Chicken Chimichanga
This Chicken Chimichanga recipe is loaded with chicken, beans, rice, and cheese then cooked until golden brown and crispy.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 479kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup canned corn drained
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil if baking or vegetable oil for frying
- Sour cream or crema, guacamole, and additional salsa for serving (optional)
Instructions
For Baking:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, rice, cheese, black beans, corn, salsa, and cilantro until well combined.
- Spoon an equal amount of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling, tucking in the sides as you go.
- Place the rolled chimichangas seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with vegetable oil.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chimichangas are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve the baked chimichangas with sour cream, guacamole, and extra salsa on the side.
For Frying:
- In a large bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, rice, cheese, black beans, corn, salsa, and cilantro until well combined.
- Spoon an equal amount of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling, tucking in the sides as you go.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large, deep saucepan to 375°F (190°C).
- Carefully lower the chimichangas into the hot oil, seam-side down, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. You may need to fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried chimichangas from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- Serve the fried chimichangas with sour cream or crema, guacamole, and extra salsa on the side. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- To make this recipe even quicker, you can use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken.
- Feel free to customize the filling with your favorite ingredients. You could add bell peppers, onions, jalapeños, or swap out the chicken for beef or pork.
- Be very careful when frying the chimichangas. The oil should be hot enough that the chimichangas sizzle as soon as they hit the oil, but not so hot that they splatter or smoke.
- Leftover chimichangas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Be aware that the tortilla may not be as crispy when reheated.
- For longer storage, chimichangas can be frozen. Allow them to cool completely, then wrap each chimichanga individually in foil. Place the wrapped chimichangas in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove the foil and bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
- If you have leftover filling, it can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Use it to make more chimichangas, or use it as a filling for tacos or burritos.
Nutrition
Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 785mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 536IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 3mg