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What are they? Chimichangas are said to have originated in southern Arizona (near Tucson). They are basically a deep-fried burrito and something we’ve enjoyed our entire lives considering we were born and raised in Arizona.

Our kids often order this dish at restaurants, but we LOVE making our chicken chimichangas recipe at home! We fill ours with seasoned chicken and veggies and fry it up for a mouth-watering bite.

We’ve made chimichangas like this for as long as I can remember, but they’re easy to change up, are ready in only about 30 minutes and make a great go-to dinner at our house!

In true Arizona style, we serve this fried goodness with a dollop of sour cream and Guacamole and a side of Spanish Rice and Refried Beans!

Why we think you’ll love it:

  • Crispy goodness! Anything deep-fried is usually amazing, but with a crispy shell and fillings like Shredded Chicken, refried beans, cheese, and a blend of delicious seasonings, they’re so tasty!
  • Easy to change up. Chimichangas are great to customize with your favorite meat, veggies, beans, and more.
  • Different cooking methods. They can be baked, fried, or air-fried (We’ve included steps for each option – see below).
Chimichanga ingredients measured on a kitchen counter.

Chimichanga Ingredients and Substitutions

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil – canola oil or olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic – see How to Mince Garlic
  • 1 jalapeño pepper diced and seeds removed – leave the seeds for more spice
  • 1½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tomato chopped
  • 2 teaspoons cilantro chopped
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken – or crock pot Shredded Chicken. Substitute the chicken with shredded beef or shredded pork.
  • ¼ cup sour cream – or Greek yogurt
  • optional filling – white rice or Spanish Rice

For Assembly

  • 6 (10-inch) flour tortillas warmed – store-bought or Homemade Flour Tortillas
  • 1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
  • 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese – or cheddar cheese, or Colby jack cheese
  • vegetable oil for frying

For Toppings

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Cooking diced onions and tomatoes in a pan.
Placing chicken filling into a flour tortilla.
Brushing two wrapped burritos with oil and prepping for baking.
A wrapped burrito ready to be fried.

How to Make Chimichangas

  1. FILLING. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 medium chopped onion, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, and 1 diced jalapeño. Cook until softened about 3-4 minutes.
    • Add 1½ teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt, and stir to combine.
    • Add 1 chopped tomato and 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups shredded chicken and ¼ cup sour cream, and cook until heated.
  2. ASSEMBLE. Spread a few tablespoons of refried beans down the center of each tortilla. Top each tortilla with ⅙ of the chicken mixture, and ¼ cup of Monterey Jack cheese. Fold the sides of the tortilla toward the center, then roll each tortilla into a burrito shape.
  3. FRY. Heat 1-2 inches of oil to 350°F in a heavy pot or deep fryer. Secure the chimichangas with toothpicks to prevent them from opening while frying.
    • Fry the chimichangas in the hot oil 1-2 at a time for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping halfway through. Drain the chicken chimichangas on a paper towel-lined plate.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

Want some alternative cooking methods for these chicken chimichangas?

  • Bake. Follow this Baked Chimi Recipe or brush each of the chimichangas with oil and place them on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450°F for 8 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Air fry. Heat the air fryer to 400°F. Place two chimichangas, seam side down in the basket. Cook for 3-4 minutes, flip, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Repeat for remaining chimichangas. Cooking all 6 chimichangas will take about 25 minutes.

Change it up!! We also like to change out the meat and will use shredded beef (from our Pot Roast recipe) or Carne Asada. We also like to use our Spanish Rice and Cilantro Lime Rice in the recipe as well.

Chicken chimichangas on white serving platter with toppings next to it
5 from 28 votes

Chicken Chimichangas

By: Lil’ Luna
This crispy chicken chimichanga recipe is a burrito fried to golden perfection. It's an Arizona original and a family favorite!
Servings: 6
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients 

For the filling

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, diced and seeds removed
  • 1½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • ¼ cup sour cream

For assembly

  • 6 (10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
  • 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

For topping

  • shredded lettuce
  • tomatoes
  • sour cream
  • fresh cilantro
  • Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions 

  • Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt, and stir to combine.
  • Add the tomato and cilantro, and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chicken and sour cream, and cook until heated through.
  • Spread a few tablespoons of refried beans down the center of each tortilla. Top each tortilla with ⅙ of the chicken mixture, and ¼ cup of Monterey Jack cheese. Fold the sides of the tortilla toward the center, then roll each tortilla into a burrito shape.
  • Heat 1-2 inches of oil to 350°F in a heavy pot or deep fryer. Secure the chimichangas with toothpicks to prevent them from opening while frying. Fry the chimichangas 1-2 at a time for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping halfway through.
  • Serve the chimichangas hot with the toppings of your choice.

Video

Notes

To bake. Brush each chimichanga with oil and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450°F for 8 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes, until golden brown.
Freezer meal. Assemble as written but do not fry. Wrap each chimichanga with plastic wrap and place them in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw and fry according to the recipe directions or bake at 425°F for 35-40 minutes.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds, or 1 minute if frozen. To finish reheating, bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g, Calories: 350kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 799mg, Potassium: 291mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 654IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 273mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

Make a freezer meal?

Assemble ahead of time to fry/bake later. Complete steps 1 and 2 as written. Wrap each folded chimichanga with plastic wrap and place them in an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Thaw and cook according to the recipe directions. To bake, preheat the oven to 425°F and bake for 35-40 minutes.

How to store chimichangas?

Place cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds, or 1 minute if frozen. Then, place them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to finish reheating.

Complete The Meal

Sides

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About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

More About Kristyn

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5 from 28 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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16 Comments

  1. jess says:

    5 stars
    this was such a great dish, and I have always been scared to make chimichangas, but this made it so easy! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe

    Reply
  2. Allyson Zea says:

    5 stars
    Long ago I used to work at a Mexican restaurant and I used to make chimichangas all the time as a snack! I’m so glad now I can make them myself with this recipe!

    Reply
  3. Christopher Coulter says:

    I wonder how these would freeze and then how much time to bake or deep fry to get the center to temp?

    Reply
    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      These freeze great!! We have freezing instructions and tips on how to thaw/cook afterward on the recipe post. You can fry, bake or air fry!

      Reply

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