Preheat your oven to 450°F. While the oven heats, prepare all your components: chop the spinach into roughly 1/2-inch strips, shred the rotisserie chicken if not already done, and grate the Monterey Jack cheese from a block (pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly). In a small bowl, combine the ground cumin and garlic powder. Having everything ready before assembly ensures your filling stays at the right temperature and the flautas cook evenly.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped spinach directly to the dry pan (no oil needed). Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is completely wilted and releases its moisture. Transfer the wilted spinach to a fine-mesh strainer or clean kitchen towel and press firmly to squeeze out as much liquid as possible—this step is crucial to prevent soggy, leaking flautas. The drier the spinach, the crispier your finished flautas will be.

In a medium bowl, combine the squeezed spinach from Step 2 with the shredded rotisserie chicken, grated Monterey Jack cheese, and the cumin-garlic powder mixture from Step 1. Toss gently with your hands or a fork until evenly distributed. I like to taste a small pinch here and adjust the seasoning if needed—sometimes the rotisserie chicken is already well-seasoned, so you may want to add a tiny pinch of salt or hold back on the spices. Don't overmix, as you want distinct pockets of flavor in each flauta.

Warm the flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds. Warm tortillas are pliable and won't crack when rolled. Place a tortilla on a clean work surface and spoon about 3-4 tablespoons of the filling mixture from Step 3 down the center, leaving roughly 1 inch of space on all sides. Roll the tortilla tightly away from you, tucking in the sides as you go to create a secure package. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray it with olive oil. Arrange the rolled flautas seam-side down on the prepared sheet, spacing them about an inch apart so they cook evenly and the sides can get crispy. Lightly spray the tops and sides of each flauta with olive oil—a light coating is all you need for them to turn golden and crispy in the oven.

Bake the flautas in your preheated 450°F oven for 8 minutes. The bottoms should be golden and crispy. Carefully flip each flauta over using a spatula and bake for another 5-8 minutes until the second side is equally golden and crispy. I like to give mine an extra minute or two past the 5-minute mark to ensure they're really crispy all over—this gives you that satisfying crunch when you bite into them. Watch toward the end of cooking to prevent over-browning.

Transfer the hot, crispy flautas to a serving platter. Serve immediately with your choice of toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or fresh cilantro.