Baked chicken chimichangas make for a fun, flavorful alternative to tacos for Taco Tuesday. They're also a super tasty freezer meal!
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Let's be honest. I could eat Mexican food all day every day. So many options and so many good flavors!
Our family loves doing a Mexican-themed dish every Tuesday for Taco Tuesday. And while 78 percent of the time we go for ground turkey tacos, once in a while I like to mix it up.That's where these baked chicken chimichangas come in!
Don't get me wrong—I love those deep-fried chimichangas you get at the restaurant, but I don't love frying at home. To be honest, it's more about the mess than the health benefits (or lack thereof).
But when you're cooking up a batch of baked chimichangas, you can feel a heck of a lot better about every delicious bite!
This recipe for chicken chimichangas is pretty easy, but you can take that easiness up a notch by using pre-cooked chicken. My favorite is rotisserie chicken.
I'll buy a large rotisserie chicken from Costco, shred it (depending on size you can get up to six cups of chicken!), and then freeze it in 2-cup portions. That way I have chicken on hand, making recipes like this Asian ramen salad even easier!
Let's not forget my favorite pre-cut parchment paper sheets when it comes to making things easy. They're a dream come true! We use them all the time! I also love using a silicone pastry brush when brushing melted butter on food. The brisltes stay neat and tidy and they clean up nicely!
Want an easy Mexican side dish to go with your baked chicken chimichangas? Try this Instant Pot Mexcian rice! It's a huge hit with our family—I bet it will be with yours too!
Have kids who aren't fans of baked chimichangas (or burritos or enchiladas)? I'm pretty sure they'll go for some tater tot nachos (aka totchos). Let them customzie the toppings and it's a for-sure win!
If you're having a Mexican food party, I highly recommend serving some copycat Chili's salsa (THE BEST salsa, for real) and easy chorizo cheese dip. The combination of cool, tomato-packed dip with hot, cheesy dip is absolutely delightful.
Here are the basics to making these bad boys.
How to Make Baked Chicken Chimichangas
Step 1: Mix chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese, and onions in a large bowl.
Step 2: Fill tortillas.
Step 3: Roll tortillas.
Step 4: Bake tortillas.
Step 5: Top with your favorite toppings and serve.
Yes, they're that easy! If you want to double the recipe so you can have a freezer meal for later, wrap the extra chimichangas (unbaked) in foil and place in a freezer bag, Label the bag with the baking instructions and the date. They'll keep well for up to two months!
These enchilada-style burritos are another one of my favorite Mexican freezer meals. Mmm...
Printable recipe for baked chicken chimichangas below. Enjoy!
Baked Chicken Chimichangas
Baked chicken chimichangas make for a fun, flavorful alternative to tacos for Taco Tuesday. They're also a super tasty freezer meal!
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup salsa or picante sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 ½ cup shredded Colby Jack or cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- Mix chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese, and onions in a large bowl. Place around ½ cup in the middle of each tortilla. Tuck ends over filling and roll tortilla from the bottom up. Place seam side down on baking sheet.
- Brush with melted butter and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve topped with diced tomato, sour cream, salsa, guac—whatever your favorite toppings!
Notes
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 315Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 749mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 21g
Alisa Infanti
I love chimichangas but have never tried to make them at home for the same reason... I don't want to deep fry anything at home. I can't wit to give these a try!
Emily Hill
I don't love deep frying either!
Leslie
I totally just pinned this for later! My son is a little pro at wrapping tortillas, so he will definitely be helping me with this recipe! LOVE!
Emily Hill
Love when kids can help!
Aimee Shugarman
These turned out delicious for lunch today!!! Looking forward to leftovers for dinner :)
Emily Hill
Leftovers are the best!
Kara
These were a yummy change from our traditional tacos! I served them with homemade guac, and they were a huge hit! Next time I'll make a double (or triple) batch so I can have some on hand in the freezer. :)
Emily Hill
So glad you liked them! And I love doubling these.
Haley D. Williams
These chimichangas are the best! They're just as good (if not better) than any I've had at a restaurant!
Emily Hill
And healthier! ;)
Noelle
Oh my goodness these were so good!! Thanks for the great idea, my whole family loved them!
Emily Hill
I'm so glad!
Erin
Perfect Mexican recipe when feeding a lot of people. Thanks!
Emily Hill
Yay! It's so easy to double!
Angela
This is a great week night meal. A must try!
Theresa
We made these tonight and they were a huge hit!!! So simple but very tasty. We served them with Mexican rice and all the toppings. They'll definitely be added to the meal rotation 😋
Emily Hill
Yay! I'm so glad. Mexican rice is a great side dish for these!