This is a one-pan chicken flautas recipe, or flautas de pollo, made with a crispy, pan-fried flour tortilla shell filled with sautéed onions and tasty shredded chicken filling topped with pico de gallo, sour cream, or guacamole.
Chicken flautas are one of my favorite things to order at a Mexican restaurant. The crispy tortilla shell is what I love the most!
If you’re on the hunt for a main dish that will wow your taste buds and is simple to make, look no further.
This is a great recipe for crispy flautas, a Mexican food classic that’s perfect for any occasion, especially Cinco de Mayo.
These easy chicken flautas are a breeze to whip up, with a prep time that’s as minimal as it gets. Not only are they a crowd pleaser, but they also pack lots of flavor in every crunchy bite.
What are chicken flautas?
Flautas, Spanish for flute, are made with a larger flour tortilla shell and are typically filled with peppers, onions, and shredded meat.
Flautas vs Taquitos
One is the size difference. Taquitos are smaller, but most importantly, they are made with a corn tortilla. Flautas are made with flour tortillas.
They are a huge hit!
I decided it was time to try making them at home and realized it’s easy and quick!
It actually took me more time trying to decide if I wanted beef or chicken, but this seasoned chicken really won me over.
These flautas can easily feed a large family, and they’re not as costly as going out to the restaurant.
Ingredients for One-Pan Chicken Flautas
- Chicken Breasts or Rotisserie Chicken (like in my Instant Pot frozen shredded chicken recipe)
- Shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
- Small Onion
- Ground Coriander
- Ground Cumin
- Achiote Powder (Ground Annatto Seeds); Can be substituted with Turmeric if unavailable
- Oregano
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Onion Powder
- Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Flour Tortillas (I use 8″ medium-sized soft taco shells)
How to Make Chicken Flautas
- Slice the onion into thin strips.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, cook the onions until they begin to brown, about 5-7 minutes, and then set aside.
- Pat chicken breasts dry and season with salt.
- In the same skillet, add olive oil, and then add chicken breasts. Cook them until they are no longer pink in the center and browned on the outside, about 3-4 minutes per side. Wipe out the pan with damp paper towels.
- If you have bear paws, use them for this step! If not, use forks or a hand mixer, but the bear paws are way more fun! Shred your chicken until there’s no more shredding to be done.
- Once the fun is over and the chicken is shredded, add in all the seasonings and onion, then stir.
- Add the chicken/onion mixture to a flat tortilla shell, sprinkle cheese on top, and then roll the tortilla. Don’t overfill, and leave the ends open.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of cooking oil in the same skillet used before. Place rolled tortillas seam-side down into the hot pan.
- Cook each one for 2-3 minutes on each side until they get that nice golden brown color.
- Once flautas are cooked, top with sour cream, pico de gallo, or guacamole.
Toppings
- Sour Cream
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Chopped Cilantro
- Crumbled Queso Fresco
- Salsa Verde
- Queso Dip
What to Serve with Flautas
- Mexican Rice: A flavorful side made with tomatoes, onions, and chicken broth.
- Refried Beans: Creamy and savory, they pair well with the crunchiness of the flautas.
- Esquites (Mexican Street Corn): Corn on the cob coated with mayo, cheese, lime, and chili powder.
- Mexican Black Beans: Easy Mexican black beans made on the stovetop and seasoned with spices make a delicious side.
- Pico de Gallo: A fresh salsa made with diced tomatoes, garlic, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeños.
- Chorizo Queso with Flour Tortilla Chips: Crispy flour tortilla chips and gooey melted Mexican cheese topped with chorizo.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover flautas in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container, like a resealable plastic bag.
For longer storage, place the individually wrapped flautas in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1-2 hours). Then transfer them to a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating Chicken Flautas
I avoid reheating flautas in the microwave because it makes them soggy. I typically use my toaster oven to quickly reheat flautas, and it gets them nice and crispy.
- Reheat in the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the flautas on a baking sheet and heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are heated through and crispy.
- Reheat in the Toaster Oven: If you have a toaster oven, it’s a convenient way to reheat a small number of flautas. Heat them at 375°F (190°C) for about 10-12 minutes.
- Reheat in the Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and heat the flautas for about 5-7 minutes, or until they are hot and crispy.
- Reheat on the Stovetop: Reheat the flautas in a skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally until they are heated through and crispy.
Recommended Recipes
- 19 Cinco de Mayo Mexican Recipes
- 27 Air Fryer Cinco de Mayo Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
- Air Fryer Fish Tacos
- Corn and Black Bean Salsa
- Garlic-Lime Chicken and Peppers
- Mexican Black Beans
- Mini Chicken Flautas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
One-Pan Chicken Flautas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Small Onion sliced into thin strips
- 1-2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 pound Chicken Breasts
- 1 tablespoon Ground Coriander
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Achiote Powder Ground Annatto Seeds; Can be substituted with Turmeric if unavailable
- 1 tablespoon Oregano
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ cup Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
- Flour Tortillas
Toppings
- Sour Cream
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Lettuce
- Tomato
Instructions
- Rinse and cut the onion into thin strips. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the sliced onions and cook until they begin to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Set onions aside.
- Pat chicken breasts dry and season with salt. Using the same pan, add 1 teaspoon olive oil and cook chicken breasts until the center is no longer pink and each side is a golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Place cooked chicken into another mixing bowl. Shred chicken and add all seasonings. Mix well, then add the cooked onion.
- Begin filling flour tortillas with chicken and onion mixture, sprinkle with cheese, and then roll the shell closed.
- Heat the previously used pan over medium-high heat and add 1-2 teaspoons olive oil. Working in batches, place filled tortillas seam side down into the pan and cook until browned on each side, about 2-3 minutes each. Be careful when turning so that the filling does not fall out.
- Once flautas are cooked, top with sour cream, pico de gallo, or guacamole.
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