Chef notes
Tio Antonio, my older brother and Tia Lisa are always ready to lend a hand in the kitchen. Tia Lisa comes from an Italian family and always adds in Italian cheeses, such as Parmesan and mozzarella, to her flautas.
Ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- canola oil
- 4 Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, for garnish
- 1 cup Mexican crema, for garnish
- 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese, for garnish
- Parmesan and mozzarella, for garnish
Preparation
1.Place stack of tortillas on a plate and microwave for about 1 minute to make them pliable.
2.Place 1/4 cup shredded chicken mixture down center of each tortilla and roll up tightly to enclose, using 2 toothpicks to secure each flauta.
3.Pour enough oil in heavy large pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the pan. The oil is ready for frying when an oil thermometer reaches 350 F to 375 F, or when you dip the tip of a wooden spoon into the hot oil and little bubbles form on the spoon.
4.Fry flautas until crisp and golden brown, about 7 minutes total. Transfer flautas to paper towels to drain and then place on a serving platter.
5.Mix tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl. Season salsa with salt and pepper to taste.
6.Top flautas with shredded lettuce, salsa a drizzle of crema and Cotija cheese crumbles. Feel free to add in Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.