I love chimichangas! This recipe is my attempt to reduce the fat but keep all of the great taste. To read my crazy adventure about chimichangas, check out the related link!
Brush 4 tortillas on one side very lightly with water then place them in a stack on a clean kitchen towel. Wrap the towel around the tortillas. Microwave the tortillas for about 25 seconds. This heats the tortillas enough to make them pliable.
03Remove one tortilla from the kitchen towel and rewrap the others to keep them warm.
04Add 1/3 cup of the filling to the center of the tortilla. Wrap the chimichanga like you would a burrito. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla up over the filling then roll it starting from the bottom to completely enclose the filling.
05You should not roll the chimi too tightly or the tortilla will tear (or later burst during baking). Place the chimi seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other tortillas – heating additional tortillas in the microwave when needed.
06Brush the tops and sides of each chimi with some oil. Bake for 23 to 26 minutes or until the chimis are golden and crispy. Serve with additional salsa, sour cream, or pico de gallo.
07Alternative Preparations:
081) Use freshly grated 2% sharp cheddar. Regular cheddar is also tasty but releases a lot of oil when it melts. Pepper jack cheese works great for those who appreciate things on the spicy side. Feeling naughty? Use 12 oz of cheese. It’s really tasty that way but increases the caloric content and level of saturated fat considerably.
092) Make it vegetarian! Instead of chicken, add some red bell peppers, corn, and additional black beans.
103) Use whole-wheat or low-carb tortillas.
114) Instead of regular salsa, use salsa verde. It’s really tasty this way!