Shredded Chicken Flautas

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, I thought I’d share one of my favorite Mexican recipes.  It’s extremely easy to make and tastes delicious!

TheMealPlanner

Chicken Flautas

2 cups shredded chicken (you can prepare the chicken yourself if you’d like.  I bought a roasted chicken from the grocery store that was already seasoned and cooked and it was perfect)

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Salt to taste

6-8 burrito sized tortillas (8-10 inches)

Cheese of your choice (at least 2 cups)

**If you’d rather not buy all the seasonings, that’s no problem.  Get a package of taco seasoning mix and use that.  Done and done.

1.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

2.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the chicken, water and spices.  Let this cook down for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken is heated through.  Most of the water will evaporate and you will be left with a nicely coated saucy chicken.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

3.  In the middle of a tortilla, place no more than 1/4 cup of your cheese of choice.  You want it to be in a line down the middle of the tortilla leaving about 2 inches from the edge on either side.  Place 1/4 cup of the shredded chicken mixture over the top of the cheese.  Fold in the two edges toward the center and tightly role the bottom of the tortilla over the mixture and roll until you have a long tight burrito.  Continue until you have your desired amount.

4.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place your flautas seam side down on the sheet.  Spray the top of the flautas with cooking spray or brush them with a little vegtable oil.  Bake in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes.  Flip them over and bake another 8-12 minutes.  Serve with salsa, quacamole, or just eat them as they are.

IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN OVEN:  Use the pre-made roasted chicken in this case.  Tear it apart and add the spices of your choice (either the spices listed, taco seasoning mix, or your own creation).  Build your burritos as mentioned above and put them in the microwave to melt the cheese, or eat them as is.  They are great either way!

Serve them with a margarita and you’re good to go for an awesome night of Mexican deliciousness!

Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips.