Drown Your Flautas in Salsa

Flautas ahogadas
May 21, 2024

Flautas, on their own, are a near-perfect food: corn tortillas, fried to a shattering crisp and rolled around a filling. They're a great vehicle for leftover mashed potatoes or shredded chicken, come together quickly, and are a favorite of kids everywhere.

Flautas ahogadas are another thing entirely. It may seem counterintuitive to bathe (or drown, ahogar) something crispy in a sauce, but ... chilaquiles, anyone? When the crunchy masa gets just a liiiiitle bit soggy, a beautiful study in textures occurs. We don't want you to stop there: after drowning your flautas in a mild, tomato-based salsa, you'll pile on the toppings. Shredduce, queso fresco, and crema are all invited to the party. Now you've got crunchy, saucy, salty, and creamy. Is there anything better?
Flautas Ahogadas

Flautas Ahogadas

Miguel Guerrero

Ingredients

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    • 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped

    • ½ small white onion, chopped

    • 3 árbol chiles, dried and destemmed

    • 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled

    • ½ tsp thyme

    • ½ tsp dried oregano

    • ½ tbsp chicken bouillon

    • ½ cup water

    • Salt to taste

    • 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola vegetable oil, for sautéing)

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    • 12 corn tortillas

    • 2-3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded (can substitute shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey, or mashed potatoes)

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    • Mexican crema

    • Shredded lettuce

    • Queso fresco

    • Salsa verde

    Directions

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      1. In a comal or large skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, onions, chiles de árbol, and garlic to the comal. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and slightly caramelized.

      2. Transfer the sautéed mixture to a blender. Add the thyme, oregano, chicken bouillon, and ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth.

      3. Return the blended mixture to the skillet and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the salt to taste. Keep warm.

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      1. Cook or heat corn tortillas on a comal or in the microwave until pliable.

      2. Spoon 2-3 tbsp of shredded chicken on each tortilla and roll tightly into a cylinder.

      3. In a large skilled or deep fryer, heat enough oil to cover the flautas. Fry the flautas in batches until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

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      1. Place the fried flautas on a serving plate. Pour the warm salsa generously over the flautas. Top with crema, shredded lettuce, crumbled queso fresco, and a drizzle more of salsa.

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