Flautas Ahogadas | Mexican Drowned Tacos

Delicious choice! 🌮🔥 Flautas Ahogadas — literally “drowned flautas” — are crispy rolled tacos (usually filled with chicken, beef, or potatoes) that are bathed in a rich, spicy tomato sauce. Think of them as a glorious cross between crunchy flautas and saucy enchiladas — crispy, saucy, messy, and incredibly satisfying.Here’s a traditional Mexican-style recipe you can make at home 👇

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🇲🇽 Flautas Ahogadas (Mexican Drowned Tacos)

🍽️ Serves:

4–6 people (makes about 12–15 flautas)

⏱️ Time:

Prep: 30 min | Cook: 40 min | Total: ~1 hr 10 min

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🌯 Ingredients

For the filling:

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  (or use beef, pork, mashed potatoes, or a mix!)

• ½ cup chopped onion

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

For the flautas:

• 12–15 corn tortillas

• Oil for frying

For the tomato–chile sauce:

• 5 ripe Roma tomatoes

• 2 dried guajillo chiles (stemmed and seeded)

• 1 dried ancho chile (optional, for depth)

• 2 garlic cloves

• ¼ white onion

• 2 cups chicken broth

• ½ tsp cumin

• Salt, to taste

• A drizzle of olive oil (for sautéing the sauce)

For garnish:

• Shredded lettuce or cabbage

• Mexican crema or sour cream

• Crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese

• Sliced avocado

• Pickled onions or jalapeños

• Fresh cilantro

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prepare the filling

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet.

2. Add onion and garlic, sauté until fragrant.

3. Add shredded chicken, salt, and pepper.

4. Cook for 3–4 minutes until well combined and heated.

   • (If using mashed potatoes, just mix them with sautéed onion and season to taste.)

2. Warm the tortillas

• Lightly heat the tortillas on a griddle or skillet until soft and pliable (about 15–20 seconds per side).

• This prevents them from breaking when rolled.

3. Roll and fry the flautas

1. Place about 2 Tbsp of filling on one edge of each tortilla and roll tightly.

2. Secure with a toothpick if needed.

3. Heat about ½ inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat.

4. Fry flautas until golden and crispy on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

4. Make the sauce (“ahogada”)

1. Toast the dried chiles lightly on a dry pan until fragrant (don’t burn them).

2. Soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften.

3. Blend together tomatoes, softened chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, and broth until smooth.

4. Strain the sauce into a saucepan for a smoother texture.

5. Heat a drizzle of oil in a pot, pour in the sauce, and simmer for 10–15 minutes.

6. Season with salt to taste.

5. Drown the flautas!

1. Arrange crispy flautas on a plate or shallow bowl.

2. Spoon or pour the hot tomato–chile sauce generously over them (“ahogarlas”).

3. Top with lettuce, crema, cheese, avocado, pickled onions, and cilantro.

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🌶️ Tips & Variations

• Adjust heat by adding more chiles (e.g., chipotle for smokiness or arbol for spice).

• For a Jalisco-style version, serve them with a thinner sauce and a side of refried beans.

• Make flautas ahogadas de papa (potato-filled) for a vegetarian option.

• They’re best eaten immediately, while the flautas stay crispy under the sauce.

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Would you like me to give you a spicier “Tapatío” version from Guadalajara or the milder Mexico City–style version?