Chicken Flautas Ahogadas Recipes

Steps:

• Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil over high. Thinly slice half the onion crosswise into thin rounds, leaving the remaining onion half in one large piece. Add the onion wedge, tomatillos, chiles and garlic to the boiling water, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until softened and tomatillos take on a yellow-green hue, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and pour the remaining contents of the saucepan into a colander to drain.
• While tomatillos cool, toss the chicken with the cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• Coarsely chop the cooked onion, garlic and chiles, discarding chile stems. Transfer to a blender with 1/4 cup reserved cooking water and blend until chunky. Add the tomatillos and another 1/2 cup reserved cooking water and blend until smooth.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the saucepan over medium. Add the sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup reserved cooking water into the blender jar, swirl around to catch any remnants in blender, then pour the mixture into the saucepan. Simmer over low, stirring often, until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
• While the sauce cooks, wrap the tortillas in a damp dish towel and microwave, 1 minute. Shuffle the tortillas to redistribute the heat, then microwave, 1 minute more. Transfer to a dry dish towel and wrap tightly to keep warm.
• Heat about 1/2-inch oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high. To test if it's hot enough, tear off a small piece of tortilla, add to oil and flip after 30 seconds; the tortilla should turn light golden-brown. (You'll need to make sure the oil is properly heated so the flautas become crisp.) Working with one at a time, pull out a warm tortilla and add about 2 tablespoons chicken in a line down the center of the tortilla. Roll tightly and secure crosswise using two toothpicks.
• Once you've rolled all 12 tortillas, gently transfer them to the hot oil using tongs and cook, seam side down, until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Work in batches to avoid crowding.) Using tongs, tilt flautas over skillet to allow excess oil to drain, then transfer flautas to a paper towel-lined platter and carefully remove and discard toothpicks.
• To serve, divide the sauce among 4 shallow bowls (about 1/2 cup per serving). Divide the flautas among bowls and slather flautas with crema. Top with cheese, sliced onion and cilantro and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl combine the shredded chicken, picante sauce and ground cumin. Mix together.
• In a small skillet heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Place a corn tortilla in the oil for 1 to 2 seconds on either side to soften. Repeat with all of the tortillas (if possible, have someone help you do this). Place tortillas on paper towel to soak up some of the oil.
• Put 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and sprinkle some cheese on top. Roll up tortilla and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, seam side down. Repeat with all of the tortillas until chicken mixture is gone. If there is any cheese left over, sprinkle it over the rolled tortillas.
• Bake tortillas in the preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until tortillas are a little crispy and golden brown.

Steps:

• Scoop the avocado flesh into a blender. Add the sour cream and the juice of 1/2 lime and pulse until smooth. Season with salt.
• Squeeze the remaining 1/2 lime over the radishes in a small bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss the chicken with 3/4 cup salsa in a medium bowl.
• Heat 3/4 inch of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in paper towels and microwave until soft, about 45 seconds. Spoon the chicken mixture down the middle of the tortillas. Fold in the ends and roll up like a burrito; secure with toothpicks.
• Working in batches, fry the flautas in the oil, turning as needed, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with tongs; drain on paper towels and remove the toothpicks. Serve with the avocado cream, radishes, cilantro, lime wedges and the remaining 3/4 cup salsa.

Steps:

• 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.