Poor Man’s
Gourmet Kitchen

The Best Chimichangas

Why is it that everything gets better when it’s fried? A Chimichanga is just a fried burrito and you can put anything you want in them; beef, chicken, carnitas or, in this case, chili. My chili recipe is incredible, too. That’s why it’s called Amazing Chili. And you’re going to need this recipe or one you like well enough to make these Chimi’s. Technically, you can use canned chili but I would only do it as a last resort.

Tricks to make Great Chimichangas

It’s all about the filling. You can stuff a chimichanga with beans and cheese, beef, pork, chicken or whatever your little heart desires, practically. That’s why it’s genius to use chili to fill your burritos before they’re fried because chili can be made with any of those meats I just mentioned. So just imagine the possibilities.

One of the tricks is to use a thick chili recipe. Refrigerating my chili over night thickens it even more and it makes it easier to fill the tortilla’s before you roll them.

It’s also important to use a good tortilla. If you’re buying the Mission tortillas or something else at you’re grocery store, you’re chimichangas aren’t going to turn out nearly as good as they could be. Go to your local Tortilleria or Mexican Market, where they stock fresh Flour tortilla’s. They’re just as cheap but 10x the quality.

Making, Storing and Frying Chimi’s

Burritos are easy to make. You just add all of the ingredients to the center of a flat flour tortilla, fold the left and right sides, then roll the tortilla from the back to the front. If done right, these burritos can be placed in zip lock or vacuum sealed bag and stored in the freezer.

Frying the burritos can be done in shallow oil or deep fried, which ever your preference. In the video tutorial I use a medium sized pan with 3/4 of an inch of canola oil in the bottom. I heat the pan over medium low heat and fry the burritos for about a minute on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Once the burritos are fried, you now have a Chimichanga.

chili Chimichangas Ingredients:

1 doz Flour Tortillas
1 qt. Thick Chili, homemade or canned
1 cup Canola Oil

Toppings Optional
1 lbs Cheese, grated
1 cup Sour Cream
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
2 Green Onions, chopped

Sometimes I like to add my Chili Verde or red Enchilada sauce, right over the top of the Chimichangas before I add the toppings. You can also place the chimichangas in the oven, under a broiler, to melt the cheese before you add the other toppings. Be sure to watch the video tutorial and I’ll show you exactly how to make these Chili Chimichangas.