Mexican Taquitos Flautas Recipes

MEXICAN TAQUITOS (FLAUTAS)

Steps:

• To make the sauce: Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, bullion cube, and chiles to a blender; blend until smooth.
• In a sauce pan heat 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable oil over medium heat.
• Add sauce and simmer about 5-10 minutes.
• Reserve 1/4 cup of sauce for filling.
• To make filling: Mix shredded meat and reserved sauce together will.
• Heat vegetable oil for frying in a deep fryer or tall saucepan to 350-375°F.
• To make taquitos: Wrap 12 of the tortillas in a kitchen towel and put in microwave for 2 minutes. Keep tortillas wrapped in towel while making taquitos so they don't dry out.
• Place one tortilla on the counter in front of you and add shredded meat mixture in a line across the tortilla on the side closest to you, but not all the way on the edge (about 2-3 tablespoons of mixture. Begin to roll tortilla around mixture, rolling away from you (try to roll as tightly as possible so that the filling doesn't fall out during frying). Taquito should resemble a fat cigar (the sides are not folded in--they are just left open). Pierce with a toothpick through the center of taquito to keep from unrolling.
• Add each taquito to oil as you go or they will dry out and crack.
• Do not crowd oil too much. I usually cook about 6-7 at a time.
• Feel taquitos with tongs as they cook. When they are hard, remove and drain on paper towels (about 5 minutes). I usually line a large bowl with paper towels and drain all of the taquitos vertically so that all of the excess oil can drain out.
• When those 12 tortillas are done, heat up the remaining 12 in the same towel and repeat. The reason I don't heat up all 24 at the same time is because the stack is so thick that the top and bottom few tortillas dry out and the middle ones are not cooked enough and will crack when you try to roll them.
• When all of the taquitos are finished, put as many as you want per serving on a plate (I usually serve 5-6 per person); top with sauce.
• Add shredded lettuce and sliced onion.
• Top that with a few spoonfuls of sour cream (or if you are like me, more than a few).
• Sprinkle with queso fresco.
• Yum!

MEXICAN STYLE CHICKEN FLAUTAS

Steps:

• Add the chicken to the previously heated tortillas, and roll.
• Stick a toothpick through each flauta to prevent it from unrolling.
• Fry them in canola oil over medium heat, constantly turning to make sure that you get the desired level of doneness.
• Pat dry the excess oil with a paper towel and remove the toothpicks.
• Top with chopped lettuce, pico de gallo, cheese, table cream, and salsa - in that order.

FLAUTAS DE POLLO (CHICKEN FLAUTAS)

Steps:

• Add the Canola oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat, and wait for the oil to reach between 350°-375°. In the meantime, assemble the flautas.
• Mix the shredded chicken and cheese in a large bowl together and set aside until ready to use.
• Wrap a stack of 3-5 flour tortillas at a time in damp paper towel and place on a microwavable -safe plate. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute intervals, just until the tortillas are soft and pliable.
• Add about 2 tablespoons of filling to each tortillas and roll tightly. Once you have 3-4 flautas assembled, begin adding them to the oil one at a time.
• Gently add the flautas to the hot oil seam-side down, and using a pair of tongs, hold it in place for about 15 seconds. Fry for 30-45 seconds on each side, or until the flauta is golden in color. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towels, and repeat with remaining flautas.
• Serve with desired topping and enjoy!

EASY BAKED FLAUTAS (TAQUITOS!)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (necessary for cleanup!).
• Thinly slice the green onions.
• If you're using canned refried beans, take a taste and determine whether they're well seasoned. If not, add a few pinches of kosher salt and cumin. If you're using our Homemade Refried Beans, they'll be perfectly seasoned and you can skip this step.
• In a large bowl, mix together the green onion, refried beans, salsa, chili powder, and shredded cheese.
• Optional step: If you're using 100% corn tortillas, you may want to pan fry each one in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil (or without in a dry pan) to prevent cracking and help them be easier to work with. Every tortilla brand is different, so if your tortillas seem brittle it's helpful to heat them before rolling. You can do this with corn tortillas too!
• Lay a tortilla on a work surface. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the bean mixture in a dollop onto the bottom half of the tortilla. Be careful not to use too much! Tightly roll the tortilla from the bottom (the filling will spread out and hold the tortilla together). Place the flauta seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
• When the flautas are assembled, brush the tops with oil and sprinkle them with a bit of salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp and browned. Some of the beans will come out the ends of the rolls, which is expected (enough filling will remain to perfectly flavor them!). Serve with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. Freezing instructions: Cool the flautas to room temperature, then freeze in a sealed container. To reheat, bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until warmed through.

CRISPY FLAUTAS

Steps:

• Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bell pepper and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in the chicken breast. Cook and stir until the chicken breast is no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. Shred the chicken using two forks. Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Simmer until the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Cheddar cheese, then remove from heat, and set aside.
• Lightly brush each corn tortilla will a layer of salsa. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in a line along the bottom edge of the tortilla. Tightly roll the tortilla into a cylinder, and secure the ends with one or two toothpicks. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
• Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a large skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Fry the flautas in the preheated oil, no more than 4 at a time, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain the flautas on a paper towel-lined plate. Discard toothpicks and top finished flautas with remaining salsa.