Description
Chicken & Cheese Chimichangas are crispy, golden flour tortillas filled with juicy seasoned chicken, colorful peppers, and plenty of melted cheese. They’re easy to prepare and make a delicious lunch, dinner, or party-friendly meal.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 500 g boneless chicken, cut into small pieces
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 seasoning cube
- Salt to taste
For Wrapping and Frying
- 8–10 medium flour tortillas
- 1–1½ litres vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chicken pieces, paprika, curry powder, black pepper, oregano, chili powder, seasoning cube, and salt.
- Cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and lightly browned.
- Add the green and red bell peppers and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Keep the peppers slightly crunchy for better texture.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese.
- Continue stirring until the cheese melts and coats the chicken mixture.
- Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Place a generous amount of filling in the center of each flour tortilla.
- Fold the sides inward, then tightly roll each tortilla into a sealed rectangular packet.
- Place each chimichanga seam-side down while preparing the remaining tortillas.
- Heat the vegetable oil to about 175°C.
- Carefully place the chimichangas into the hot oil, seam-side down first.
- Fry until golden brown and crispy, turning carefully so they brown evenly.
- Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels or a wire rack.
- Let them cool for a few minutes and serve while the filling is hot and the cheese is melted and stretchy.
Notes
- Serve hot with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, ranch dressing, or your favorite dipping sauce.
- Add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, or fresh cilantro on the side for a fresh contrast.
- For a party, cut the chimichangas in half and serve them with several dipping sauces.
- Store leftover chimichangas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat them in an oven or air fryer to bring back their crispiness. Avoid microwaving if possible because the tortillas can become soft.
- To freeze, let the cooked chimichangas cool completely, wrap them individually, and place them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months.
- Reheat frozen chimichangas in the oven or air fryer until heated through and crispy.