Step 1

To a pot of simmering water, add the tomatillos, serranos, garlic and onion. Cook for 7-10 minutes or just until tomatillos turn from bright green to to olive green.

Step 2

Using a slotted spoon, transfer salsa ingredients to the blender. Add ½ cup of cooking water and salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth. If adding cilantro, wait until the salsa cools a bit and then add it. Blend for a few seconds and set aside.

Step 3

Preheat a comal or griddle pan to medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Brush tortillas with oil on both sides and stack onto plate. Cook tortillas on hot comal for 5-7 seconds per side. Stack onto plate once again, keeping them covered with foil paper.

Step 4

Preheat 1½ cups of oil to medium heat in a large skillet for 5-6 minutes. Take two tortillas from stack and overlap them about 1½ inches. Fill with chicken (about 4 tablespoons' worth) down the center. Carefully roll as tight as you can to make a flute shape. Secure at the seam with toothpicks, one on each side.

Step 5

Fry in preheated oil, seam side down to start. Turn as needed. Once crispy and golden brown, remove from oil and stand up in a bowl lined with paper towels until you are done frying.

Step 6

While the flautas drain and cool slightly, warm the salsa verde in a saucepan for a few minutes. To plate, add two extra long flautas to a plate. Ladle on a generous amount of warm salsa. Garnish with crema and queso cotija.