Chicken and Black Bean Flautas

Chicken and Black Bean Flautas are an easy Mexican appetizer or main dish filled with chicken, salsa, black beans, and Pepper Jack cheese. Top it with a chipotle cream sauce and guacamole. Cinco De Mayo is around the corner and I’m so excited to celebrate with all things Mexican like this delicious chicken recipe.

CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN FLAUTAS

I grew up in Arizona so anytime I can eat Mexican food, I get pretty excited. I flew home to Arizona last week to surprise my mom for her birthday and even though I landed at 10pm my dad had food from our favorite Mexican restaurant waiting for my sisters and I. See, he gets it! We sat talked and ate until almost midnight.

There’s something about Mexican food that makes my soul happy. Chips and pico de gallo, guacamole, warm tortillas, the smell of lime juice and cilantro…all of it makes me feel like I’m home.

fb image - Chicken and Black Bean Flautas

You’ll want to use the small tortillas for these Chicken and Black Bean Flautas.

Place about 1/4 cup of the filling (chicken, cheese, black beans, and salsa) inside the tortilla and roll up tightly placing seam side down.

Why aren’t these called taquitos?

The first time I made these Baked Chicken Taquitos, I had a couple of angry emails explaining that they weren’t actually taquitos but were flautas. The difference is that if they are made with a corn tortilla they are called taquitos, but it if you make them with flour tortillas the correct name is flautas. Hardly anyone really distinguishes between the two and use the terms interchangeably.

fb image - Chicken and Black Bean Flautas

There are several ways you can make these Chicken and Black Bean Flautas: baked, fried, or pan-fried.

I prefer to have fried flautas because they are just so crispy but here are a couple other ways to eat them.

Baked Flautas: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place flautas seam side down on the pan. Brush with oil and bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Fried Flautas: Fill a pan up with oil enough for frying. Heat to medium high heat and fry for just a couple of minutes or until golden brown.
Pan-Fried Flautas: Place a couple of tablespoons in a skillet. Fry a couple of flautas at a time, browning all sides.

OTHER MEXICAN RECIPES:

Ingredients

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese, (can also use cheddar or Monterey Jack)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup salsa
2 (10 count) Old el Paso soft flour tortillas
oil for brushing or frying, (see note)

Chipotle Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers , (see Note)
1 lime juiced

Instructions

In a large bowl, add the chicken, cheese, black beans, and salsa. Mix to combine. Place about 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of each tortilla and roll up tightly.
There are several ways you can make these: baked, fried, or pan fried. For Baked: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place flautas seam side down on the pan. Brush with oil and bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. For Fried: Fill a pan up with oil enough for frying. Heat to medium high heat and fry for just a couple of minutes or until golden brown. Pan Fried: Place a couple of tablespoons in a skillet. Fry a couple of flautas at a time, browning all sides.

For the Chipotle Sauce:

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, adobe sauce, and lime juice. Add more adobo sauce to taste.
Serve whole or slice in half on a diagonal. Drizzle flautas with chipotle cream and top with desired toppings like guacamole, pico de gallo, and cilantro.

Notes

Chipotle peppers can be found in the Mexican aisle. Since most recipes call for only 1 or 2 chipotle peppers or adobo sauce, you can freeze the rest for later use. My family doesn’t love chipotle so I leave it out. Don’t leave out the lime juice. It gives it a bright fresh flavor.

Baked or Fried? These flautas can be baked for a healthier version or fried. I personally prefer fried but if I’m trying to eat a little healthier I eat baked.