Chicken Flautas With Orange And Red Onion Salsa Recipes

Steps:

• 1. TO MAKE THE F1AUTAS: In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken breasts, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and peppercorns. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes (the chicken will not be completely cooked). Remove from the heat, cover tightly, and let the chicken cool in the liquid, about 1 hour. 2. Remove the chicken from the bones, shred the chicken, and discard the skin and bones. Set the chicken aside. 3. Heat a dry medium skillet over medium heat. Add a tortilla to the skillet and heat, turning once, until pliable, about 30 seconds. Place on a work surface. Add one eighth of the shredded chicken and roll up the tortilla into a narrow "flute," securing the tortilla closed with a wooden toothpick. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken. (The flautas can be prepared up to 1 hour ahead of frying, covered, and set aside.) 4. MEANWHILE, TO MAKE THE SALSA: Using a large knife, cut the top and bottom from each orange down to the flesh. Put the oranges on end and cut off the peel down to the flesh. Cut between the membranes to release the segments. In a medium bowl, combine the orange segments, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, not more than 2 hours. 5. Just before frying the flautas, thin the sour cream with the milk. 6. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Put a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan. In 2 batches, in a deep Dutch oven, melt shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 375°F. Deep-fry the flautas until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a wire-mesh skimmer, transfer to the wire rack to drain. Keep the flautas warm in the oven while frying the rest. Serve the flautas on individual plates, drizzled with the sour cream (or use a squeeze bottle to pipe streaks of sour cream over the flautas) and garnished with spoonfuls of the salsa.

Steps:

• 1. Combine spices and 2 teas. of salt and sprinkle evenly over chicken breasts. Heat 2 Tbl. oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add chicken, sliced onion, and 1 clove garlic. Cook until the chicken is browned and no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken, onion and garlic to a medium bowl and allow to cool until able to handle.
• 2. While the chicken rests, make the salsa roja; Puree the chopped onion, remaining garlic, tomatoes, jalapeño, and cilantro in a blender until smooth, about one minute. Add 1 Tlb. of oil to the sauté pan and heat tomato mixture until slightly thickened and reduced to two cups, about 18-20 minutes. Season the mixture to taste and transfer salsa to a serving bowl, reserving 1/3 cup.
• 3. Using your fingers, shred the cooled chicken, and toss with the reserved salsa and the crumbled cotija, mixing well. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
• 4. Preheat oven to 435^, with racks in upper and lower thirds, and line two 10x15 inch rimmed baking trays with foil. Wipe out saute pan and add remaining oil. Fry tortillas one at a time for 2-3 seconds per side until just soft; remove from oil and place on one of the prepared trays in sets of four. Place 2 Tbs. filling in a vertical line down the center of each softened tortilla, and roll up tightly.Place seam-side down on the second tray, leaving 2 inches of space between each flauta. Repeat with remaining tortillas, arranging half on each tray. Bake 30-35 minutes, alternating racks and rotating trays halfway through cooking time until flautas are crisp and deep golden. Serve warm with salsa roja on the side.

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.