Chicken Flautas are crispy, cheesy, and super easy to make. They are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, appetizer, or even lunch. Your whole family will love it.
If you’re into Mexican fusion, you’re gonna love these crispy air fryer flautas. They’re stuffed with juicy chicken, packed with bold Mexican flavors, and wrapped in a tortilla that gets air-fried to golden, crunchy perfection. Perfect as an appetizer or as a meal in itself, like I do. Try my crunchy beef taquitos too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bold Flavor: The combination of chipotle and avocado ranch, along with bacon, adds a smoky, tangy depth.
- Family Friendly: These hold well and are easy to serve, making them great for game day or casual family dinners.
- Quick & Easy: Minimal prep, simple ingredients, and ready in under 45 minutes.
- Great for Dipping: While this chicken flatbread recipe is excellent on its own, you can get even more flavor when you dip it in jalapeno cilantro dip or salsa verde.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Use medium‑sized breasts so they cook evenly.
- Chipotle Ranch Dressing: Gives smoky, spicy creaminess. If you are not a fan of spicy, you can double the amount of avocado ranch or use regular ranch instead.
- Avocado Ranch Dressing: Creamy with a hint of avocado, it helps to balance the heat in this dish.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Use freshly shredded so it melts smoothly. Don’t skip using sharp cheddar for the best flavor!
- Cooked bacon: I used real crumbled bacon; however, you can cook your own bacon and chop it up, or even use bacon bits.
- Flour Tortillas: I used soft taco-sized tortillas as they fit best in the air fryer. You can use smaller tortillas if you want to make more of these and make them bite-sized.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Spicer: Add chopped jalapeño or drizzle the filling with hot sauce before rolling for an extra kick of heat.
- Cheese Variations: Try pepper jack or a Mexican four-cheese blend for different textures and heat.
- Swap the Meat: For something totally different try these with leftover shredded beef or pork. If you’re in a hurry, pick up rotisserie chicken to skip boiling the chicken.
How to Make Chicken Flautas
Are you ready to make this chicken flautas recipe? Grab a large skillet and a saucepan, and chop your onions so you can whip up this tasty meal in no time.
- Step 1: Cook & Shred Chicken. Boil the chicken breasts in salted water until cooked through. Then shred into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 2: Sauté Onion & Season Chicken. Saute the onions in a skillet with melted butter until tender. Stir in shredded chicken, Slap Ya Mama seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Step 3: Add the Dressings. Pour in chipotle and avocado ranch dressings. Stir to coat, then cook for 3–4 minutes.
- Step 4: Assemble Flautas. Lay the warm tortillas on a flat surface and pile cheese, chicken mixture, and bacon down the center. Roll tightly and place seam‑side down.
- Step 5: Air Fry. Place four flautas on a liner in the basket, and spray lightly with cooking spray. Air fry at 390°F for 6 minutes, then flip and spray again. Cook for an additional 3 minutes to achieve crispiness. Repeat with the remaining flautas.
- Step 6: Serve. Serve warm with sour cream or jalapeno salsa for dipping.
Expert Tips
- Easy Shredding: The chicken shreds more easily when it’s warm, so shred it as soon as it’s safe to handle, rather than letting it cool down.
- Reheating: I’ve found the best way to reheat is in the air fryer. Reheat at 350°F for 3-5 minutes, or until warm all the way through. Alternatively, you can use the oven but cook for 5-8 minutes to heat.
- Warm the Tortillas: Don’t skip the warming step. This prevents the tortillas from cracking and helps them roll easily.
- Roll Tightly: Roll the tortillas as tightly as possible without tearing them. This will help them stay together while air frying.
Serving Suggestions
- In my opinion, there is no better side dish than chips and skillet queso or homemade guacamole.
- Easy Spanish rice, black beans, or refried beans also make great sides to pair with this meal.
- For an extra pop of color, garnish the plate with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro or a lime wedge and enjoy with some extra sauce on the side.
Chicken Flautas Recipe FAQs
Yes, simply place the flautas on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake at 425°F for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden brown.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Yes, you can! I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then store them in a freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. There is no need to thaw them before reheating.
Try Our Easy Chicken Flautas Today
This delicious chicken flautas recipe is incredibly easy to make, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser. With so much flavor and so little work, it’s the perfect dish for any occasion, from dinners to parties. Give it a try, and I know you’ll fall in love with it.
More Easy Tex-Mex Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Crispy Chicken Flautas
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chipotle ranch dressing
- ½ cup avocado ranch dressing
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4.3 ounce Hormel® original real crumbled bacon
- 18-20 flour tortillas, soft taco size
Instructions
- In a medium pot, boil chicken over medium-high heat until no longer pink.
- Drain. Add chicken to a medium bowl and shred.
- Melt butter in a large frying pan, or skillet, over medium heat.
- Sauté onions until translucent then add shredded chicken and seasonings. Stir to combine then add chipotle ranch and avocado ranch dressing. Stir and let cook for 3-4 additional minutes.
- Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels, 10 at a time, and place on a microwave safe plate.
- Heat for 30 seconds and set aside. Then after filling, heat the remaining tortillas.
- Add shredded cheese to over half of the tortilla followed by the shredded chicken and crumbled bacon down the center.
- Roll up tightly and place seam side down while filling the remaining tortillas.
Cook In Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer at 390° F for 2 minutes. Place 4 chicken flautas on the disposable liner in the air fryer basket.
- Lightly spray with cooking spray and air fry at 390° for 6 minutes, flip, lightly spray flautas again, and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the air fryer basket and continue cooking the remaining flautas. Serve with additional ranch dressings or guacamole.
Cook In Oven
- Preheat the oven at 425°F. Place the flautas on a parchment-lined baking sheet seam-side down and lightly spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden brown. erve with additional ranch dressings or guacamole.
Notes
- Use damp paper towels: Be sure to wrap the tortillas in wet paper towels to prevent them from drying out and cracking while rolling them.
- Spray lightly: Spray the flautas lightly on the top and sides so that the tortilla gets nice and crispy in the air fryer. You will also want to do this if you are using the oven method.
