Quick & Easy Chicken Chimichangas
Think soft tortillas wrapped around saucy chicken, beans, and cheese, then cooked until the outside is crisp and the inside is gooey. These homemade chimichangas are cozy, crunchy, and surprisingly simple to pull together in your own kitchen.
Ingredients for Today’s Easy Chicken Chimichangas
For the Filling: Shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie works great here), refried beans, Mexican cheese, and sliced spring onions create a flavorful, creamy mix (add rice if you like).
For the Wrap: Large flour tortillas, soft, foldable, and perfect for frying
How to Make Chicken Chimichangas
Chicken Filling
1. Start with shredded chicken. Cook diced onion in a little olive oil until soft, then add garlic and tomato paste, stirring for a minute.
2. Add the spices, then pour in tomato sauce and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer until it thickens. Mix in the chicken, stir it well, and taste to adjust the seasoning.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onions until soft. Add garlic and spices, stirring until it smells great. Toss in the pinto beans, mashing them as you go. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
4. Lay out a big tortilla and pile on the beans, chicken, cheese, and veggies. Roll it up burrito-style and secure with toothpicks if you want.
5. Heat some oil in a pot, place the chimichanga in with the open side down, and fry until golden and crispy. Let it drain on a paper towel.
6. Serve right away with your favorite sides and dig in!
How to Air Fry or Bake Chicken Chimichangas
- Air Fryer: Preheat to 360°F, lightly spray the chimichangas, and cook seam-side down for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.
- Oven: Preheat to 400°F, place chimichangas seam-side down on a lined baking sheet, brush with a little oil, and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and crisp.
Topping Ideas
- Sour cream: A dollop on top makes it creamy and helps cool down the spice.
- Guacamole: I love adding homemade guac for a fresh, tasty bite.
- Pico de gallo: A spoonful of this zesty mix adds flavor.
- Cheese: Sprinkle on some shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar for extra yum.
Keesha’s Tips & Tricks
- Warm for Easy Folding: Give the tortillas a quick warm-up in the microwave or a dry pan so they’re soft and flexible, which makes them much easier to fold without tearing. Check this quick video.
- Secure With Toothpicks: When I’m cooking chimichangas for a gathering, I always secure them with toothpicks before frying. It keeps them neat on the plate.
- Don’t Overstuff: I know it’s tempting, but less is more! Overstuffing makes them hard to roll and fry.
- Let Them Rest: After frying or baking, give the chimichangas a minute or two on a paper towel. It keeps them crisp and not soggy.
How to Store Chicken Chimichangas
Once they’ve cooled, store the chimichangas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, or wrap them individually and freeze in a bag for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp again.
FAQs about Chicken Chimichangas
More Delicious Recipes
If you love authentic Mexican flavors, try my Sopaipillas for something sweet, and keep exploring with 15 Best Mexican Rice, 21 Mexican Appetizers For Taco Tuesday, and this fresh Aguachile Verde Recipe.
Homemade Chicken Chimichangas Recipe – Easy And Delicious!
Ingredients
For the chicken filling
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp chili powder, optional
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the refried beans
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fine salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 cups canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
For the chimichangas
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 2 cups queso fresco, shredded
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 4 spring onions (green onions), diced
- Frying oil
Optional Garnishes or sides
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Fresh salsa
- Fresh cilantro or parsley
Instructions
Make the chicken filling
- Make sure your chicken is shredded before you start making the filling.
- Warm a bit of olive oil in a skillet on a medium flame. Add the onion and saute it for roughly 5 minutes.
- Next, add the garlic and tomato paste. Fry them for a minute while stirring well.
- Once they have cooked for a minute or so, add the ground spices. Remember, you can add more or less if you'd like. Simply mix them in well.
- When your ingredients are mixed well, add the tomato sauce and chicken broth.
- Bring the filling sauce to a rolling boil. Upon reaching a boil, lower the heat and permit the sauce to simmer for roughly 5-10 minutes. It should reduce to about half, and the sauce should be nice and thick.
- Adjust the seasoning to your liking. But keep in mind that there are other elements as well, so don't over-season the filling.
- Fold in the shredded chicken and let the filling rest until you are prepared to use it.
Make the refried beans
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onions and leave them to saute until they become translucent. It will take about 5 minutes.
- When the onions are soft and tender, add the garlic and spices. Stir them in well and let them cook for a minute or two. Your entire kitchen will fill with a mouth-watering fragrance! That's when they are ready.
- Finally, stir in the pinto beans using a fork. This will help mash the beans and blend the flavors together.
- Once mashed, let the beans cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. This should just help heat the beans properly.
- Set the beans aside until you need them later.
Make the chimichangas
- Place a large tortilla on a flat surface. Add a generous amount of beans, chicken filling, shredded cheese, chopped tomato, red onion, and green onions.
- Fold over the opposite sides of the tortilla over the filling. Then, roll the ingredients up like a burrito. Secure it with toothpicks if you want to (I recommend it).
- Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of frying oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 360ºF (180ºC).
- Add the burrito to the hot oil. Place the "open side" down first. This will cook it into place so it doesn't fall apart.
- Leave the chimichanga to fry until it becomes golden brown. Keep turning it until the entire burrito has been fried.
- Once cooked, remove it from the oil and drain it on paper towel. Remove the toothpicks.
- Serve these immediately with your favorite accompaniments.
