Mini chicken flautas are crispy, rolled tortillas filled with seasoned shredded chicken and diced chiles then fried until golden brown. These mini snacks are perfect for dipping and make a fun, crowd-pleasing appetizer or party food.
These mini chicken flautas are easy to fix, especially if you already have leftover rotisserie chicken.
My youngest son asked to have walking tacos for his 6th birthday party and I decided we should have an appetizer.
I already have a one-pan chicken flauta recipe and decided to go with a mini version of that with street taco tortilla shells.
What are flautas?
Flautas are made with a flour tortilla rolled with a savory filling like shredded chicken, beef, pork, or beans, then fried until crispy and golden. The ends are left open.
Their name means “flutes” in Spanish, because of their long, thin shape. Flautas are typically served with toppings like shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or crumbled cheese.
They are sometimes confused with taquitos, which are made with smaller corn tortillas. They are filled with similar meats and spices as flautas.
Traditionally, flautas are not made with sour cream in them, but I find it helps bind the chicken together in this recipe and keeps the chicken moist.
Ingredients
- Shredded Rotisserie or Diced Chicken
- Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Diced Green Chiles
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Oregano
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Mini Flour Tortilla Shells
- Sour Cream, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, or Salsa, optional toppings
How to Make Mini Chicken Flautas
- In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cheese, sour cream, green chiles, and all spices and seasonings.
- Place tortillas inside a damp paper towel and heat for 20-30 seconds to make them easier to roll.
- Add approximately 1.5 tablespoons of the mixture to each tortilla and roll closed, with the outer seal facing down to keep it closed. If needed, use a toothpick to hold them closed. Press the mixture in the ends to keep them from spilling out as they cook.
- Heat enough oil in a large pan so that it comes halfway up the side of each flauta over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, cook each mini chicken flauta for 2 minutes per side, starting with the seam facing down, until they are golden brown.
- Place them on a paper towel-lined plate or a pan with a metal wire cooling rack.
- Serve with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, or salsa.
Variations
Instead of going with chicken, add some shredded beef or pork. Beef flautas happen to be one of my favorites when we go to Mexican restaurants.
Another great addition to flautas is diced onions. I recommend sautéing them before adding to the chicken mixture to soften them and give a milder flavor.
Flautas can also be made meatless with black beans or pinto beans in place of chicken. Add in some more veggies to give it more flavor.
Recommended Recipes
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
- Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
- Air Fryer Frozen Taquitos
- Baked Steak Taco Cups
- High-Protein Street Corn Chicken Bowl (Meal Prep)
- Instant Pot Street-Style Beef Tacos
- One-Pan Chicken Flautas
Mini Chicken Flautas
Ingredients
- 2 cups Shredded Rotisserie or Diced Chicken
- ½ cup Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
- ⅓ cup Sour Cream
- 2 tablespoons Diced Green Chiles I used about half of an Old El Paso 4-ounce can
- 1 tablespoons Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Mini Flour Tortilla Shells
- Canola Oil
- Sour Cream, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, or Salsa optional toppings
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cheese, sour cream, green chiles, and all spices and seasonings.
- Place tortillas inside a damp paper towel and heat for 20-30 seconds to make them easier to roll.
- Add approximately 1.5 tablespoons of mixture to each tortilla and roll closed, with the outer seal facing down to keep it closed. If needed, use a toothpick to hold them closed. Press the mixture in the ends to keep them from spilling out as they cook.
- Heat enough oil in a large pan so that it comes halfway up the side of each flauta over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, cook each mini chicken flauta for 2 minutes per side, starting with the seam facing down, until they are golden brown. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate or a pan with a metal wire cooling rack.
- Serve with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, or salsa.
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