Try these easy Air Fryer Chicken Flautas with less oil and all the flavor! They’re a kid-friendly dinner everyone will love.
Air Fryer Flautas
If you’ve ever wondered how to make flautas in the air fryer, you’re in for a treat! Traditionally deep-fried until crispy and golden, flautas are basically rolled tacos packed with flavorful ingredients and served with my homemade guacamole or tangy sour cream for dipping. My lighter Air Fryer Flautas skips the deep fryer and uses the air fryer instead, giving you the same irresistible crunch with much less oil. Looking for more easy air fryer recipes? Try my Chicken Chimichangas —another family favorite.
Why I Love Making Flautas in The Air Fryer
I love flautas, but never order them because they’re deep-fried. This easy air fryer version is so much healthier. Made with shredded chicken, warm spices, and melty cheese, they cook up golden and crunchy in just minutes! Plus, air frying flautas makes the tortillas even crunchier than in the oven. Perfect for weeknights, game days, or meal prep, this recipe is kid-friendly but packed with enough flavor to satisfy adults, too.
- Healthier than deep frying: Air frying requires much less oil.
- Kid-friendly: My daughter loves them!
- Easy cleanup: Lining the air fryer with air fryer parchment paper makes cleaning up effortless.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free (if using GF tortillas), high-protein
What Are Flautas?
Flautas are rolled tacos filled with meat and cheese that are deep-fried. They’re very similar to taquitos, but the main difference is the type of tortilla used. Flautas typically use flour tortillas, while taquitos use smaller corn tortillas. However, you can choose whichever you prefer. Flour tortillas are more pliable, making them easier to handle, so I often use those.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients for this easy air fryer flauta recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Shredded Chicken: Save time by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken or air frying chicken breasts at home. I also have instructions for grilling chicken breasts.
- Lime Juice for brightness
- Garlic for a bold, savory flavor
- Cumin for smokiness
- Mild Diced Green Chilies: Drain the liquid to prevent the filling from becoming too watery.
- Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese melts when the flautas are cooked, helping everything stay together.
- Flour Tortillas crisp up perfectly in the air fryer, giving these flautas a crunchy shell.
- Olive Oil Spray: Spray the air fryer basket to prevent the tortillas from sticking, and spray the tops of the flautas to help them brown and crisp up.
How to Air Fry Flautas (Step-by-Step)
To get dinner on the table faster, you can prep the chicken mixture the day before. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Make the Flauta Filling: Mix the chicken, lime juice, cumin, drained chilies, and cheese.
- Roll the Flautas: Put the chicken mixture on the bottom third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla up and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet seam side down.
- Air Fry Flautas: Place the flautas in a single layer in the basket and air fry at 400°F for 8 to 9 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Flip halfway through.
Tips for Perfectly Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Flautas
- Don’t overfill to prevent the filling from seeping out and keep the flautas rolled.
- Spray lightly with oil so they brown and crisp up.
- Cook in batches for best results: To get the flautas crispy, the air fryer needs space between them so hot air can circulate. So, arrange everything in a single row and avoid overcrowding the basket.
Time-Saving Tip
Quickly shred chicken breasts by placing them in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. The machine does the work for you!
No air fryer? No problem!
Bake the flautas on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 400°F for 15 minutes.
Variations
- Switch up the protein and use pork carnitas or leftover taco meat instead.
- Vegetarian Flautas: Replace chicken with rinsed and drained canned black beans.
- Enhance the Flavor: Add other spices, such as chili powder or onion powder.
- Make it spicy: Use hot green chilies, add diced jalapeños to the filling, or serve with hot sauce or spicy salsa.
- Cheese Options: Swap pepper jack with Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese.
- Gluten-Free Flautas: Substitute corn tortillas or your favorite gluten-free tortilla.
Storing & Reheating Flautas
Here are the best ways to refrigerate, freeze, and reheat flautas.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days, then reheat at 350°F in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes or in the air fryer for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Freeze Uncooked Flautas: Place them seam-side down on a parchment- lined baking sheet and flash freeze to ensure they don’t stick together. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Freeze Air-Fried Flautas: Let the chicken flautas cool completely after cooking, and follow the above instructions for freezing.
If you’re in a rush, you can reheat flautas in the microwave, but the tortillas will become softer and soggier, so I highly recommend using the air fryer or oven.
- Reheat in an air fryer: Preheat the appliance to 400°F for 3 minutes. Air fry frozen flautas for 11 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Reheat in the oven: Preheat it to 400°F. Place the frozen flautas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, or until heated through.Â
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
For more dinner ideas using the air fryer, check out these five delicious air fryer chicken recipes to inspire your next meal!
For more air fryer recipes, check out my two cookbooks dedicated to my favorite appliance: The Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook and Skinnytaste Air Fryer Dinners!
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 2 flautas
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Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
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In a large bowl combine chicken, lime juice, garlic, cumin and drained chilies and mix well to incorporate. Add cheese.
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Place one tortilla on a clean work surface. Add about 1/3 heaping cup filling onto the bottom third of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up from the bottom to surround the filling and place on prepared sheet pan, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.
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Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil. Working in batches, arrange the flautas seam side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray the tops with olive oil and cook at 400˚F until the flautas are golden brown, 8-9 minutes, flipping halfway through.
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To serve: Place 2 flautas on plate and drizzle with pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded lettuce, sour cream, fresh and cilantro, if desired.
Last Step:
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No Air Fryer? Bake the flautas on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 400°F for 15 minutes.
Serving: 2 flautas, Calories: 357 kcal, Carbohydrates: 35 g, Protein: 27.5 g, Fat: 11.5 g, Saturated Fat: 4.5 g, Cholesterol: 68 mg, Sodium: 778.5 mg, Fiber: 0.5 g, Sugar: 3 g