By Becky Hardin
Published Apr 30, 2023
Chicken Flautas are a delicious and easy snack made up of shredded chicken, salsa, and cheese wrapped up in tortillas, then pan-fried until crispy. These rolled chicken tacos are a fun dinner or appetizer for Cinco de Mayo, taco night, or game day.
What’s in this Chicken Flautas Recipe
Leftover chicken, fresh salsa, and creamy cheese fill these crispy, crunchy chicken flautas. They’ll be ready in just about 30 minutes, but prepare to see them fly off the plate!
- Shredded Chicken : This recipe is great for using up leftover cooked chicken. I like shredded, but cubed also works.
- Flour Tortillas: The perfect vessel for rolling up these flautas. If they’re cracking as you roll them, warm them for a few seconds in the microwave.
- Salsa: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade salsa to add fresh flavor to the chicken.
- Cheese: Helps hold the flautas together. I like Monterey jack, but Mexican blend or cheddar also work.
- Olive Oil: Helps the onion cook without burning.
- Onion: Diced onion adds earthy flavor.
- Spices: Kosher salt, chili powder, and cumin give these rolled chicken tacos authentic Mexican flavor.
- Vegetable Oil: The perfect neutral oil for frying.
Pro Tip: I chose to shallow fry mine, but you can also deep fry these. If deep frying, use toothpicks to hold the flautas closed.
Variations on Rolled Chicken Tacos
To make chicken flautas spicier, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper in with the seasonings, opt for a spicy salsa, and use pepper jack or ghost pepper jack cheese.
You can also make these flautas with ground beef or pork carnitas . Or try using salsa verde !
The difference between flautas and taquitos is subtle. Taquitos generally utilize small corn tortillas, whereas flautas use larger flour tortillas. Furthermore, flautas can be served as an appetizer or an entree, whereas taquitos are usually just an appetizer.
Make sure to place the flautas seam-side down in the pan to seal the edges when frying. You can also push a toothpick through the seam to hold them together.
Any leftover cooked chicken will work in this recipe. I like this quick instant pot shredded chicken , but you could also cook up some pan-seared chicken breasts .
For best results, reheat these flautas in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. This helps them stay crispy instead of soggy.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken flautas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze rolled chicken tacos individually wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil, for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
What to Serve with Chicken Flautas
Cheesy, warm, and flavorful chicken flautas are worth celebrating! If you’re looking for Cinco de Mayo appetizers , pair these flautas with a tall Margarita to really get the party started. Top your flautas with fresh guacamole , pico de gallo , sour cream, and shredded cheese, and serve them with a side of cilantro lime rice and refried beans . They’re also great for dipping, so try my favorite white queso for pure bliss!
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the Flautas
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ ½ onion diced
- ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- ▢ ½ cup salsa store-bought or homemade
- ▢ 2 cups freshly shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- ▢ 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- ▢ ¾ cup vegetable oil
Optional Toppings
- ▢ Shredded lettuce
- ▢ Diced tomatoes
- ▢ Sliced avocado
- ▢ Sour cream
- ▢ Cilantro
Video
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add in the onion, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Sauté for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the shredded chicken and salsa. Remove from heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ onion, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken, ½ cup salsa
- Place about 2 tablespoons each of the chicken filling and cheese in the middle of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly and place it seam side down on a plate. 2 cups freshly shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- Heat half of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place 4 flautas in the pan, seam side down, and fry for about 1 minutes. Then, flip the flautas and fry for another minute until golden brown. Add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan and repeat this process with the remaining flautas. ¾ cup vegetable oil
- Serve the flautas with your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and cilantro. Shredded lettuce, Diced tomatoes, Sliced avocado, Sour cream, Cilantro
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Becky’s Tips
- If your tortillas are cracking as you roll them, heat them in the microwave for a few seconds to make them more pliable.
- Fry these flautas seam-side down to help keep them closed.
- Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Rolled Taco Recipes We Love
- Beef Taquitos
- Chicken Taquitos
- Vegetarian Taquitos
- Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
Chicken Flautas Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
For the Flautas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- ½ cup salsa store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups freshly shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
Optional Toppings
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced avocado
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add in the onion, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Sauté for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the shredded chicken and salsa. Remove from heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ onion, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken, ½ cup salsa
- Place about 2 tablespoons each of the chicken filling and cheese in the middle of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly and place it seam side down on a plate. 2 cups freshly shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- Heat half of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place 4 flautas in the pan, seam side down, and fry for about 1 minutes. Then, flip the flautas and fry for another minute until golden brown. Add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan and repeat this process with the remaining flautas. ¾ cup vegetable oil
- Serve the flautas with your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and cilantro. Shredded lettuce, Diced tomatoes, Sliced avocado, Sour cream, Cilantro
Video
Notes
- If your tortillas are cracking as you roll them, heat them in the microwave for a few seconds to make them more pliable.
- Fry these flautas seam-side down to help keep them closed.
- Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
