Description
These Chipotle Chicken Flautas are a deliciously crispy and spicy Mexican-inspired appetizer or main dish. Tender shredded chicken is seasoned with smoky chipotle pepper, cumin, and chili powder, mixed with creamy sour cream and melted cheese, then rolled tightly in flour tortillas and golden-fried to perfection. They make an easy weeknight dinner or party favorite with bold flavors and a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
Other Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 cups shredded pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese
- 12 (6 to 8-inch) flour tortillas
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Set a cooling rack inside a rimmed sheet pan. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the quartered onion, chicken breasts, and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate and let it cool slightly before shredding with two forks.
- Prepare the flauta filling: In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, fresh lime juice, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly to create a creamy, flavorful filling.
- Assemble the flautas: Lay out each flour tortilla and spoon about ⅓ cup of the chicken filling into the center. Spread the filling slightly and roll the tortillas tightly, placing each seam-side down on a clean surface to prevent unrolling.
- Fry the flautas: Pour 1 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add the flautas seam-side down and fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and crispy. Use tongs to turn them gently to avoid splashing. Once fried, transfer the flautas to the cooling rack on the sheet pan to drain excess oil and cool for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for the best smoky flavor, but canned chipotle peppers work well too.
- Keep the oil temperature steady to avoid greasy flautas; too low heat will absorb more oil.
- You can substitute corn tortillas if preferred, but flour tortillas hold up better when frying.
- Serve flautas with guacamole, salsa, or extra sour cream for dipping.
- Leftover flauta filling can be used as a tasty taco topping or in burritos.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 flautas
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
