Hi, this looks good, but I'm just not getting how this could be a weeknight dish for a busy working person! The ingredient list is long, and the process long! It's not simple or easy, a better dish to make on the weekend.
Chicken Flautas with Cotija and Salsa Roja
Flautas, flavorful miniature tacos that are a perfect finger food, are usually deep-fried until fully cooked. In this recipe the corn tortillas get just a brief flash-fry, just to soften them for filling and rolling, and are finished in the oven, which both saves hands-on time and keeps them a bit healthier than their retail counterparts.
If you don't want to sacrifice authenticity, then by all means fry away: just increase the amount of oil you'll need to one cup and fry the flautas in batches of six for 2-3 minutes per side (10-12 minutes total), until deep golden and crispy. Place finished flautas on a paper towel-lined tray and keep them in a 200° oven until ready to serve. Whether you fry or bake, to maximize margarita time, you can make the chicken filling and salsa roja up to a day in advance.
If you don't want to sacrifice authenticity, then by all means fry away: just increase the amount of oil you'll need to one cup and fry the flautas in batches of six for 2-3 minutes per side (10-12 minutes total), until deep golden and crispy. Place finished flautas on a paper towel-lined tray and keep them in a 200° oven until ready to serve. Whether you fry or bake, to maximize margarita time, you can make the chicken filling and salsa roja up to a day in advance.
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Credit: Anna Stockwell
MAKES 24 FLAUTAS
2 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano flakes
1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb.)
6 Tbs. canola oil, separated
1 large white onion, half thinly sliced and half chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
8 oz. cotija cheese or queso blanco, crumbled
4 plum tomatoes, stemmed and chopped
1 jalapeńo, stemmed and chopped
4 sprigs cilantro, torn
24 six-inch corn tortillas
1. Combine spices and 2 tsp. of salt and sprinkle evenly over chicken breasts. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add chicken, sliced onion, and 1 clove garlic. Cook until the chicken is browned and no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken, onion and garlic to a medium bowl and allow to cool until able to handle.
2. While the chicken rests, make the salsa roja: Puree the chopped onion, remaining garlic, tomatoes, jalapeńo, and cilantro in a blender until smooth, about one minute. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the sauté pan and heat tomato mixture until slightly thickened and reduced to two cups, about 18-20 minutes. Season the mixture to taste and transfer salsa to a serving bowl, reserving 1/3 cup.
3. Using your fingers, shred the cooled chicken, and toss with the reserved salsa and the crumbled cotija, mixing well. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 425°, with racks in upper and lower thirds, and line two 11"x17" rimmed baking trays with foil. Wipe out pan and add remaining oil. Fry tortillas one at a time for 2-3 seconds per side until just soft; remove from oil and place on one of the prepared trays in sets of four. Place 2 Tbs. filling in a vertical line down the center of each softened tortilla, and roll up tightly. Place seam-down on the second tray, leaving 2 inches of space between each flauta. Repeat with remaining tortillas, arranging half on each tray. Bake 30-35 minutes, alternating racks and rotating trays halfway through cooking time until flautas are crisp and deep golden. Serve warm with salsa roja on the side.
Note: If spicy isn't your thing, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeńo prior to pureeing.
Ratings & Reviews (6)
@IATERRY, I would suggest using this recipe if you have leftover already cooked chicken. The ingredient list isn't that long, most of it is spices. You can use the same pan to fry the tortillas, cook the chicken, and the salsa which cuts down on cleaning time.
Excellent recipe. Its complete and if you follow it as its written with a few exceptions ..its great. I would up the cilantro in the sauce and would not bother stemming plum tomatoes ( not really sure what that means anyway ) Feta instead of queso blanco add another depth.
I followed the recipe with the exception of using leftover oven roasted chicken and pre-made salsa instead of cooking chicken and making salsa. They are burned black! 30-35 minutes of baking time including alternating racks rotating trays halfway through did not prevent this from happening. I recommend if you decide to make this watch your flautas like a hawk so your food and money do not go to waste! These looked so delicious in the picture so I am VERY disappointed. All that hard work and money down the drain!
I looked up the difference between Flauta and Taquito... while the definition said the terms were sometimes used interchangeably, it also stated that the flauta is made with flour tortillas and the taquito with corn tortillas; the flauta is usally long and served as a main course while the taquito is short and used for appetizers. So I guess my question/comment is, is this recipe titled correctly?
I don't know. Flautas (flutes) are made with flour tortillas and are a lot of work to prepare correctly at home. The beauty of them is how crunchy they become when fried. Otherwise, you'll end up with something closer to an enchilada. Also, instead of the rioja sauce, try topping them with a thin spread of sour cream, a sprinkle of shredded lettuce, a plop of guacomole, then a spoonful of pico de gallo. Pick it up immediately and bite into that crunchy goodness. Now THAT'S a flauta!
Chicken Flautas with Cotija and Salsa Roja
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