Flautas de Pollo con Crema (Crispy Chicken Flautas with Crema and Salsa)

• 650 g Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
• 1 medium White onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp Ancho chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• 3 medium Tomato, ripe
• 1 medium Jalapeno pepper
• 1 large Lime
• 15 g Fresh coriander
• 12 pieces Corn tortillas
• 500 ml Vegetable oil, for frying
• 120 ml Mexican crema
• 120 g Shredded iceberg lettuce

1. Put the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add half the onion (leave the rest for the salsa), 1 garlic clove, the cumin, ancho chilli powder and 1 tsp of the salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
2. Lift the chicken out to a bowl and leave until cool enough to handle, then shred it with two forks. Taste and season with a pinch more salt if needed. Keep the cooking liquid in the pot for warming the tortillas.
3. Make the salsa: finely dice the tomatoes and the remaining onion, then finely chop the jalapeno and the remaining garlic clove. Stir in the juice of half the lime, most of the coriander (reserve a little to finish), and the remaining salt. Set aside so the flavours mingle.
4. Warm the tortillas so they roll without cracking: dip each tortilla briefly in the hot cooking liquid, then stack and cover to keep warm. Spoon a line of shredded chicken down the centre of each tortilla and roll up tightly. Place seam-side down while you roll the rest.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until a small piece of tortilla sizzles immediately. Fry the flautas in batches, seam-side down first, turning with tongs, for 2 to 3 minutes total until deep golden and crisp. Drain briefly on a plate and repeat with the remaining flautas.
6. Serve the flautas hot, topped with Mexican crema, tomato salsa and shredded iceberg lettuce. Finish with the remaining coriander and squeeze over the remaining lime juice to taste. Eat straight away while crisp.

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