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Chicken Chimichangas

Chicken chimichangas with a crispy fried shell filled with seasoned shredded chicken, Mexican rice, black beans, and melted Monterey Jack. Fold-and-roll tortillas, fry until golden and shatteringly crisp, then serve with sour cream and guacamole.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken chimichanga filling and assembly
  • 3 cup cooked chicken shredded
  • 1 cup Mexican rice cooked
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 0.5 cup salsa
  • 1.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 4 12-inch flour tortillas large, burrito size
Frying and serving
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying (about 2 inches)
  • 1 sour cream for serving
  • 1 guacamole for serving
  • 1 pico de gallo for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the filling
  1. Mix shredded cooked chicken with taco seasoning and salsa until well combined, so the chicken looks evenly coated with spices.
  2. Lay tortillas flat and pile Mexican rice, black beans, seasoned chicken, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese in the center of each, keeping the filling centered for tight rolls.
  3. Fold sides in and roll tortillas tightly like a burrito, then secure each chimichanga with a toothpick so it holds during frying.
Fry for the shatteringly crisp shell
  1. Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 375°F in a deep skillet or Dutch oven.
  2. Fry chimichangas seam-side down for 2-3 minutes until golden, using the seam to seal the roll as the shell starts crisping.
  3. Turn and fry another 2-3 minutes until all sides are crispy and deep golden, then drain on paper towels.
Or bake for a lighter option
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F, then lightly brush chimichangas with oil so they brown and crisp.
  2. Bake for 20-22 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp at the edges.
Serve
  1. Remove toothpicks and serve immediately with sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo.

Notes

For extra crunch, let assembled chimichangas rest 5 minutes before frying so the tortillas seal and hold the filling; store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days and reheat in a 400°F oven until hot and crisp. Freezing is yes—freeze cooked chimichangas in a single layer, then reheat from frozen in a 400°F oven until hot. For a dairy-reduced swap, use a Monterey Jack-style dairy-free shredded cheese (it may melt slightly less but still helps bind the filling).