Chicken Flautas with Avocado Cream Sauce

I absolutely LOVE Mexican food! Love love love loooove it! Needless to say when Dr. Sweetpea and I were in Cozumel earlier this year, I pigged out and ate a ton of it. When we came back to Minneapolis, I was Mexican Fooded out and didn't want any for a while and now my cravings are back. I was looking for some Flauta recipes online when I came across a recipe by Sunny Anderson. I saw it had a ton of amazing reviews and decided to try making them at home, especially since it's so simple to make! Plus, who doesn't love cutting down the cooking process by using store bought Rotisserie Chicken? Anyhow, these flautas are quick to throw together and packed with a ton of flavor. Dr. Sweetpea devoured 4 flautas in one sitting and told me to never lose this recipe!

Chicken Flautas with Avocado Cream 

(Source: Sunny Anderson)

Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat finely shredded

1 cup salsa

1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 cup shredded Cheddar/Monterey jack blend

1 lime, juiced

Salt

16 (5 to 6-inch) flour tortillas

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving

For the Avocado Cream:

1 very ripe avocado, halved, pitted and flesh removed

1 (4-ounce) container sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt

Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach 2 inches up the side of the pan. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reads 375 degrees F. To make the flautas: In a pan over medium heat melt butter and saute onions and jalapenos until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Add chicken and salsa; stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, cheese and lime juice. Let cool slightly. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.Working with 4 tortillas at a time, spread a heaping spoonful along the middle of each tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick. Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt. Keep flautas warm in the oven on a sheet tray while assembling and cooking the remaining tortillas.

To make the Avocado Cream: In a serving bowl, mash avocado, sour cream and lime juice until smooth. Season with salt, to taste. To serve, arrange flautas on a platter of shredded lettuce and serve with Avocado Cream on the side.

If you can bake these instead of frying them by:

Place 3 Tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.