Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas

I love Mexican food. I mean seriously LOVE Mexican food. My love for it is not as passionate as my love for pizza but it comes in a close second. As a result, I wanted to try something new for Cinco de Mayo this year, but I also wanted to keep it on the healthy side. After searching tons of recipes, I decided on this one and served it with Mexican rice and black beans.

Baked Chicken and Spinach FlautasMakes about 10 flautasPrep Time: 15 minutes - Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 16 ounces beer
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 3 cups baby spinach, chopped
• 5 burrito-size flour tortillas (9 inches)
• 6 ounces shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or cooking spray
• Salsa and sour cream to serve on the side

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450*F.
2. Put the chicken thighs in a deep saute pan; cover with the beer and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it. Mix together the chicken and seasonings.
3. Pour out all but 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the jalapeno and spinach and cook over low heat until for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
4. Cut the tortillas in half. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the chicken (I used a small ice cream scoop) along the long edge of a tortilla. Repeat with the spinach and cheese. Roll the tortilla up, starting with the straight edge. Place them seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
5. Brush the flautas with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for until 10 minutes, or until crispy. Serve with salsa and sour cream (if desired)

Each flauta has approx. 180 calories, 9 grams fat, 6 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 18 grams protein - The tortillas and cheese you use change these numbers greatly so be careful.