Monterrey Jack for:
Pepper jack: is a derivative of Monterey Jack, flavored with sweet peppers, rosemary, garlic, habanero chilies and jalapeños – yum! Like Monterey Jack, it also melts well. Colby Jack: is produced almost identically to Monterrey Jack but is seasoned with annatto (derived from seeds of the achiote tree) so its mild, slightly sweet and nutty. Oaxaca cheese: has a mellow, buttery flavor similar to Monterey but melts more easily with a mozzarella-like texture. Asadero: is Oaxaca’s cousin that isn’t quite as moist. It’s a mild, excellent melting cheese with a creamy-smooth, velvety texture. Cream cheese: you can swap ¼ cup of the sour cream for ¼ cup softened cream cheese for extra richness.
Protein Options for Flautas
Flautas are traditionally made with pulled chicken or beef, but don’t let that stop you! You can use any type of protein you like when it comes to this flautas recipe. If you start off with a plain protein like ground beef or turkey, season it with the seasonings listed in this chicken flautas recipe. If you swap the chicken for an already seasoned protein such as beef barbacoa, then omit the seasonings from the flautas recipe but still add the salsa, sour cream, green chilies and cheeses. Here are some of my favorite Mexican proteins that are tasty in flautas:
Chicken Flauta Variations
Shredded Mexican Chicken (Crockpot): simmered with Mexican spices, salsa and green chilies for amazingly flavorful chicken that’s dripping with flavor and SO tender. Honey Lime Salsa Verde Chicken (Crockpot): tangy, flavorful with just the right amount of kick all balanced by a hint of honey. Chicken Tinga: is another super quick and easy recipe made with shredded rotisserie chicken tossed in a saucy, smoky, spicy tomato chipotle sauce. Quick Ground Turkey (from my tacos): quick, easy, healthy and packed with flavor – you won’t even miss the beef with my secret ingredient!
Beef Flautas
Beef Barbacoa (Crockpot): crazy juicy beef slow cooked until melt-in-your-mouth tender infused with a tangy, chipotle sauce spiked with cumin, oregano and lime juice – one of my favorites of all time! Carne Asada: is the quintessential Mexican steak marinated in orange juice, lime juice, soy sauce and a splash of liquid smoke then spice rubbed with cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic and onion. It’s juicy, flavorful and crazy good. Take care to finely dice the steak so it’s easy to eat in the flautas.
Pork Flautas
Carnitas (Crockpot): juicy pork smothered in a dynamic fiesta spice rub then slow cooked with orange juice and lime juice all finished in the oven to create glorious caramelized crispy burnt ends. Salsa Verde Pork (Crockpot): inspired by the aforementioned chicken but in juicier pork version. It is tangy, flavorful with just the right amount of kick all balanced by a hint of honey. Ancho pork (from my tacos): quick and easy 10 MINUTE recipe that’s exploding with flavor; chopped pork tenderloin is smothered in spices then cooked in skillet until golden then finished off with green chiles and lime juice. Take care to finely dice the pork so it’s easy to eat in the flautas.
Vegatarian Flautas:
Tofu: use extra firm tofu that is well drained; you will need 3 cups. To drain tofu, place it in a pie plate, top with a heavy plate and weigh down with 2 heavy cans (to release water). Set aside for 10 minutes then saute with the flauta seasonings before combining with the rest of the filling ingredients. Veggies: use 3 cups of any combo of your favorite veggies such as cooked sweet potatoes, black beans, zucchini and/or corn. Saute them with the flauta seasonings before combining with the rest of the filling ingredients. Beans: mix black beans or chickpeas with any of your favorite cooked veggies to equal 3 cups.
Best Beans & Veggies for Flautas
Beans: refried beans, pinto beans or black beans add a delightful creaminess. You will want to swap out an equal amount of chicken for the beans otherwise it will throw the ratio of seasonings off. Veggies: bell peppers, fresh sweet corn, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, onions, chayote, zucchini, cherry tomatoes are all tasty. You’ll want to sauté all of the ingredients first so they’re cooked before you adding them to the filling OR use your favorite roasted veggies. Like the beans, swap out an equal amount of chicken for the veggies otherwise it will throw the ratio of seasonings off. Jalapenos: I love pickled jalapenos! They will instantly amp up the heat and the flavor. You can also add additional heat with minced chipotle chile peppers, hot sauce, cayenne pepper or chipotle chile powder.
Make filling: Add the salsa, sour cream, green chilies and all seasonings to a large bowl (except cayenne); stir to combine. Stir in chicken followed by cheeses. Season with cayenne pepper to taste (optional), keeping in mind the flavor will mellow in the tortillas.
Assemble flautas: Lay 12-14 tortillas on a flat surface. Add approximately 3 tablespoons filling to the bottom third of each tortilla then tightly roll up tortillas and place them seam side down.
Cooking Flautas
You have four options to cook your flautas: shallow pan fry, toast, bake or air fry. Baking is great for a large batch of hands-off cooking but they don’t get quite as crispy, toasting is great for crispy taquitos without very much oil but they aren’t quite as flavorful, air frying also creates crispy flautas but pan frying is the ultimate indulgence for the BEST flautas, AKA the most flavorful and shatteringly crispy. I’m not going to pretend any other methods are as good. Still good, but not as good. You can also get a jump start on the flauta prep if you’re planning on making within 24 hours:
Make filling. Combine filling ingredients per recipe instructions. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before assembling flautas. Prep toppings. The toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc. can be chopped and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator or small covered serving bowls. The guacamole and avocado crema (if using) will keep for up to a day without changing color very much – just make sure to press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the guac/crema to prevent oxidation.
Use rotisserie chicken for this flautas recipe to help it come together in minutes. I like to keep 3 cup portioned bags of rotisserie chicken in my freezer for this flauta recipe and other recipes calling for rotisserie chicken like soups, chicken tinga, chicken divan, etc. This is also a great recipe for using up leftover chicken or any of your favorite Mexican proteins. Make a double batch of your favorite Mexican protein so you can freeze some to use later in this flautas recipe. Use a good quality salsa for this flautas recipe. The salsa can add tons of flavor if you use a good one. I love my homemade salsa recipe or Mateo’s salsa (often at Costco). Use freshly shredded cheeses because pre-packaged cheeses contain chemicals designed to prevent the strands from clumping in the packaging – these same chemicals inhibit their melting ability. Only freshly grated cheese will melt in the couple minutes it takes for the flautas to crisp up. Use two cheeses. Monterrey provides the ooey gooey factor and sharp cheddar adds the oomph of flavor. Adjust the heat of the filling to suite your personal tastes. The heat of the salsa will dramatically affect the end result, so use mild if you don’t like very much heat. You can also use mild salsa and add cayenne pepper to taste. I used hot salsa and didn’t add any cayenne pepper and they were spicy – just how we like them. Warm tortillas in the microwave if they are not very pliable to prevent them from cracking or falling open when rolling. To do this, stack 6 tortillas together and top with a dampened paper towel. Microwave for 60 seconds, fill, roll and repeat. Roll the tortillas tightly so there isn’t any open spaces in the chicken flautas. This prevents oil from leaking into the flautas and bubbling. It also will help the flautas stay closed and fry up more easily and evenly. Use a toothpick to secure the flautas closed before frying if they are peaking open. Fry them with the toothpicks intact then remove before eating. You shouldn’t have to use toothpicks with quality flour tortillas. You can use smaller flour tortillas, but I wouldn’t use larger than 8″ tortillas or else they are more difficult to fry evenly. If you use smaller tortillas, you will need less filling per tortilla and your recipe will yield more flautas. Use a nonstick skillet to fry the flautas. Typically, a cast iron skillet is used for frying, but we are not deep frying, we are shallow frying and only heating the oil to 325 degrees F. A nonstick skillet allows you to use less oil and still reap all the benefits of deep frying. You are welcome to use a cast iron skillet if you fill it 1” deep with oil. Use the correct oil for frying. Our goal of deep frying the flautas is to create a deeply golden, crunchy exterior. To do this, you need an oil with a high smoking point and neutral flavor. If you select an oil with a low smoking point, not only will you have an incredible amount of smoke, but the oil will break down creating an unpleasant odor and unappetizing taste. Oils suitable for frying include: vegetable oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil and sunflower oil. Make sure you test the oil first, especially if frying without an instant read thermometer. To do this, tear off a bit of unused tortilla and add it to the oil. If it boils, your oil is ready but if it boils and turns dark within a minute or so, your oil is too hot. You will have to remove from the heat, wait a few minutes, return to heat and try again. Adjust heat as needed so the flautas cook up golden and crispy. If you find your flautas are cooking too quickly and surpassing the golden brown before the cheese is melted, then lower the heat. You may need to start off at medium-high heat and lower to medium heat. Don’t overcrowd the pan so the flautas can cook evenly and so you have plenty of room to flip the flautas over with tongs. This also helps you keep a close eye on them so they don’t overcook. Drain flautas on paper towels in a single layer without touching after they’re done frying. You don’t want them sitting in oil or touching or they will lose their extreme crunch. To that end, resist the urge to stack the flautas or they won’t be as crispy. I know I didn’t follow my own advice in the photos so I can speak from personal experience that stacked flautas will steam and you will lose that coveted crispy exterior very quickly. It is best to serve the chicken flautas lined in a single layer with a little breathing room in between each flauta. Keep the cooked flautas warm as you fry them in batches by transferring them to the oven. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Set a wire baking rack in a baking pan; set aside. Let flautas drain briefly on paper towels, then transfer to the prepared baking pan and keep warm in oven while frying remaining flautas. Serve Chipotle style: Create a toppings bar like they do at Chipotle and let everyone top their own flautas for zero lag time.
Sour cream or Mexican Crema: is a must in my book for flautas! Its refreshing, bright, silky creaminess compliments and cuts through the crunchy, cheesy richness. Greek yogurt: is a great creamy alternative to sour cream if you are trying to save some calories. Avocado Crema: is my addiction and my preference over just chopped avocados. It’s a marriage of avocados, sour cream and lime juice to create a wonderfully silky, tangy sauce and just takes minutes in your blender. Guacamole: use my homemade guacamole recipe (amazing!) or your favorite recipe or even use store-bought. Avocados: chopped or sliced avocados are the easiest avocado option and add a wonderful creaminess. Tomatoes: seeded, chopped or sliced Roma tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes for a simple, juicy, vibrant win or, better yet, substitute with pico de gallo. Pico de gallo: is fresh tomato salsa that adds a vibrant, punchy freshness. You can use my homemade pico de gallo recipe or store bought. You can make the salsa ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving. Salsa: go with traditional restaurant style salsa, or chunky salsas with varying textures and flavors like my black bean corn salsa, avocado corn salsa, charred corn salsa, pineapple salsa, or mango salsa– all SO good! Cilantro: if you skip the pico de gallo, you can load on fresh cilantro and tomatoes instead for a fresh, zesty flair. Pickle red onions: I can’t believe I haven’t shared a recipe for this yet (coming soon!), but I love pickled red onions! They are bright, tangy, and punchy fantastic. Jalapenos: amp up the heat with fresh jalapenos or I love pickled jalapenos. Hot Sauce: pass around the hot sauce for an easy, delicious way to customize heat.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN FLAUTAS?
These chicken flautas make a tasty dinner with the help of a few sides. Here are some of our favorite sides to serve with flautas:
Rice: is a must-have-side in my book for almost every Mexican recipe. We love serving flautas with cilantro lime rice, Mexican rice, or avocado rice. You can also serve with quinoa, or low carb cauliflower rice. Salads: salad is always a win and a great way to stretch your flautas recipe if you’re serving a crowd. These flautas pair well with a big green salad, Mexican salad, southwest salad, esquites (Mexican street corn salad), corn salad, or southwest orzo salad. Veggies: I HIGHLY encourage you to go with authentic elote (Mexican Grilled Street Corn) – you will not regret it! Other alternatives include grilled corn on the cob, baked asparagus, roasted broccoli, roasted potatoes, roasted cauliflower. Fruit: you can keep it simple and serve this flautas recipe with any of your favorite fruits such as cantaloupe, pineapple, or grapes or any of these fabulous options: pina colada fruit salad, fruit salad with honey lime vinaigrette, grape salad, winter fruit salad, or caramelized grilled pineapple.
Air fryer: this is my #1 preferred method for reheating anything crispy – or formerly crispy. It restores the flautas to their former crispy glory as if they were freshly made – seriously amazing! Place your flautas in the air fryer basket and air fry at 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Stove: heat a large nonstick skillet to low then add the flauta(s). Cook until heated through, rotating as needed. Once the inside is warm, you can crank the heat to medium-high to quickly toast the outside. Oven: place flautas on a baking rack placed over a baking pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until warmed through. Microwave: this is my least favorite method because the exterior doesn’t crisp up, but it’s convenient for hands off reheating. Transfer flautas to ta microwave safe plate and microwave on high or 60 seconds then at 15-second intervals as needed.
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