The chicken is the whole point. This filling is built on pollo asado chicken thighs. Other cooked chicken works, but it loses most of the flavor that makes these worth making.

Shred your own cheese. Grating a block of cheese is usually more economical, has better flavor, and melts better because it doesn't contain anti-caking ingredients like cellulose or cornstarch. Pre-shredded is a convenience swap,

Red onions, shallots, or regular onion all work. Red onions and shallots give you a pretty pink pickled onion, but white or yellow onions work just as well.

Use the extra pickled onions. The batch makes more than the filling needs. Put the rest on the table as a garnish, or save them for chicken tacos or quesadillas.

Do not overfill the skillet with oil. The flautas displace oil the moment they go in, and a skillet with too much oil will overflow. As little as 1/2 inch is enough, and it is the safest depth if you haven't ever fried like this before.

To keep the first side (bottoms) from getting too dark, use a metal spatula with holes in it to keep the flautas from hitting the bottom of the skillet, holding them in the middle of the oil for the first minute or so of frying. This technically isn't necessary and is only needed if you're picky about having perfect-looking flautas that look like they've been deep-fried instead of shallow-fried:)

Secure 2 to 3 flautas together at a time. Toothpicks work for individual flautas, but skewering up to 3 together makes them much easier to turn and fry as a unit. If you feel more comfortable with only one or two skewered together, do what you're comfortable with.

Deep fryer method. Same 360°F to 370°F (182°C to 188°C). Fry 3 to 4 minutes without turning, since they are fully submerged, and go by color rather than the clock.

Air fryer method. Brush the rolled flautas all over with oil. Air fry at 380°F (195°C) for 5 to 6 minutes, turn them, re-oil any dry spots, and go another 3 to 5 minutes until crisp. Machines vary, so check early the first time.

Oven-baked method. Brush the entire outer surface of each tortilla with oil before you add the filling and roll it. Bake seam side down at 425°F (220°C) for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden. The filling should reach 165°F (74°C). You may also bake them directly on a wire rack set into a sheet pan so the air circulates all around them and there's no need to turn them over.

Keep them crisp while you fry the rest. Hold finished flautas on a wire rack set in a baking pan in a 200°F (90°C) oven. Do not cover or wrap them, as this softens the crust. With no rack, add them to a sheet pan and leave space between each one.

Party-sized flautas. Use 20 6-inch tortillas instead of ten 8-inch ones, with about 1/4 cup (38g) of filling in each.

For kids. Leave the jalapeño out for a non-spicy filling. They're still excellent.

No added salt. I typically don't salt to this filling because everything that's in it is already seasoned properly before being combined. That said, since the filling is cooked, you can taste it and adjust seasonings and add more salt as desired before you roll them up.