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Simple Chicken Chimichangas Recipe
Named for a Spanish word roughly equivalent to the English "whatchamacallit,” chimichangas are a favorite in the US southwest, parts of Mexico and are a staple of Tex-Mex cuisine. There is some dispute about exactly when and where they were first made, though they are definitely a dish with origins in the 20th century, but there is one thing that everyone can agree on: chimichangas are delicious.
A deep fried (or sometimes baked by more health conscious cooks) cousin of the burrito, chimichangas are as versatile as the standard burrito. They can be filled with pretty much whatever you like, with one of the most popular choices of fillings being chicken.
This is an easy to prepare chicken chimichangas recipe which can be made in very little time. Even if you are not much of a chef, you can easily make this recipe and impress your family, friends, and other dinner guests. As some people say, everything has better deep fried, so why not burritos? That is basically what a chimichanga is and as it happens, it is true what they say about deep frying.
Easy Chicken Chimichangas
Ingredients -
6 cups cooked chicken, coarsely chopped
8 large (fajita or burrito size) flour tortillas
1 large yellow onion, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, diced (use more or less to taste)
2 cups sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 16 ounce jar of salsa, your choice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano (use Mexican oregano if possible)
Salt, black pepper and fresh lime juice, to taste
Oil for deep frying
Guacamole, sour cream, salsa, lime wedges, shredded lettuce, and diced tomato, for serving and garnish
Preparation:
Heat chicken, half of the salsa, onion and spices in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly until most of the liquid cooks out of the mixture.
Season to taste with salt, black pepper and lime juice and fill each tortilla with about ⅓ cup of the chicken and top with cheese.
Fold up each tortilla burrito style and heat enough oil to submerge your chimichangas in a large, deep pan.
Fry for 3-5 minutes or until the chimichangas are golden brown.
Drain off excess oil on paper towels and serve hot on a bed of lettuce and tomato with the condiments and garnishes of your choice.
(Serves 4)
Photo Description:
Chimichangas only seem like they would be a lot of work; but thankfully, it is actually pretty easy to make these delicious chicken chimichangas, though your dinner guests do not have to know that. In fact, it takes so little time to prepare this recipe that it could easily be a quick weeknight dinner even after a long day of work; and knowing that you are going to make chimichangas for dinner that night means that you have something to look forward to all day. They are also a great weekend lunch and of course, as any serious chimichanga lover will tell you, they are great any time of day or night that the craving strikes.
