ingredients

• 6  10-inch  flour tortillas
• 1/2  cup  chopped onion (1 medium)
• 1  clove  garlic, minced
• 1  tsp.  cooking oil
• 2  cups  shredded cooked chicken
• 1  cup  canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2  cup  bottled salsa
• 1/2  cup  shredded Mexican cheese blend (2 ozs.)
• 2  Tbsp.  snipped fresh cilantro or oregano
•     Cooking oil for frying
• 3  cups  shredded lettuce
•     Purchased guacamole (optional)
•     Bottled salsa (optional)
•     Dairy sour cream (optional)
•     Cilantro leaves (optional)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Heat in oven about 10 minutes or until heated through.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a large saucepan, cook onion and garlic in the 1 teaspoon hot oil until tender. Stir in chicken, black beans, 1/2 cup bottled salsa, the cheese, and 2 tablespoons cilantro.

3. For each flauta, spoon about 1/2 cup filling across each warm tortilla about 1-1/2 inches from one edge. Roll up tortillas as tightly as possible. Secure with wooden toothpicks.

4. In a very large, deep skillet, heat 1-1/2 inches of cooking oil to 365 degrees F. Fry flautas, two at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Keep fried flautas warm in a 300 degrees F oven while frying remaining flautas.

5. To serve, remove toothpicks. Halve flautas crosswise. If desired, serve with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and cilantro.

6. Baked Flautas: Prepare filling and shape flautas as directed. Place flautas on a large baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Serve as directed.

7. Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare filling and shape flautas as directed. Cover; chill for up to 24 hours. Fry or bake as directed. Makes 6 flautas.