Chimichangas are one of my all time favorite foods. But for me, they are usually saved for date nights when the hubs and I go to our favorite Mexican food restaurant. Nothing says romance like a deep fried tortilla encasing a deliciously seasoned filling of chicken or beef or beans and cheese and smothered in sour cream, guacamole and salsa.
The rush of the holiday season caused the Mr. and me to skip a few date nights and we really missed our Mexican food fix. Tacos do find their way onto our home-cooked meal roster but I have never made chimichangas before, so I decided to give them a try.
Wow! I’ve made these several times now and they are fantastic. The filling is not the usual shredded protein but a mixture of lean, ground chicken breast and crisp veggies that do a bit of lightening up to the traditionally heavy Tex-mex favorite. The key to keeping the veggies crisp is to add them after the chicken has been cooked and removed from the heat – this will allow the zucchini to keep it’s bite and the beans and corm to stay plump, giving the filling great texture and taste.
Please try these at home and let me know what you think. I’m pretty sure you will love these as much as we do.
Chicken & Veggie Chimis
Ingredients:
- 1 Lb. Ground Chicken Breast
- 1 15 Oz. Can of Southwest Corn or MexiCorn, drained (I use Del Monte Southwest Corn with Poblano & Red Peppers)
- 1 15 Oz. Can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Medium Zucchini, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 Jalapeno, finely chopped (optional if you want spice)
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided into 6 small portions.
- 6 Flour Tortillas
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil or Cooking Oil of Your Choice
- Sour cream, Avocado/Guacamole, and Salsa for serving
Directions:
- Brown the the ground chicken over medium heat and breaking it up as it cooks.
- Remove the fully cooked chicken from the heat and add the corn, beans and zucchini. Mix until all is evenly distributed.
- Wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and microwave them for 30 seconds to make them soft and pliable for rolling.
- Spoon 2 heaping spoonfuls of the chicken mixtures into the center of a tortilla and top with cheese.
- Roll into a burrito form, folding both sides in first, then snuggly rolling the bottom towards the top. Repeat until all tortillas are filled.
- Heat the oil over medium/high heat.
- Place the burrito seam side down into the hot oil. Turning after about 3-4 minutes.
- Once the chimichanga is golden and crisp on all side place on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil while you cook the other chimis.
- Serve with your favorite salsa, avocado or guacamole and a dollop of sour cream.
- ENJOY!
Ingredients: tortillas, zucchini, southwest-style corn, black beans, cheese, sour cream (for serving) jalapeño and ground chicken breast. Your favorite salsa would make a fantastic topping too!
A medley of corn, zuke, black beans and ground chicken create a confetti of tasty chimi filling.
I do almost all of my cooking with coconut oil. It’s a nice, light oil with a medium/high smoke point and has loads of nutritional value and healthy benefits. We LOVE coconut oil around here!
You must not overfill your chimis and be sure to roll your tortillas tightly around the filling. Overstuffed, loosely rolled burritos will fall apart while cooking and that is no bueno! First tuck in each side, then roll the bottom towards the top keeping everything snuggly inside.
No deep frying here, just a shallow pan fry over medium/high heat.
Just look at that color – golden, crisp perfection!
Almost done! Be sure to let these rest on a paper towel-lined plast to absorb excess oil while the rest of the chimis cook.
