Go Back

Chicken Flautas with Avocado Tomatillo Dipping Sauce

Alternate Black Bean Filling included
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, southwestern, tex mex, vegetarian
Servings 14 28 pieces

Equipment

  • food processor, heavy pan for frying

Ingredients
  

Avocado Tomatillo Dipping Sauce

  • 6 tomatillos husked and rinsed
  • 1 small onion quartered
  • 3-4 cloves garlic whole
  • 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos
  • 1 handful cilantro leaves
  • 2 avocados peeled and chunked
  • pinch salt to taste

Flautas-Chicken

  • 4 cups cooked chicken shredded
  • 3 cups mexican blend cheese shredded
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 cup pickled jalapenos diced
  • 3 teaspoons chimayo spice mix or your favorite blend of mexican/southwestern spices
  • 1 teaspoons salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 28-30 corn tortillas
  • 1 egg+1-2 teaspoons water lightly beaten
  • canola or vegetable oil for frying

Alternate Black Bean Filling

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large white or yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon chimayo spice mix or your favorite blend of mexican/southwestern spices
  • 3 15 ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 chipotle pepper with 1 tablespoon sauce minced
  • 1 cup pickled jalapenos diced
  • 1/4 cup vegetable stock or as needed
  • 2 cups mexican cheese blend shredded
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Instructions
 

Avocado Tomatillo Dipping Sauce

  • Preheat oven to 400º.  Place tomatillos, onion and garlic on a foil covered sheet pan and roast for 10-15 minutes until tomatillos just start to get soft and turn a soft grey-green color and onions and garlic just start to brown.  Place roasted tomatillos, onion and garlic with jalapeños, cilantro and avocados in a blender, food processor or deep bowl (for a stick blender). Process until smooth.  Salt to taste; set aside for serving.

For Chicken Filling

  • In a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, onion, jalapeños, and spices. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

Heat Oil

  • Heat about 2" oil in a large, wide, shallow, heavy pan over medium high heat to 275-300º

Fill Flautas

  • Warm the tortillas, about 12 at a time, wrapped in paper towels in the microwave until soft and pliable, about 40-50 seconds. Place one tortilla on a work surface and brush the north edge (farthest away from you) with egg wash.  Be generous and cover about 1" into the tortilla. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken or black bean filling just south of the center of the tortilla.  Roll up tightly and press the egg washed edge to seal.  If you can work quickly you should be able to place these directly in the preheated oil, seam side down, as you continue to roll more flautas.  Alternately, fill all flautas and then start to fry.

Fry Flautas

  • Fry for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. 

Alternate Black Bean Filling

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat.  Add onions and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes.  Add garlic and spices and sauté a minute more.  Set aside.
     Puree half of the black beans in a food processor or blender. Scrape into a bowl. Add the Chipotle pepper, adobo sauce and jalapeños. Stir in remaining black beans, cooked onion mixture, cheese and cilantro. Stir in as much stock as needed for a creamy and spreadable consistency.

Notes

These flautas are best served right out of the fryer, however, they reheat and re-crisp really well on a sheet pan in a 350º oven for 15-20 minutes. I also freeze any extras and reheat from the freezer, giving them a bit more time in the oven, 20-25 minutes. Serve with Avocado Tomatillo Dipping Sauce and sour cream if desired.  The black bean filling is also great as an enchilada filling, a dip with chips or addition to nachos.
Keyword black bean filling, flautas, tomatillo