Oven Baked Grain-Free Flautas!

Did I lose you with that title? Hang in there…these flautas are delicious…promise!!

We all try to make good choices…better choices…when it comes to our health. We work out…or attempt to do it regularly. We count calories. We skip the fried stuff occasionally.  And we try to make sure our children get their veggies! All good choices, right?

Well, one choice that seems to work for both Chan and me is that we try to opt out of gluten. For us, it helps our tummies be less bloated and surprisingly gives us more energy! I know I certainly feel less sluggish when I keep that one at bay. We recently discovered these amazing grain-free tortillas by a company called Siete. Now, I know I’ve been talking about gluten free food, but have you tried grain-free? So many gluten free products are rice based which for some people can be as rough as gluten. In some people it can cause bloat and lethargy and just a general feeling of malaise. So…to come across these awesome grain-free tortillas….and tortilla chips!!….has really brought a smile to our faces!!

Living in Texas, we eat Tex Mex a lot!! Quesadillas, enchiladas, flautas, taquitos…and the chips and salsa…my mouth waters!! And like we talked about earlier, we are always looking for a healthier choice.

Well, have you tried baked flautas in the oven? Normally, flautas and taquitos are fried, but I wondered how good they might be if they are baked?! Newsflash: They Are Awesome!…without the guilt!

We first made this yummy-ness for a Super Bowl snack when we were trying to not totally blow it out on all the junk food. I made both the grain-free ones and regular ones…both were great! So you can see that this recipe is adjustable to either lifestyle!

And I can already hear the comments….”I don’t live where the grocery stores stock Siete products.” Well, my friend, don’t worry! I have you covered! You can order them here for less than you would pay in a retail store!!

Okay! On to the recipe!!

So, I make a roast chicken about every two weeks or so….it is super easy, and I am always searching for ideas for the leftovers! Every time we go out for Tex Mex, my oldest son and I order flautas or taquitos. They are tortillas filled with meat, rolled up, and fried….hello, yum!

So what is the difference between flautas and taquitos? Typically, flautas are made with flour and taquitos are made with corn. So for this recipe, since I am subbing almond flour tortillas, we will call these flautas! 🙂 BUT you could use the real thing, too if you don’t have a food sensitivity in your home. The key is that these are simply healthier because they are baked!

Back to that roasted chicken….you can also buy one of those rotisserie style chickens at the grocery store. Here’s a tip….if you call ahead, most grocery stores will pull the chicken off of the bone for you! 🙂 I love a roasted chicken over grilled chicken breasts because the meat shreds so easily making this recipe easy.

So, start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees… and then shred your chicken! I like to add a little cumin to mine because I love the fresh flavor it gives it!

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and lay out your tortillas. Fill with the chicken. If your family eats cheese, you can also add some shredded cheese to these. Or you could also add pureed beans like refried beans. We fill our tortillas with  meat only. You will get a feel for how much meat you can use to fill your tortilla because you want to make a tight tube…this is not a burrito, people! 🙂 These are also amazing with brisket!!

 

Here’s a tip when rolling these…fill with your chicken, and then taking the edge of the tortilla farthest from you, roll it towards you and then scoot it to the edge of the pan. The cookie sheet lip will keep the tortilla from unrolling. 🙂 Then roll the rest of yours that way leaning up against the one before it. (Don’t reference my photo….I forgot to do it in this picture….haha! Whoops!)

 

This next step is key for the tortillas to get crispy on the outside! Spray your tortillas with a veggie cooking spray! I like coconut oil spray or avocado oil spray…they work well with a higher heat!

Bake your flautas in the oven for about 15 min. Keep an eye out and just when they barely start to brown, they are ready! The nuttiness of the almond flour tortillas is super yummy when it is baked!! Here is what they should

So….one of the best things about these flautas is that they make amazing and easy finger food! And clearly you need a sauce to dip them in! I’m not going to lie…I love some vegan queso!! But, what we grew up dipping ours in (ya know the mega packs that Sam’s sells….those are the ones we ate….man, they were good!) is a ranch/salsa mix! It is great because you can play with flavors depending on the salsa you can buy! I love it with both a classic red salsa or a tomatillo salsa. Both are delicious!!

Don’t have vegan ranch in your grocery store? No worries, I’ve linked some here.  Watch out though…you will become addicted…haha!

baked grain free flautas

Prep time: 10 min  |  cook time: 15 min

ingredients:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Farenheit. Shred your chicken and mix with cumin to taste! Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and lay out your tortillas to fill with chicken! Roll up each tortilla and line your cookie sheet. Spray tops thoroughly with vegetable spray. Bake for 15 minutes or until a golden brown color on the edges! While baking, make your dipping sauce. Mix 2/3 salsa to 1/3 ranch. When flautas are ready, garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with dipping sauce immediately!

 

happy cinco de mayo!!