Chicken Flautas

These tortilla rolls, stuffed with chicken and topped with Mexican white cream, cheese, salsa and cabbage, make for a tantalizing meal. Paula, hailing from Michoacan, Mexico, shows us how to prepare a salsa typical of her region of origin. Salsa preparation varies throughout Mexico in terms of spices and technique. Without a doubt, the secret sauce of this favorite recipe is the home made salsa. It steals the show… try it and see for yourself!

RECIPE:

Boil 1 chicken breast  with a pinch of salt, 1 clove of garlic, and 1/2 an onion divided into quarters, for 20 minutes or so. After the chicken is boiled, shred the chicken by hand into pieces small enough to fit onto the tortillas. Be sure to let chicken cool before shredding and to discard any bones. Put tortillas in microwave for 2 minutes until warm and soft. Be sure to let tortillas cool before handling. Place enough shredded chicken in a line down center of tortilla. Roll tortilla up tight and press down firmly so that chicken won’t fall out when frying. Warm up oil in pan before adding flautas (Paula prefers corn oil because that is the type of oil used most commonly in Mexico). Remember to turn flautas so they won’t burn. Once flautas are golden brown, remove from oil. Be sure to drain excess oil from flautas by placing on paper towel. Align flautas on serving plate and set aside.

To make the salsa, first boil 3 chilies and 3 tomatoes. Ground together a pinch of salt and 1 clove of garlic in mortar and pestle. Add boiled chillies, one by one, as well as tomatoes (be sure to peel off tomato skins before adding tomatoes to salsa mixture). Salsa is complete.

Use hands to then crumble the Mexican white cheese into small pieces and set aside. Cut cabbage into fine pieces, then wash in strainer and set aside.

Spoon Mexican white cream onto flautas. Follow up with Mexican white cheese next. Add salsa on top of cheese. Finish up with cabbage topping.

Best served hot and fresh – Buen Provencho!