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HomeRecipesFreezer Friendly

Easy Chicken Chimichangas

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By: IsabelPosted: 10/1/18

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These Easy Chicken Chimichangas are filled with shredded chicken and cheese, rolled in a whole wheat flour tortilla and baked to crispy crunchy perfection.

Baked chicken chimichangas topped with guacamole and sour cream.

When I hear the word chimichanga, it puts a huge smile on my face. Not only is it a fun word to say, but the dish is a family favorite! This version is packed with shredded chicken, tomatoes onions and lots of my favorite Mexican spices.

What is a chimichanga?

A chimichanga is a Tex-Mex deep-fried burrito that’s often filled with chicken or beef, cheese, salsa and sometimes rice and beans. It’s usually topped with sour cream and guacamole, and eaten with a knife and fork instead of with your hands like a normal burrito.

To make these a little healthier than your typical restaurant chimichanga, I used whole wheat flour tortillas and baked them instead of frying them. The results are absolutely delicious! Especially if you smother them in guac and sour cream.

I love fried foods (who doesn’t!), but I’m not a big fan of deep frying at home. Not only is it a pain in the butt to discard the frying oil when you’re done with it, but I try to think of fried foods as a special restaurant-only treat.

  • Tomatoes, onions and green chiles in a skillet.
  • Shredded chicken filling for chimichangas.

How to make chimichangas

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic and salt. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until onions become translucent and tomatoes begin to break down.
  2. Add diced green chiles, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Mix together and cook for another 5 minutes.
  3. Remove skillet from heat and add in shredded chicken. Toss together to coat. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.
  4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Assemble the chimichangas by placing about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla and topping it with 3 heaping tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese. Fold the opposite sides of the tortilla over the filling and roll it into a burrito shape. Place it seam-side down onto a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
  5. Brush each chimichanga with melted butter and bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and crispy.
  6. Serve with your toppings like sour cream guacamole, salsa and enjoy.
Whole wheat flour tortilla filled with shredded chicken and cheese for chimichangas.
Chicken chimichangas on a sheet pan.

Tips for making chicken chimichangas

  • If you don’t have cooked shredded chicken at home, you can use store-bought shredded rotisserie chicken instead! I love this little hack because rotisserie chicken is super juicy and flavorful, especially if you leave the skin on.
  • To save 20 minutes, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of your favorite chunky salsa instead of making your own. Just toss it together with the shredded chicken and skip to step 4 of the instructions in the recipe card below.
  • To make them ahead of time, fill and assemble the chimichangas like normal. Then, individually wrap each chimichanga in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in a large storage bag. Refrigerate them for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat them, remove the foil or plastic wrap, place them on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, brush the tops with melted butter and bake them at 400°F for 25 minutes.
Baked chicken chimichanga topped with guacamole and sour cream on a plate with shredded lettuce and mexican rice.

To complete the meal, serve with these side dishes:

  • Authentic Mexican Rice
  • Healthy Avocado Salad
  • Cilantro Cauliflower Rice
  • Authentic Mexican Refried Beans

Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Easy Chicken Chimichangas

Serves: 6 chimichangas
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These Easy Chicken Chimichangas are filled with shredded chicken and cheese, rolled in a whole wheat flour tortilla and baked to crispy crunchy perfection.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total : 55 minutes
These Easy Chicken Chimichangas are filled with shredded chicken and cheese, rolled in a whole wheat flour tortilla and baked to crispy crunchy perfection.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 medium onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6 10-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

For topping (optional)

  • diced tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic and salt. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until onions become translucent and tomatoes begin to break down.
  • Add diced green chiles, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Mix together and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Remove skillet from heat and add in shredded chicken. Toss together to coat. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Assemble the chimichangas: Place about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla and top with 3 heaping tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese. Fold the opposite sides of the tortilla over the filling and roll it into a burrito shape. Place it seam-side down onto a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
  • Brush each chimichanga with melted butter and bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.
  • Serve with your toppings like sour cream guacamole, salsa and enjoy.

Isabel’s Tips:

To save 20 minutes: Use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of your favorite chunky salsa instead of making your own. Just toss it together with the shredded chicken and skip to step 4 of the instructions.
To freeze: Let chimichangas cool completely. Then, place them in a large freezer-safe storage bag. Close and freeze.
To reheat: Place chimichangas in 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until completely heated through. You can also reheat them in the microwave in 1 minute intervals until heated through.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1chimichanga Calories: 374kcal (19%) Carbohydrates: 28g (9%) Protein: 24g (48%) Fat: 19g (29%) Saturated Fat: 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 69mg (23%) Sodium: 935mg (39%) Potassium: 31mg (1%) Fiber: 4g (16%) Sugar: 4g (4%) Vitamin A: 750IU (15%) Vitamin C: 15.7mg (19%) Calcium: 230mg (23%) Iron: 2mg (11%)
Author: Isabel Eats
Course:Main
Cuisine:Mexican
These Easy Chicken Chimichangas are filled with shredded chicken and cheese, rolled in a whole wheat flour tortilla and baked to crispy crunchy perfection.
Did you Make my Easy Chicken Chimichangas?Leave a comment below and tag @isabeleats on social media!
@isabeleats

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A first-generation Mexican American who loves to cook! Here at Isabel Eats, you’ll find a mix of all your favorite authentic Mexican recipes with a twist!

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