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Crispy Flautas with Chicken or Beef

Crispy flautas are golden-brown rolled tortillas filled with shredded chicken or beef, jalapeños, cilantro, and cheddar cheese, then fried until shatter-crisp. The filling stays visible at the tortilla ends for a standout, appetizing presentation.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Filling
  • 2 cup shredded cooked chicken or beef Use shredded and cooked.
  • 0.5 cup diced jalapeños
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
Flautas
  • 12 flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cup vegetable oil for frying About 2 cups, used for frying.
Serving
  • 0.5 sour cream For serving.
  • 0.5 salsa For serving.
  • 0.5 guacamole For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the filling
  1. In a bowl, combine shredded cooked chicken or beef with diced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed.
  2. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as needed so the filling is well seasoned.
Assemble the flautas
  1. Lay out the flour tortillas and spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling and 1 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese into the center of each tortilla.
  2. Roll tightly, tucking in the sides; if needed, secure with a toothpick to keep the seam closed.
Fry until crispy
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F.
  2. Fry flautas in batches for about 2 minutes per side, turning once, until golden-brown and crispy.
  3. Transfer flautas to paper towels to drain after frying.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole on the side.

Notes

For the crispiest texture, keep the oil at a steady 350°F and avoid overstuffing the tortillas so they seal tightly while frying. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 425°F oven or air fryer until hot and crisp again. Freezing isn’t recommended because fried tortillas soften after thawing. If you want a lighter option, you can try baking or air-frying rolled flautas, but the result won’t be as crisp as deep-frying.