Easy Baked Shrimp Flautas Recipe

Shrimp Flautas are the family favorite Mexican dish that turns out perfect every time. With just 8 ingredients and 30 minutes, you can create restaurant-quality Mexican flautas, baked to crispy perfection (using an easy flavor trick!), and topped with all your favorite garnishes. 

While chicken flautas are the norm, in less time than it would take you to shred a rotisserie, you can have this honey chipotle shrimp filling ready to stuff into your tortillas. 

This site is all about finding ways to make restaurant-quality seafood dishes at home. The kind of food that gets our entire family asking for seconds and the neighborhood begging for the recipe. If you want to cook seafood with more confidence, I'm so glad you're here! If you're a first-timer here, find out more about me and my seafood journey.

Save this simple and craveable recipe for your next Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, or weekend party with the neighbors! For more Mexican-style favorites, check out Sweet and Spicy Mexican Shrimp and Baked Tilapia Tacos.

Ingredients for Honey Chipotle Shrimp Flautas:

Shrimp: medium shrimp are a budget-friendly size for a recipe like this where they are chopped and drenched in sauce.

Chipotle powder: substitute two tablespoons of adobo sauce from a can of chipotles, or equal parts of ready-made taco seasoning. Taste and adjust seasoning before filling tortillas.

Neutral oil: avocado oil is my preference, but use what you have.

Toppings: the sky is the limit when topping your crispy flautas! My must-have's include Mexican Pickled Onions, crumbly cheese, crema, and a squeeze of lime.

Full ingredient list and measurements included in printable recipe card below. 

Step by step instructions:

1. Cook shrimp

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F on convection setting (or 425 regular). Toss chopped raw shrimp, chipotle powder, honey, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and 1 tablespoon of oil. Marinate for 10 minutes.

Sauté shrimp for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove from heat. 

2. Prep and bake flautas

Divide shrimp between 6 flour tortillas. Top with cilantro and cheese. Roll tightly and lay on a foil-covered baking sheet. 

To the empty shrimp pan (with only spices) add the final tablespoon of neutral oil and stir with a pastry brush. Spread the spice oil thinly over the flautas. This easy trick adds flavor and promotes better browning on your tortillas without the mess of deep frying! Bake 6-8 mins until flautas are golden brown and crisp. 

Serve flautas over shredded lettuce with a drizzle of crema or sour cream, pickled onions, queso fresco and lime wedges. 

3. Serve and enjoy

Best toppings for flautas:

Shredded lettuce, Mexican crema, crumbly cotija cheese, pickled onions or jalapenos, fresh avocado or guacamole and diced tomato or pico de gallo are all great toppings for your crispy flautas.

How to fry flautas?

I tested this recipe baked in the oven and fried on the stovetop. While I prefered the flavor and texture (and ease) of baking, shallow frying is another good option. Pour about ½-3/4 inch of oil in a skillet and heat to medium-high. Secure tortillas with a toothpick to ensure they stay rolled tight. Fry for about 90 seconds per side until the tortilla is golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack over a baking sheet to drain before serving. 

What's the difference between a flauta and a taquito?

I've visited Mexico multiple times and feasted on both flautas and taquitos with abandon. And still, it's hard to be fanatical about the differences. While the internet tells me flautas are mostly made with large flour tortillas and taquitos with small corn tortillas, I've eaten corn-wrapped flautas and fluffy, flour-wrapped taquitos. Call it what you want, but this baked shrimp flautas recipe will have the whole family asking for seconds.  

Should I use flour or corn tortillas for homemade flautas?

Traditionally, flautas are made with flour tortillas, but feel free to use any tortilla that suits you. I've made this recipe with both. Be sure if using corn tortillas that you heat them in the microwave to make them soft and pliable for rolling. 

What to serve with flautas?

Grilled Street Corn Casserole, Mexican Red Rice and Jalapeño Ranch Dip (Chuy's Copycat) are some of my favorite sides with shrimp flautas!

How to store leftover flautas?

Transfer flautas (preferably without toppings) into an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, bake at 375 degrees until just heated through. 

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