Ingredients

Scale

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped fine
2 mini sweet peppers, chopped (add some chopped jalapeno or other hot pepper if you want a spicy kick)
1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach leaves
1 1/4 cup shredded chicken (leftover, rotisserie or see notes below to see how I made my shredded chicken)
3 – 4 teaspoons taco seasoning mix (or to taste – recommend my Qdoba taco seasoning especially if using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken)
2 oz. Greek cream cheese or Neufchatel
2 oz. shredded Mexican cheese or Muenster
8 – 10 medium flour tortillas
Avocado oil (or other high-smoke point oil), if frying

Instructions

Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and sweet pepper. Stir and cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add the spinach. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Stir.
Add the chicken, taco seasoning mix, and cream cheese. Cook and stir until the cream cheese is melted, then add the shredded cheese and stir until cheese is fully melted. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Heat the tortillas in the microwave or stovetop to soften them. Spoon 2 – 4 Tablespoons full in a thin line down the tortilla, then roll up the tortilla tightly and seal with a toothpick.
Fry in a frying pan over medium heat with about 1/2 inch of hot avocado oil (or other oil with high smoke point), rotating until all sides are browned and puffy … or set on an oiled baking sheet, spray generously with cooking spray and bake at 400 F. for about 20 minutes or until crispy, turning half-way.
Remove the toothpicks. Serve hot with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, Sriracha ranch, bean dip or your favorite Mexican dipping sauce, along with Spanish rice and seasoned beans (refried or regular).

Notes

To make the shredded chicken, I put 2 frozen bone-in chicken thighs in the instant pot with 1 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup salsa, 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1 chopped seeded mini sweet pepper with 2 Tablespoons of my Qdoba Taco Seasoning mix, then cooked at high pressure for 30 minutes, quick release. Let cool until cool enough to touch, then shred the chicken, straining and adding back in some of the juices to keep it moist.

Flautas can be frozen: put them on a baking sheet with a bit of space between and set the baking sheet in the freezer until frozen. When frozen, put in a plastic bag. Reheat from frozen at 400 F. for 12 – 15 minutes or until crispy.

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