Chicken Chimichangas
Josh loves ordering chicken chimichangas when we go out for Mexican food. If chimichangas are on the menu, I know what he is getting, he loves a good deep-fried burrito! Well, now we make chicken chimichangas at home and they are just as delicious as restaurant chimichangas. And guess what? They are so easy to make and SO much healthier! You are going to love these easy Cheesy Green Chile Chicken Chimichangas.
This chimichanga recipe comes from Gina’s new cookbook, The Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook. That’s right, the chicken chimichangas are made in the air fryer. You still get the delicious fried taste, but not the extra calories, fat, and mess from frying with oil. These lighter chicken, green chile, and pepper Jack cheese chimichangas are a healthier twist on the classic and I am pretty sure they will become a regular in your dinner rotation. They are a favorite at our house, the boys love them!
How to Make Chimichangas in the Air Fryer
We used the new Skinnytaste Air Fryer by Vremi and it made perfectly crisp chimichangas in under 20 minutes. Talk about a winner, winner chicken dinner!
- To save time, use rotisserie chicken or leftover shredded chicken.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and drained green chiles.
- You can use whole wheat tortillas, low carb tortillas, or regular tortillas. Use your favorite! On a work surface, working with one at a time, place one quarter of the chicken mixture (almost ¾ cup) onto the bottom third of a tortilla. Sprinkle each with shredded cheese. Lift the edge nearest you and wrap it around the filling. Fold the left and right sides in toward the center and continue to roll into a tight cylinder, just like rolling a burrito. Set aside, seam side down, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Lightly spray all sides of the chimichangas with oil. Place 2 of the chimichangas seam side down in the air fryer basket. Make sure each chimichanga is tightly wrapped and seam side down in the basket or it will open during cooking. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining chimichangas.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, no worries, you can bake the chimichangas in the oven at 400 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes…but you really should check out the Skinnytaste Air Fryer. It is awesome and can be used for SO many things!
What to Serve with Chimichangas
To serve the chimichangas, place shredded lettuce on each plate. Place a chimichanga on top, along with fresh pico de gallo, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, and avocado. Garnish with cilantro.
If you want to make a fuller meal, you can serve the chimichangas with the following side dishes. They all pair well with the crispy chicken chimichangas!
- Mexican Rice
- Cilantro Lime Rice or Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
- Refried beans, black beans, or pinto beans
- Black Bean Salad
- Best Bean Dip
More Mexican Recipes:
Cheesy Green Chile Chicken Chimichangas
Ingredients
For the Chimichangas:
- 12 ounces shredded leftover or rotisserie chicken breast
- Juice of ½ navel orange
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 oz can mild diced green chiles drained
- 4 tortillas 7 to 8-inch size
- ½ cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
- Olive oil spray
For Serving:
- 3 cups shredded lettuce
- Pico de Gallo
- 4 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 avocado diced
- Cilantro
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and drained green chiles. Mix well to incorporate.
- On a work surface, working with one at a time, place one quarter of the chicken mixture (almost ¾ cup) onto the bottom third of a tortilla. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Lift the edge nearest you and wrap it around the filling. Fold the left and right sides in toward the center and continue to roll into a tight cylinder. Set aside, seam side down, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Lightly spray all sides of the chimichangas with oil. Place 2 of the chimichangas seam side down in the air fryer basket. Make sure each chimichanga is tightly wrapped and seam side down in the basket or it will open during cooking. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. For a toaster oven-style air fryer, cook at 350 degrees F, for the same amount of time. Repeat with the remaining chimichangas.
- To serve, place ¾ cup shredded lettuce on each plate. Place a chimichanga on top, along with 2 tablespoons pico de gallo, 1 tablespoon of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, and avocado. Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod
Photos by Dishing Out Health
Made this for the first time, everyone loved it! I used leftover turkey in place of the chicken and I added some pinto beans as well. Definitely a keeper!