Easy Baked Chicken Chimichangas

These Easy Baked Chicken Chimichangas are quick, tasty, filling, and lighter than traditional chimichangas because they’re not deep-fried. They’re also a great way to use up leftover chicken!

this recipe

If you love Mexican/Tex-Mex/Southwestern-style food (or maybe you’d like to give it a try for the first time), these chimichangas are so simple and delicious, they’ll surely become a family favorite and a regular in your dinner (or lunch) rotation!

So what’s a chimichanga (sounds like chim-ee-chong-uh)? Basically, it’s a deep-fried burrito, which is simply a flour tortilla wrapped around a filling of one or more of the following: meat, beans, cheese, rice, and veggies.

There is apparently some debate over whether chimichangas originated in Mexico or Arizona. Well, wherever they came from, they sure are awesome!

Now, although deep-fried chimichangas are most certainly very delicious, for those of us who want to make them at home without all the fuss and oily mess of deep-frying, I find that they get plenty crisp by brushing them with a little butter and baking them in the oven.

In fact, they’re so good, I don’t miss all that oil one bit (or the calories that come along with it), and I don’t think you will either!

The filling in these chimichangas: chicken, cheese, salsa, green onions, and spices. We put that onto tortillas, roll them up into little bundles that we brush with butter and bake until golden brown and crisp. Already sounds fabulous, right?

Oh, but there’s more!

When they come out of the oven, we add some yummy toppings – cheese, sour cream, salsa, green onions, cilantro, guacamole (whatever you like) – to really kick up the deliciousness factor to another level!

If you’ve got some leftover chicken to use up, these chimichangas are the perfect solution for turning that chicken into a brand-new meal that’ll make anyone forget they’re eating leftovers!

And how about this? All you need is 2 cups of cooked chicken to make 8 chimichangas. They’re not super huge chimichangas, but they are very hearty and filling.

If you’re serving a starter and/or sides, you really only need one of these per person for a satisfying meal. Of course, those with bigger appetites might want two!

Ingredients you need:

• Cooked shredded chicken breast (you can also use thigh meat or a combo…whatever you like)
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Salsa (your favorite; store-bought or homemade)
• Shredded Mexican-blend cheese
• Green onions
• Flour tortillas (8-inch)
• Butter
• Toppings: additional cheese, salsa, and green onions, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, guacamole (or whatever you like!)

Here’s a quick look at how to make Easy Baked Chicken Chimichangas:

Tips & Tidbits:

• If you don’t have pre-cooked/leftover chicken to use for this recipe, cook up one pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs using your favorite method and shred. This should give you about 2 cups of chicken.
  • My favorite method is cooking boneless chicken breasts in the Instant Pot (you can even cook them from frozen!). I keep a stash of cooked chicken in my freezer to use in recipes like this.
  • Other methods to cook the chicken are to pan-fry it, bake it, or poach it. You could also roast bone-in breasts or thighs and then remove the meat from the bones.
  • You could also just pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and use the meat from that, which is super easy!
• If your salsa has a lot of liquid, drain it first before mixing with the chicken so your chimichangas aren’t too wet (which could make the tortillas soggy).
• Make sure your tortillas are soft so they don’t crack when rolling. Most store-bought tortillas are nice and soft right out of the package, but if you need to soften them up, place them in the microwave for a few seconds covered with a damp paper towel or quickly heat them in a dry skillet just until they are pliable.
• To help ensure that the bottoms of your chimichangas don’t get too dark and so that the tops get nicely golden brown, I recommend baking these on a light-colored baking sheet in the center or upper portion of the oven.
• The parchment paper is optional, but I love using it for both easy clean-up and to make sure my chimichangas don’t stick to the pan (sometimes the filling can start to leak out just a bit).
  • If you don’t have parchment paper, lightly spray your baking sheet with cooking spray.
• You can also cook these in an air fryer! In batches (be sure to leave space between them), after brushing with butter, air fry at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until warmed through, golden brown, and crisp.
• Please don’t skip the toppings! Although these chimichangas are delicious on their own, they are over-the-top delicious when you add all of your favorite toppings. My favorites? Cheese, sour cream, salsa, green onions, and fresh cilantro. YUMMM!

When I make these, I love starting things off some chips and salsa (if you want to make your own salsa, check out my recipe for Quick and Easy Homemade Salsa). And I almost always serve them with a side of my Quick and Easy Mexican Rice.

I hope you try this recipe for Easy Baked Chicken Chimichangas and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!

• Mexican Lasagna
• Black Bean and Rice Burritos
• Skillet Chicken Fajitas
• Grilled Shrimp Tacos
• Roasted Veggie Tacos With Cilantro-Lime Cream

Recipe adapted from Sam The Cooking Guy.