Home » Recipes » Dinner » Chicken Recipes » Easy 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipe
Published on Updated on June 15, 2022
This post may contain affiliate links. Read more in privacy policy.
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
Easy 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipe – baked 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!
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 makeEasy Chicken Chimichanga Recipe for lunch or dinner, tag us @munchkintimeblog we would LOVE to see your creation!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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:
- Extra Mexican white sauce
- Extra shredded cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced avocados
- Guacamole
- Cilantro-lime crema
- Queso fresco
- Sour cream
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.
MoreEasy 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 JuicyOvenBaked 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 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
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Dinner, EASY, Lunch, Quick &
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6
Calories 204 kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast cooked & shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- 4 oz. mild chiles diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup Mexican White Sauce more for serving
- 6 flour tortillas
- butter for brushing
- salsa for serving
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
Useany 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!
Thank you for stopping by!
Have a wonderful day!
113 Comments
Shawna Teele
April 15, 2019 at 4:20 PM·Reply
Last time i made these, i made them without the mexican sauce in them cause either i didnt see it in the ingredient list or i made them when you hadn’t added that in yet. So made without the sauce in them, they were good, just dry and I wondered why mine turned out so dry. But making these again and putting the sauce in this time, i tasted the sauce and its really good, i think these are going to be amazing when finished!Munchkin Time
April 15, 2019 at 7:39 PM·Reply
Hi Shawna! Thank you so much for the recipe review & for making this recipe again, you are the best! I am so glad you like this Mexican sauce that I added it to this recipe! After hearing people’s reviews on this chicken chimichangas recipe, I decided to make this recipe better by adding this Mexican sauce, I hope you enjoyed it! 😀
Amy
March 4, 2019 at 8:36 AM·Reply
I made these! I cooked about six mins longer and they still were not browned. They did not turn out crunchy and were thought to cut for the kids. I would recommend putting something else in with just the three ingredients didn’t have much taste..
Munchkin Time
March 15, 2019 at 4:33 PM·Reply
Thank you, Amy for the recipe review! I appreciate you writing it. I took your review in consideration and made a delicious Mexican White Cream to add inside the Chicken Chimichangas to make them extra juicy on the inside. I hope you will give this recipe another try and let me know what you think. Happy Friday!
Candace
September 24, 2018 at 7:17 PM·Reply
Made these tonight. They were delicious! I added green onions and my oven took a lot longer to brown. I will definitely make again!
Munchkin Time
September 25, 2018 at 7:40 AM·Reply
Thank you for the recipe review, Candace! You are the best! I am so glad you like it and planning on making it again! Have a wonderful day! =)
Kathy
June 12, 2018 at 2:32 PM·Reply
I don’t like diced mild chilles is there anything else I can substitute with?
Munchkin Time
June 12, 2018 at 3:13 PM·Reply
Hi Kathy! Do you like bell peppers or jalapenos, these could be a good substitute! =)
Stacie
September 24, 2019 at 5:01 PM
I made these tonight and they were just wonderful, and as good or better than my favorite Mexican restaurant. I did substitute jalapenos for the chillies in both this recipe and the Mexican sauce. I will definitely make them again. Thank you
Sally DAVIS
May 29, 2018 at 8:58 AM·Reply
do you happen to know what the calorie and carb would be
thanksMunchkin Time
June 1, 2018 at 8:17 AM·Reply
Hi Sally, that’s a good question, but I am afraid I can’t provide that information. =(
Angi Peterson
May 7, 2018 at 12:31 PM·Reply
Kinda late to the show here, but could these be frozen ahead of time and then baked accordingly (adding a few extra minutes I assume)?
Munchkin Time
May 14, 2018 at 8:00 AM·Reply
Hi Angi! You know thats a good question! I have never done it before myself but I am assuming it can work! If you try freezing them please let me know if they tasted as good after you bake these chicken chimichangas. Thank you!
Christy
March 29, 2018 at 12:43 PM·Reply
Could you fry these?
Munchkin Time
March 29, 2018 at 1:05 PM·Reply
Hi Christy! Yes, I am sure YOU can even tho I have never tried it before, but let me know if you do try frying them and how did it go=)
Janet Vinyard
March 7, 2017 at 6:45 AM·Reply
Wow, these chicken chimichangas look so good – your photos are excellent BTW! Thanks for sharing your recipe! Blessings, Janet
Rita
July 7, 2016 at 12:30 PM·Reply
How much cumin?
Munchkin Time
July 7, 2016 at 1:40 PM·Reply
That is a very good question! It was 1/2 teaspoon thank you for asking! I will make sure to add that to the recipe=)
April 7, 2016 at 8:02 PM·Reply
Yum!! These look fantastic and easy! We love any and all Mexican food in our house :). I’d love to invite you to link up at our new party, where we actually make the features! Hope you’ll stop by, and thanks for sharing! http://uncookiecutter.com/2016/04/beer-battered-cod-link-make-8/
Munchkin Time
May 6, 2016 at 8:04 AM·Reply
Thank you so much April! Mexican food is so good!!!
April 7, 2016 at 11:41 AM·Reply
This look to die for!!! Pinned! 🙂
Munchkin Time
May 6, 2016 at 8:05 AM·Reply
Thank you so much for pinning and leaving a sweet comment!
April 5, 2016 at 11:51 AM·Reply
sounds divine – i’ve made these baked w/ hamburger in years pasta but I will definitely try these – and so easy – trying, tho to lay off the tortilla in the evening so I’ll make them for sunday lunch and take pics and insta/tag you! on randomlysimple w/ you today (and do recipes on Fridays only)
April 5, 2016 at 11:52 AM·Reply
past not pasta – carbos on the brain!
Munchkin Time
May 6, 2016 at 8:08 AM·Reply
Thank you Sue, these chimichangas are so easy to make, and worth a try!
April 2, 2016 at 8:30 AM·Reply
These are so beautiful and crispy! I didn’t even know one can get a tortilla to look that scrumptious! This is a great dinner idea.
Munchkin Time
April 5, 2016 at 6:59 AM·Reply
Thank you so much Kate! The butter and the oven made the magic. They are worth trying!
Natasha of Natashaskitchen.com
March 29, 2016 at 9:56 PM·Reply
Whenever we go out for Mexican, I order chimichangas. It never fails. lol. These look wonderful!! 🙂 P.S. I’m so excited about the guest post!!! eeeeek!! Your recipe was super yummy and your photography equally stunning. 🙂
Munchkin Time
March 31, 2016 at 7:32 AM·Reply
Thank you so much Natasha! I love Mexican Cuisine specially making it at home.:)
Ok, I am more than beyond excited, I am on cloud 17th right now. 😀 I feel like I am dreaming, and pinching my skin doesn’t helps. lol. Once again thank you and your hubby, for letting me be the 1st guest on your amazing blog. Also thank you so much for the sweet comment. I am so glad you liked the recipe and my photography. =D
March 29, 2016 at 1:04 PM·Reply
Taco Tuesday might just turn into Chicken Chimichanga Tuesday this week! That crispy shell just looks too good to resist. Yum!
Munchkin Time
March 31, 2016 at 7:23 AM·Reply
Thank you so much Karly, these crispy shell changas are worth it try!
123…5Newer Comments →
