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Crispy Flautas with Chicken or Beef

Crispy flautas are golden-brown rolled tortillas stuffed with chicken or beef, cheese, and jalapeños, then fried until crunchy. The filling peeks out at the ends for a classic fried presentation, finished with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Filling and tortillas
  • 2 cup shredded cooked chicken or beef
  • 12 flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 0.5 cup diced jalapeños
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
Frying and serving
  • 2 cup vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 sour cream for serving
  • 1 salsa for serving
  • 1 guacamole for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the filling
  1. Combine shredded cooked chicken or beef with diced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until evenly distributed. The filling should look speckled with jalapeño and cilantro.
Roll the flautas
  1. Lay the flour tortillas out and spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling plus about 1 tablespoon shredded cheese into the center of each. Keep the filling centered so the tortillas can roll tightly.
  2. Roll each tortilla tightly, tucking in the sides to enclose the filling. If needed, secure with a toothpick so the seam stays closed.
Fry until crispy
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet to 350°F. Test readiness by carefully lowering a small bit of filling into the oil—bubbles should form right away.
  2. Fry the flautas in batches, turning after about 2 minutes per side until golden-brown and crispy. Avoid overcrowding so the oil temperature stays near 350°F.
Drain and serve
  1. Drain the flautas on paper towels after frying. They should look crisp and deeply golden while steaming less as they drain.
  2. Serve immediately with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole on the side. Arrange toppings for dipping so every flautas stays hot and crunchy.

Notes

Pro tip: keep flautas seam-side down while frying so they hold their tight roll shape and the filling stays contained. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days, but note the texture softens; re-crisp in a hot oven if desired. Freezing is not recommended for best crunch. For a lighter option, use baked instead of fried tortillas with a light oil coating and serve with the same toppings.