Craving Tex-Mex Flavor? Try These Easy Baked Chicken Chimichangas
When it comes to quick and delicious Tex-Mex-inspired meals, my go-to is always baked chicken chimichangas. I’ve been making some version of this recipe for over 6 years, and it has become a tasty Tuesday tradition in my house.
These chimichangas contain spiced chicken, melty cheese, green chilies, and refried beans. They come together in 30 minutes but taste like you spent all afternoon preparing them. They reheat beautifully and are perfect, etc. They are for meal prep and leftovers.
What Exactly Are Chimichangas?
Chimichangas are related to burritos but are deep-fried for a crispy exterior. The traditional Mexican chimichanga is stuffed with machaca beef or shredded chicken and gets an irresistible crunchy coating from a quick fry in hot oil.
My baked version skips the frying, so it is a bit healthier. But trust me, they still have tons of flavor and satisfying texture, thanks to a quick bake in the oven. The hot oven helps crisp the tortillawrap while melting the cheese to gooey perfection.
Chimichangas can be filled with almost any combo of Tex-Mex flavors that you enjoy. I like to keep it simple with just a few main ingredients. The diced chicken, beans, and cheese are crucial. You can play with veggies, salsa, or extra spices from there.
Why I Love These Easy Chicken Chimichangas?
Here’s why this recipe has been a regular on my dinner table for so many years:
1. Quick Prep Time
From start to finish, these chimichangas take just 30 minutes to throw together. That includes baking time. Most of that time is hands-off as you bake the chimneys.
I use canned beans and precooked chicken to speed things up. But if you prefer, you can quickly sauté raw chicken and use dried beans to control the flavors. Either way, chimichangas make an easy last-minute dinner.
2. Family Friendly Comfort Food
With melty cheese, hot chicken and toasty tortillas, baked chimichangas check all the boxes for irresistible comfort food. They are super kid-friendly but also satisfy grown-up palates.
My three kids give them two enthusiastic thumbs up every time. Even my picky eater devours them! The spices are mild, so the focus stays on the familiar flavors.
3. Customizable
While I love this recipe as written, don’t be afraid to put your spin on these chimichangas. Switch up the filling with your favorite veggies, salsa, or extra spices.
You can also make them vegetarian by filling with beans, rice, and cheese. Adjust any veggie fillings to ensure they are cooked through before baking.
4. Perfect For Meal Prep
One thing I love about chimichangas is that they reheat so well. I often double this recipe and bake up 2 dozen chimes to have easy dinners, lunches, and snacks all week.
They keep great in the fridge for about 5 days and take 1-2 minutes to reheat in the microwave or oven. Meal-prepping these chimichangas saves me so much time!
Step-By-Step Guide to Baked Chicken Chimichangas
Let’s get into the easy step-by-step method! I’ve included my best tips for ensuring your chimneys turn out perfect.
Ingredients Required for this Recipe
For the chicken filling:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken (breast or tenders), diced
- 1⁄2 onion, diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 oz can of refried beans
- 4 oz can diced green chilies
- 1-2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1⁄2 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
For serving:
- Flour tortillas
- Sour cream
- Guacamole or salsa
Step 1: Cook the Chicken Filling
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the chicken and onion in oil for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in the green chilies, beans, and all spices. Let heat through.
- Taste and season with extra salt/pepper if needed.
- Turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheese so it can melt.
Tip: For shortcuts, use canned refried beans and precooked chicken. Or try shredded rotisserie chicken.
Step 2: Prepare the Tortillas
- Preheat oven to 500°F.
- Microwave flour tortillas for 20 seconds to soften them and make them easier to roll.
- Lay tortillas out on a clean surface.
Step 3: Fill & Roll the Chimichangas
- Place about 1⁄2 cup chicken filling horizontally across the lower half of each tortilla.
- Top filling with 2-3 Tbsps extra cheese.
- Fold the sides of the tortilla inward around the filling, then roll up from the bottom and place seam-side down.
- Place chimichangas seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Lightly brush or spray tops with oil.
Step 4: Bake the Chimichangas
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
- Carefully flip halfway through bake time for evenly browned chimichangas
- Check frequently near the end to avoid burning.
Step 5: Finish & Serve Baked Chimis
Your baked chimichangas are ready to enjoy! Serve them right away while hot and crisp.
- Plate chimichangas and top with desired toppings like guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.
- For a fun presentation, try drizzling sour cream from the corner of a zip-top bag.
- Enjoy this flavor-packed meal! Leftovers will be kept for 4-5 days.
Tips for Baked Chicken Chimichanga Success
After many rounds of testing, here are my best tips for ensuring baking success with these chimes:
- Use small diced chicken so the filling doesn’t fall apart when rolled. Shredded chicken works, too.
- Drain beans and chilies well, so the filling isn’t watery.
- Brush chimichangas with oil before baking for a nice crisp texture without frying.
- Bake at a high temp (500°F) to quickly crisp up the tortillas.
- Flip halfway through bake time for evenly browned and toasted tortillas.
- Let chimes rest for 1-2 minutes after baking so the filling sets up.
- Dig right in! Chimichangas are best enjoyed immediately while hot and crispy.
Chimichanga Filling Ideas & Variations
While this recipe focuses on chicken chimichangas, feel free to adapt the filling to use what you have on hand. Get creative with these ideas:
Shredded Beef: Use cooked ground beef or shredded steak/carnitas
Barbacoa: Shredded beef chuck roast
Carnitas: Accented with orange and cilantro
Chili Verde: Cooked pork with Hatch green chile sauce
Veggie: Mix of black beans, rice, corn, etc.
You can also vary up the spices to feature different regional flavors:
TexMex: Cumin, garlic, oregano, cilantro
Southwest: Red/green chilies, cumin, cilantro
Californian: Avocado, lime juice, cilantro
New Mexican: Hatch green chilies, cumin, garlic
I’m already dreaming up ideas for more chimichanga flavors to try next Taco Tuesday!
Serve These Chimichangas With All Your Favorite Toppings
While the chimichangas themselves are tasty enough, I love piling on fixings like:
Sour Cream: Cooling and tangy
Guacamole: Creamy richness
Salsa: Tomato, hatch chili, or pineapple add fresh flavor
Queso: For extra cheesy richness
Lettuce & Tomato: Fresh contrast to rich filling
Jalapeños: For some heat, if you want
Avocado: More richness and healthy fats
Lime Wedges: A little acidity and brightness
Cilantro: Fresh, herby flavor
Get creative with toppings and make it a taco bar-style meal! Part of the fun is loading up your plate with all your favorites.
Storing & Reheating Leftover Chimichangas
One of the things I love about chimes is that they keep and reheat so beautifully all week long. Here are my tips:
Storage:
- Let chimichangas cool completely before storing.
- Place in a sealed container or bag in the fridge.
- Properly stored, they will keep for 4-5 days.
Reheating:
- I prefer to reheat them in the oven, but the microwave works too.
- Oven: Bake at 400°F for 4-5 minutes until hot.
- Microwave: Heat 1-2 chimes simultaneously for 60-90 seconds until hot.
The reheated chimes won’t have quite the same freshly crisped texture but are still delicious. I like to add extra toppings to my leftovers!
In closing, if you are looking for an easy-baked chimichanga recipe that comes together quickly on a busy weeknight, give this one a try! With just 5 main ingredients, you likely have everything you need.
Let me know if you have a favorite chimichanga recipe or if you try this one! I always love seeing your creations. Now dig in and enjoy those warm, cheesy chimichangas!
If you enjoyed this easy Tex-Mex recipe, be sure to also try your hand at another iconic dish – The Ultimate Butter Chicken: An Iconic Indian Curry Worth Mastering.
