Mexican-Inspired Chicken Flautas with Salsa Roja and Guacamole | Meal Prep Recipe

For the salsa roja, preheat the broiler to high. Make sure an oven rack is in the second-to-highest position. Line a standard baking sheet with aluminum foil or cook directly on the sheet pan. 

Place the tomatoes, garlic, and onion on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and coat with the oil. Broil for 10 minutes, or until you've achieved some blistering and the vegetables have softened. Flip the vegetables over on the sheet pan and continue broiling for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until cooked through and nicely colored on the other side. If you're using the California chile, add it to the sheet pan in the final minute to toast it ever so slightly, being careful not to burn it. 

Remove everything from the oven. If you added the California chile, fill a bowl with 2 cups of boiling water and add the freshly toasted chile to submerge. Leave to soften for about 5 minutes before blending.  

Remove the chile from the water (discard the water) and add the chile and vegetables on the sheet pan to a wide-mouthed storage jar, discarding any juices from the bottom of the baking sheet. Add the lime and cilantro to the jar and blend with an immersion blender until mostly smooth. Taste and season liberally with more salt and pepper as needed. Let cool, then cover and store in the fridge. 

For the flautas, preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with oil. 

Season the shredded chicken with some salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy-bottomed (ideally cast-iron) skillet over high heat, without adding any oil. Place 1 tortilla in the pan to warm through for about a minute on each side. This helps make the tortillas pliable for rolling. Transfer the tortilla to a plate and put the next tortilla in the pan. 

Meanwhile, fill the first warmed tortilla with about ¼ cup of the seasoned chicken. Roll up the tortilla like a tight cigar and place it seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue with the remaining tortillas. 

Spray the tops of the flautas liberally with oil and bake for about 15 minutes, until crisp and golden. 

While the flautas cook, make the guacamole. In a small bowl, mash the avocados and mix in the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve the flautas with the salsa, guacamole and hot sauce.