These Cheesy Chicken Cilantro Pesto Flautas are SO darn easy and delicious. These baked flautas reheat nicely making them great to reheat the next day.
This time of year is my favorite. On my days off from work you’ll most likely find me/us grilling, sippin’ on lime beers and more times than not the music is on and so are the flip flops. And if we aren’t grilling… we’re having Mexican.
TRUTH: I always have cilantro, limes and pepper jack cheese in the house just in case I’m jones-ing for a little Mexican grub. I’m not ashamed to tell you that I’m a little addicted to these flautas and that I may have put down 3 or 6 of these in ONE sitting. I just love Mexican food and I never know when to stop. I’m sure it’s because Mexican food is usually so simple, fresh and uh-duh deeelicious… yup, I’m positive that’s why.
After making a batch of cilantro pesto, the wheels where turning on what I should actually do with it. One Friday went out to our favorite Mexican restaurant and my eyes spied flautas on the menu. Even though I never stray from the fish tacos, I knew exactly what I was going to make. Flautas. Traditionally flautas are fried (which I’m pretty sure why they are so incredibly delicious) but I have this deep rooted fear of deep frying and thought I would play it safe and bake them. You know, to make them healthy. Never mind the copious amounts of cheese… that’s just for calcium right?
So here is yet another Mexican inspired recipe… I hope you don’t mind because obviously we’re still celebrating Cinco de Mayo in our house.
What I love about these baked flautas is that they double as an easy dinner or can be whipped up in a pinch for an app at any shin-dig. There are many different options for filling these flautas; beef, Monterey Jack cheese… or make them vegetarian by stuffing them with black bean and corn salsa or keep it simple and just load them with a collaboration of different cheeses.
Make The Chicken:
Feel free to prepare the chicken however you like. But a little olive oil, cumin and your favorite all purpose seasoning is pretty much all you need.
Toss them around until coated and they’re good to go.
Here’s where you could grill them… or do a quick sear and then pop them in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.
Once cooked, let the chicken cool before chopping them up into small chunks.
Build The Flautas:
Remember this cilantro pesto… yeah the one I promised you I could eat it plain with a spoon. It’s so unbelievably yummy.
Shred up some cheese; Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Colby jack… whatever you have.
Spoon a little of the pesto into the center of a small 8 inch flour tortilla and spread it out. Sprinkle it with some of the chicken, top with a little (or a lot… let’s be real) and roll into a cigar like shape.
Place the pre-flautas, seam-side down on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 10-12 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
Really it’s just that easy. The flour tortilla gets extremely crunch while the cheese melts all over the chicken and then the pesto brightens it all up and adds a ton of flavor and of course there’s the cheese. They are still crispy and delicious the next day making the perfect leftovers for lunch boxes.
Make sure you get an array of goodies to dip these in {I only had guac} and start shoveling.
Enjoy! And if you give this Chicken Cilantro Pesto Flautas recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Cheesy Chicken and Cilantro Pesto Baked Flautas
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- all-purpose seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 20 8-inch flour tortillas
- 1 recipe cilantro pesto
- 2 cups grated pepper jack , or Monterey jack cheese
Instructions
MAKE THE CHICKEN
- Toss the two chicken breasts with olive oil, seasoning salt and cumin.
- Grill or pan sear and bake until fully cooked. Remove and let cool before chopping the chicken up into small pieces.
FOR THE FLAUTAS:
- Spread a teaspoon {more or less} on one side of a flour tortilla. Top with a little chopped chicken, shredded cheese and then roll into a cigar like shape.
- Place the rolled tortilla, seam side down on a large rimmed baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until crispy and brown. Repeat with any remaining tortillas.
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These look awesome and I’m sure I could eat a million of them. Good thing they are baked! 😉
I <3 Mexican food. I could eat it 24-7. Love the cilantro pesto and that they are baked.
Mexican food is so good!! I think I could eat 10 of these!! YUM!
I would eat the whole batch – and I so wish I was kidding to make a cute comment, but I’m not. I would totally eat it all!
Your summers sound just like ours… the question of dinner is always “Mexican or grilling?” 🙂 Love that these flautas combine both!
I could put a couple of these down with no problem!
Bookmarked this!! This is totally our style and our favorite flavors!!! Cant wait to make it.. Might wait a few weeks though cause we are leaving to Paris on Wednesday, so we are in total vacation mode already!
Ah jeez, now I’m jones-ing for Mexican food too. These are….ugh!
I think i am gonna have to make these when nobody else is around because I would devour all of them myself!
Wow, we sound like soul sisters! ;}
Flautas are my favorite thing to order at our favorite mexican restaurant. I’ve never made my own- these are a must try!
Sold! I’ll take 38 of those, please.
What a fantastic recipe. I love Mexican food too. I could seriously eat it all the time. I’m not ashamed to admit that. I also LOVE Cilantro. That is one herb that always lives in my fridge. I should really grow it with the amount I use it in every day cooking. When people tell me they think it “tastes like cardboard” I give them the most horrified look imaginable lol.
I am also a Mexican food lover! I love its chili delicious taste which makes eating very much exciting. These baked floutas look so delicious and very easy to do. I will make these on the weekend. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
do you have to brush them with butter to get them all crispy? looks delicious! i’m going to make these!
Cilantro, limes and PJ cheese are staples here too. And now I want to make these for lunch. Love these!
These look delicious!!! Easy to make also, love it. Really like that you can grill the chicken also. Mexican food is my favorite, and these are sure to be a big hit.
i love it! http://www.blogdamimis.com.br
I could happily eat mexican every night! this dish looks incredible!
Can I please have them right now!!? Haha. They looks really incredible and definitely I am going to try it.
Wow, looks great! I will have to try these soon! Thanks for sharing!!
That chicken is seriously calling my name! Dream flautas are what these should be called!
We are still celebrating Cinco de Mayo too! And we do all year round! We love Mexican! Pinning this so I can add it to my menu!
Made these last night-Delicious! I had basil pesto so I used that, but still really good. I made a dipping sauce of greek yogurt, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Delish! Thank you!
This gave my hunger
This is a great Mexican recipe. For me it is easy to do
amazing ideas I learned from reading your article! Thank you.
It’s amazing how well you write! Congratulations.
I loved the recipe, thank you!
This chicken with cheese looks delicious.