Cheesy Chicken and Bean Chimichangas
These cheesy chicken and bean chimichangas are so full of delicious flavors, and easy to make!
We eat Mexican food at least once a week around here, but I can’t believe I’ve never made homemade chimichangas until now! They are always a family favorite when we go out to restaurants, but they just seemed like too much work and too messy to make at home. I’m still pretty inexperienced with deep frying, but my husband is excited to pull out the deep fryer any chance he gets, so I made him a deal. I would cook the filling and assemble all of the chimichangas if he would do the messy frying part. It all worked out fabulously, and these cheesy chicken and bean chimichangas were a huge hit at our house!
These delicious chimichangas are stuffed with a combination of refried beans, cheese, and a rotisserie chicken filling. All of that tasty filling is wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla, and then fried until crisp. (If you prefer to skip the deep frying, you could definitely just brush them with a little oil and bake them in the oven until they are crisp instead. I’ve made them both ways now, and they are both totally delicious!) We like to serve them with sour cream, salsa, and shredded lettuce on top, but you can top them with whatever you like (or just eat them plain!).
I made these chimichangas for the first time a few months ago, and they were such a big hit that I’ve made them multiple times since then. They are one of my family’s most requested meals! I’ve started just making a double batch every time, and putting the extras in the freezer so we can pull them out for lunches or on lazy days when I don’t feel like cooking dinner. I just wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag, and then when I’m ready to cook them I put them on a paper towel and microwave for 2 1/2 – 3 minutes on high, or until they are warmed through.
I used my favorite homemade refried beans for these chimichangas (since I like to make a big batch at once and always have them on hand in the freezer), but canned refried beans will work well too. You can really just adapt this recipe to whatever you have on hand. Add sautéed vegetables, like peppers and onions, use ground beef or shredded beef instead of rotisserie chicken, or make them totally meatless. The possibilities are endless. These cheesy chicken and bean chimichangas are a delicious and flavorful restaurant favorite that you can easily make at home!
Cheesy Chicken and Bean Chimichangas
Print Recipe
Ingredients
for the filling:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup sour cream
for assembling and frying:
- oil for frying
- 2 cups refried beans or 1 15 ounce can
- 6 10 inch flour tortillas warmed
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
- 1 egg
for serving:
- sour cream
- salsa
- fresh lettuce
- additional shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and tomatoes. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the spices are fragrant. Add the rotisserie chicken and cook until warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.
- Heat the oil in a deep fryer or heavy bottomed pot to 375. While the oil is heating, assemble the chimichangas. Spread a few tablespoons of refried beans down the center of each tortilla. Top with 1/6 of the chicken mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Fold the sides in, and roll up to make a burrito shape. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush the egg over the edges of the chimichanga to hold it in place. (You can also secure it with toothpicks if desired.) Fry each chimichanga for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot with the toppings of your choice.
