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Easy 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipe

Easy 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipebaked chicken chimichangas are the ultimate in Tex Mex comfort food. They’re made with a flavorful cheesy, saucy, chicken filling stuffed in a tortilla wrapped that gets baked until the shell is golden and crispy!

Chicken chimichanga cut open with chicken filling inside and a salad on a side.

This baked chicken chimichanga recipe isn’t deep fried like traditional chimichangas so they’re much lighter and less greasy without the mess to clean up after!

They come together so easily and I love making them for something a little different than our usual tacos and burritos on Mexican-themed dinner nights. It’s a great way to use up the leftover chicken when I have it, and when I want different flavors I just use a different filling! It’s super simple.

I love that when they’re baked the shells hold together so my kids can enjoy it as a handheld dinner or take it on the go when we’re headed out the door. These crave-worthy chimichangas are becoming a family favorite around here and I just know you are going to love this crispy cheesy flavorful recipe too!

When you make Easy Chicken Chimichanga Recipe for lunch or dinner, tag us @munchkintimeblog we would LOVE to see your creation!

Easy 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipe

What is a Chimichanga?

It’s basically a fried burrito! It’s stuffed like a burrito with things like meat, cheese, beans, and perhaps a sauce or some seasoning and then it’s usually deep-fried. In our case, we are skipping the deep frying but baking it instead getting the same delicious results.

To make Chicken Chimichangas you will need:

  • Chicken breast – Use boneless and skinless chicken breast. You can cook it and shred it as part of this recipe or use leftover rotisserie chicken.
  • Cheese – Monterrey Jack is my favorite to use in many Tex Mex recipes, but you can use whatever cheese you like. Sharp cheddar is also great!
  • Mild green chiles – I use mild so my kids can eat them and enjoy them, but if you and your family like a little heat you can use hotter chiles if you prefer.
  • Cumin – A warm, earthy spice that gives the filling another layer of flavor.
  • Mexican white sauce – A thick, creamy, homemade sauce made from a delicious blend of sour cream, cream cheese, chiles, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. It is perfection!
  • Flour tortillas – I use 6, but if you can easily double or half the recipe if needed, depending on how many people you’re feeding.
  • Butter – Brushing the tortillas with melted butter before baking helps turn them golden brown on top.
  • Salsa – For serving! Along with any other favorites like extra Mexican white sauce, extra cheese, guacamole, sour cream, you name it!
 Chimichanga filling ingredients inside a mixing bowl.

How to make Chimichangas:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grab a large saucepan and fill it halfway with water and place over medium heat to bring to a boil.

Step 2: Add the chicken breast and cook through until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Drain the water and let it cool.

Step 3: Transfer the chicken breasts to a bowl and shred the chicken using two forks. Pull chicken pieces apart until it is all shredded and in small pieces.

Step 4: Soften the tortillas a bit by placing them on the stovetop for a few seconds. This will help them become a little more flexible so they don’t break when rolled up.

Chimichangas filling inside the bowl ready to be used.

Step 5: In the bowl with the shredded chicken, add the cumin, cheese, chiles, Mexican white sauce, salt, and pepper, and give everything a good mix.

Chimichanga filling scoop on a tortilla.
Tortilla folded on two sides.
Tortilla bottom folded in.
4 Chimichangas ready for baking.

Step 6: Lay the tortillas flat and add a ½ cup of the chicken mixture onto the center of each one. Fold the ends up and then fold over the two sides to create an envelope to cover the filling. Roll them over to place the seam side down onto a prepared baking sheet or baking dish.

Easy 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipe

Step 7: Brush each chimichanga with butter and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

How to Serve Chimichangas

Baked chimichangas are definitely filling and satisfying all on their own. Sometimes all you need is a cabbage salad or a bed of rice and you’ve got a meal fit for even the hungriest crowd!

Some of our favorite toppings to add are:

COOKING Tips

  • Take your tortillas out of the fridge (if that’s where you keep them) early enough so that they are at least room temperature, to begin with.
  • To keep them warm and pliable, you can stack them, microwave them, then place a lightly damp paper towel on top of them to keep them soft.
  • Grate your cheese fresh from a block. It tastes better and melts better because it doesn’t come with the anti-clumping agents that come in a pre-shredded package.
  • Switch the chicken to the leftover turkey. These make a great day-after-thanksgiving dinner idea!

FAQs

How to Store Baked Chimichangas?

Store baked chimichangas in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I Make Chimichangas Ahead?

You can! These are great for meal prepping, freezing, and baking them when you’re ready. Wrap unbaked chimichangas in plastic wrap then add them to a freezer-friendly Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.

When you’re ready to bake them, thaw in the fridge overnight, remove the plastic, and follow the recipe directions as listed.

More Easy Chicken Recipes:

Chicken Wings Recipe

Juicy Chicken Thighs Spanish Rice Recipe 

30-minute Bang Bang Chicken Recipe in Air Fryer

Easy Fried Rice Recipe with Eggs and Green Onion

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple and Peppers

Super Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Wings

Oven Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

Do you like this 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipe?

Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!

Easy Chicken Chimichanga Recipe made of 5 simple ingredients, perfect Mexican dish dinner idea. #EasyChickenChimichangaRecipe -- www.munchkintime.com-easy-chicken-chimichanga-recipe

Easy 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipe

Love Keil
Delicious Chicken Chimichanga Recipe – it is a baked burrito, stuffed with chicken, cheese and mild chilies.
4.92 from 23 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, EASY, Lunch, Quick &amp
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6
Calories 204 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400F. Bring large saucepan filled half way with water to a boil, add chicken breast and cook on medium heat until it is cooked thru and chicken is no longer pink inside. Drain the water and let it cool. Using hands or two forks tear the chicken into small pieces.
  • Warm tortillas on top of the stove for few seconds, it will make them soft and flexible.
  • In a mixing bowl combine chicken, ground cumin, cheese, chillies, Mexican White Sauce, salt and pepper. Give it a good mix.
  • Place 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture on center of each tortilla. Fold the sides, then the bottom side up, to cover the filling, roll over to create chimichangas.
  • Brush each chimichangas with butter and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden color. Serve with leftover Mexican White Sauce, Guacamole or cabbage salad.

Video

Notes

Use any leftover chicken, leftover Thanksgiving turkey or cook chicken to make chicken chimichangas.
Store cooked chimichangas in airtight container or zip bag, inside the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make ahead chimichangas – freeze unbaked chimichangas in airtight container or zip bag. Unthaw by placing frozen chimichangas in the fridge over night, bake using instructions in this recipe.
Hi! All content & images are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 204kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 15gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 351mgPotassium: 201mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 156IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 174mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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113 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My daughter can not get enough of these chimichangas. She could eat them everyday.

  2. 5 stars
    Made these and they are so good! I did not use shredded chicken though because I think it’s dry. I diced my chicken and sautéed in olive oil and onions. I added the cumin to that mixture with salt pepper and some chili powder. I made the white sauce and used half inside the chimi and saved the rest to top the chimis. I also added fresh cilantro to my chicken mixture. I prepped everything on Sunday, but did not butter and bake until Tuesday making dinner super easy. I baked the chimis with the butter, then topped with the white sauce and a bit of Monterrey jack cheese and back in the oven for for 5 minutes. Served with Pico, sour cream, and cilantro-lime aioli I had on hand. I will make this again – a lot!

  3. Vera Kostenko

    5 stars
    So good! Definitely doubling the recipe next time.

  4. These were super easy to make. I ended up using frozen, shredded chicken from a local company instead of the chicken breasts. They were amazingly delicious

  5. I want to ,make this but like most of the chimi recipes it says to use flour tortilla but never says what size. They cime in 8 10 and burrito?

  6. Pamela Lain

    I don’t have a oven so can I make these on the stovetop or in a air fryer? Thank you!

  7. 5 stars
    I didn’t do it with the white sauce, I used Gordon’s cheese dip because I can get mild, and it was AMAZING!!! Definitely will be making again. I also deep fried mine.

  8. 5 stars
    It turned out great. I gave some to the neighbor and she thinks they’re excellent

  9. Another tip….use uncooked flour tortillas. They bake for 10 min on each side at 350 degrees. They get very crunchy like fried without the grease. They are typically thinner than most flour tortillas. Very yummy too!

  10. These look amazing! But I was wondering what size tortillas you used and can they be done in an air fryer?

  11. 5 stars
    These chimichangas are so perfect for dinner. I’m so glad to have this recipe. Save me a lot of money from going to the Mexican restaurant. And I actually think these are better and more flavorful. Made this recipe 2x in one week for my hungry fellas. So you got to know it was a complete hit! Hands down!

  12. Made this yesterday. It was easy and delicious. I loved the white sauce in it. Will make these again.

  13. How long will the white sauce keep

  14. 5 stars
    This was SO GOOD and so easy to make. The whole family loved it!

  15. I made these for the first time tonight with an easy homemade queso. They were SOOOO good! Thank you for sharing this recipe. We love it.

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