chicken chimichanga

Chimichangas, deep-fried burritos popular in Tex-Mex cuisine, are seriously delicious, but usually dripping in grease and loaded with calories. These are baked or air fried!

Chicken Chimichangas (Air Fryer or Baked)

tomato

onion

cilantro (plus more for garnish)

lime juice

salt

black pepper

chicken breast

navel orange

lime

garlic (minced)

cumin

(4 oz) mild diced green chiles (drained)

tortillas

shredded pepper Jack cheese (2 oz total)

Olive oil spray

lettuce

sour cream

avocado (from 1 small Hass, diced)

For the pico de gallo: In a small bowl, combine the tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

For the chimichangas: In a large bowl, combine the chicken, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and drained chiles. Mix well to incorporate.

On a work surface, working with one at a time, place one-quarter of the chicken mixture (almost 3/4 cuonto the bottom third of a tortilla. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Lift the edge nearest you and wrap it around the filling. Fold the left and right sides in toward the center and continue to roll into a tight cylinder. Set aside, seam side down, and repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

Lightly spray all sides of the chimichangas with oil. Place 2 of the chimichangas seam side down in the air fryer basket. (Make sure each chimichanga is tightly wrapped and seam side down in the basket or it will open during cooking.) Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. (For a toaster oven–style air fryer, cook at 350°F; the timing remains the same.) Repeat with the remaining chimichangas.

To serve: Place 3/4 cup shredded lettuce on each plate. Place a chimichanga on top, along with 2 tablespoons pico de gallo, 1 tablespoon sour cream, and 1 ounce avocado. Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.

To bake in the oven, bake in a preheated oven 400F 18 to 20 minutes.

Baked Method

These delicious AIR FRYER CHIMICHANGAS made with chicken, green chili and pepper jack cheese are crispy, and so good, a much healthier twist on the classic! Recipe from The Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook, filled with 75 healthy recipes for any air fryer!!

6 Freestyle Points • 391 Calories
https://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-chimichangas/

How To Make Chicken Chimichangas (Baked or Air Fryer)

This Chicken Chimichanga Recipe has flour tortillas that are filled with chicken, beans and cheese and then fried until they are golden and crispy. This is such an easy and fun Mexican recipe that you can make at home!

Chicken Chimichanga Recipe

extra virgin olive oil

garlic, (minced)

chicken

salsa

smoked paprika

refried beans

Vegetable oil (for frying)

oz shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)

burrito sized tortillas

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet and set aside.

Cook

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Warm

Stir in the shredded chicken. Add the salsa, cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Cook a few minutes until heated through, then turn the heat down to low to keep warm.

Heat

Meanwhile, in a small pot, mix the refried beans with a splash of water to thin them out a bit. Place over medium heat and heat through, stirring as needed.

Heat Oil

In a large skillet, I like to use a cast iron skillet, add enough oil to go up about 1 inch. Heat until the oil reaches around 350º.

Soften

Wrap the tortillas in a paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until they are pliable.

Fill

Working with 1 tortilla at a time, spread 1/6 of the heated beans down the center of the tortilla. Top with 1/6 of the chicken mixture, then 1/6 of the shredded cheese. Fold the edges of the tortilla over the ends of the filling, then roll the tortilla up like a burrito.

Repeat

Continue with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Working in batches, if needed, add the chimichangas to the hot oil, seam side down. Cook just until golden brown and crispy, then flip and cook the opposite side. This should only take a couple of minutes on each side.

Transfer

Transfer the chimichangas to the cooling rack over the baking sheet, and place in the oven.

Bake

Bake until the chimichangas are heated all the way through, about 5 minutes.

Serve

I made these last night, for the 2nd time, and they were delicious! I added a can of diced green chilies, otherwise, I followed directions exactly. The smoked paprika was awesome! Thanks for a great recipe! I was curious about reheating?

This is exactly what I needed. These were great.

I can't believe how easy and delicious these were!

I made this recipe a while back and I am so excited to make it tonight. Best chimichangas I have ever had! Thank you for sharing your outstanding recipe!

This online Chicken Chimichanga recipe is a game-changer! The clear instructions and common ingredients made cooking a breeze. The genius oven-baked technique resulted in a crispy exterior without the hassle of frying.

The flavor explosion from the well-balanced spices, tender chicken, savory beans, and melted cheese was absolutely delightful. The recipe's versatility allowed for easy customization with favorite toppings.

In summary, this recipe is a winner—easy, delicious, and a definite keeper in my repertoire. Kudos to the creator for sharing this flavor-packed gem! Highly recommended for a quick and tasty meal.

Can this be modified for an air fryer? I was thinking instead of frying, just brushing with oil and cooking in the air fryer. What do you think?

Omg! I love it! I usually add lettuce, salsa &amp; sour cream when I eat Chimichanga's at a Restaurant but this I didn't add anything to it was so good!
This is going into "MY FAVORITES" RECIPE FILE.
Thank u 4 sharing! 5 stars!

I used Mild green chilies , mexican paprika. mexican blend  cheese, shredded chicken, cumin, onion, sour cream mixture. for inside the tortillas.Added more cheese, then rolled up like a burrito. Skillet fried until browned. Family approved!

Made today I found them very tasty 😋
I added a little more oregano, chili powder
Will definitely make it again.

My 10 year old and I made these last night, they came out excellent! They are a lot easier to make then I thought and had lots of flavor. My family has requested to put this in the weekly dinner rotation .

I enjoyed this recipe so much.  Who knew chimichangas were so easy to make and really good! They are one of my favorite foods and I’ll be making them again!

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Top 2 chicken chimichanga recipes from across the web

The most viewed chicken chimichanga recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Chicken Chimichanga Recipe

The most viewed chicken chimichanga recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine