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Chicken. Cheese. Tortillas.
Is there anything better in this world??
I’m going to go with a big fat no.
Mexican food has always been near and dear to my heart, not for any particular reason, other than the fact that that every single Mexican item is delicious and seems to be the center of celebratorious activities throughout my life.
Of course I don’t discriminate against any one item, but when ordering at a restaurant, I’m pretty predicable and almost always settle on an enchilada of some sort. It’s a different story if I’m at home, because nine times out of ten, I honestly don’t have the energy to spend an hour plus putting together a giant batch of labor-intensive enchiladas.
Enter: The flauta — the perfect alternative to an enchilada that has all of the flavor and a fraction of the preparation time. Basically, a busy Mexican-food lovin’ girl’s dream.
Here, sliced onion, red pepper, tomato and garlic is sautéed in a bit of olive oil and tossed with shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken, a little bit of chili powder cumin and salt until the veggies are softened and the chicken is hot. The filling is tucked into flour tortillas, rolled up and popped into a 375 degree oven until the flautas are crispy and golden brown.
While they’re cooking, I whip up a super quick cheese sauce made with a can of rotel tomatoes, mild cheddar cheese (you could use sharp or even american cheese as well), a tiny bit of milk and just a touch of cornstarch. Once the flautas come out of the oven, they’re piled up on a platter, smothered in the melted cheese sauce and then ready to be devoured.
Eat fast, because they’ll disappear in a hot minute!
Can Flautas Be Made With Corn Tortillas?
While flautas are traditionally made with flour tortillas, corn tortillas, whole wheat tortillas, and low carb tortillas can all be used to made delicious flautas.
Are Flautas Fried?
Flauta is usually fried in hot oil until golden brown and crispy.
But, for a healthier flauta, you can bake instead of frying.
How Do You Reheat Flautas?
To reheat flautas, bake in oven at 300-degrees until heated all the way through.
It will take about 20 minutes.
You should flip them over about half way through reheating.
Spicy Smothered Chicken Flautas
Spicy Smothered Chicken Flautas
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 Medium Onion, sliced
- 1/2 Cup Diced Red Pepper
- 1/2 Diced Tomato
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Garlic Clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoons Salt
- 1 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (about 4 cups shredded chicken)
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 12 Fajita Sized Tortillas
- 1 10 Ounce Can Rotel
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar or American Cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons Milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large non-stick pan, heat olive oil over a medium heat.1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- Add onion, pepper and tomato.1/2 Medium Onion, 1/2 Cup Diced Red Pepper, 1/2 Diced Tomato
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Saute until veggies start to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt, chicken and water.1 teaspoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Chili Powder, 1 Garlic Clove, 1/4 teaspoons Salt, 1 Rotisserie Chicken, 1/4 Cup Water
- Toss together.
- Cook until veggies are soft, chicken is hot and liquid has evaporated, about five minutes.
- Place just under 1/4 cup of the filling onto the tortillas.12 Fajita Sized Tortillas
- Wrap tortillas tight and place, seal side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes.
- While the flautas are baking, make the sauce.
- Heat a small saucepan to a medium-low heat.
- Toss the cheese in cornstarch.1 Cup Shredded Cheddar or American Cheese, 1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- Add the tomatoes, cheese tossed in cornstarch and milk to the pan.2 Tablespoons Milk
- Toss together.
- Heat until the cheese has melted into the tomatoes, stirring frequently, about 5-7 minutes.1 10 Ounce Can Rotel
- Once the flautas are golden brown, transfer to platter and smother in tomatoes and cheese.
- Garnish with green onions and cilantro if desired.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Connect with Nicole:
how much water are you suppose to add. it doesn’t say.
Hi Peter! Thanks for bringing that to our attention! It’s 1/4 cup of water.
As a Border abuelita/grandmother, I would like to point out that Flautas are made with CORN tortillas, not flour – they will taste much better if you would try this. In addition, there’s no need to use Rotel – chop up a fresh jalapeño and some tomatoes or use fresh-frozen chiles and a can of diced tomatoes. More authentic and definitely better tasting! Also if you lower the oven to 350, pour all the sauce over the enchiladas and heat them for 20-25 minutes until they are hot and the cheese sauce is golden brown. For extra taste, sprinkle some fresh cilantro over them and serve from the pan rather than a platter (where they will quickly get cold). ¡Buen provecho!
These were delicious! I noticed in step three, though, that it says to add water but no amount is given. I just guessed — they turned out great. 🙂
These just do not work for me. Yuck. Will not make again.
These are perfectly made and must be too yummy. I am going to try these tomorrow. Thanks
Yum! I would love these and so would the family. Thanks for sharing!
Yum! I’m a huge Mexican food fan! I like that these aren’t fried too!
These are pinned for later! YUM!!!