Description
Mexican-style baked chicken chimichangas bring crispy, cheesy goodness right to your dinner table. Packed with seasoned chicken and wrapped in a golden tortilla, these baked beauties deliver maximum flavor without the deep-fry guilt.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
Cheese and Dairy:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
Base and Spices:
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 1 cup salsa
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Fill a pot with water and boil 2 lbs chicken breasts for 15-20 minutes until no pink remains inside.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a large mixing bowl and shred thoroughly using two forks.
- Add 1 cup salsa, 8 oz cream cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to the chicken. Mix until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Microwave 8 large flour tortillas for 30 seconds to make them more pliable for folding.
- Scoop ½ cup chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla.
- Carefully fold the sides of the tortilla inward, then roll tightly to seal the filling completely.
- Brush each chimichanga with ¼ cup olive oil, ensuring complete surface coverage.
- Position chimichangas seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even browning.
- Remove from oven when chimichangas turn golden and crisp around the edges.
- Allow 5 minutes of cooling time before serving with 1 cup sour cream and ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Use chicken breasts at room temperature for more even cooking and faster shredding.
- Choose large flour tortillas that can hold plenty of filling without tearing during rolling.
- Drain excess liquid from salsa before mixing to prevent soggy chimichangas and ensure a crisp texture.
- For a lower-fat version, swap cream cheese for Greek yogurt and use lean chicken breast.
- Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 451 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 411 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 93 mg