Chicken Chimichangas

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This chicken chimichangas recipe appeared in February's BBC Good Food magazine.   It's years since I've eaten a chimichanga...I used to order it from Chiquito's menu, but haven't been to a Chiquito restaurant in quite a few years now.   It's not a recipe I've seen very often at all, either in recipe books or food magazines, so I was really pleased to come across this one.

The original recipe uses a jar of enchilada sauce.   I was planning to use a jar of Old El Paso sauce, but then thought I'd give making my own version a go.   After making and tasting the chicken filling that I needed to buy chipotle chilli powder for, I decided I'd use this in the enchilada sauce instead of mild or hot chilli powder, to get the smoky flavour through it too.

The chicken filling is so full of flavour...warmth, spicy and smoky, and the smoky enchilada sauce make it a winning combination.   The cheese, coriander and sour cream garnishes finish the dish off perfectly!

The recipe makes 6 chimichangas and I'd suggest this serves 6 people for lunch and 3 people for main...if you're hungry!

Tips

• Green chillies from a jar or tin – I struggled to get mild green chillies from our local supermarket, so used 20g of hot sliced jalapenos from a jar instead.
• Make ahead – the smoky enchilada sauce, can easily be made the day before or in the morning if you’re having the chimichangas in the evening.   It just needs to be reheated at step 8.
• Leftover enchilada sauce can be frozen in an airtight container. When ready to use, defrost thoroughly and reheat on the hob.
• This chicken chimichangas recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

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Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 60ml (if frying rather than baking)
• 5 skinless boneless chicken thigh fillets
• half an onion, chopped
• 1 small red pepper, roughly chopped
• 100g mild green chillies from a jar or tin, finely chopped (see Tips)
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder
• 85g Monterey Jack cheese, grated plus extra for serving
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp chipotle chilli powder
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large flour tortillas
• 400g tin refried beans (optional)
• 240ml smoky enchilada sauce – see ingredients and instructions below (see Tips to make ahead and freeze leftovers)
• sour cream, to serve (I use reduced fat)
• a handful of chopped coriander, to serve

For the smoky enchilada sauce:

• 20ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 0.5 to 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.25 tsp dried oregano
• 1 to 2 pinches cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chipotle chilli powder

Instructions

1. If baking the chimichangas, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan or skillet pan on a medium heat, add the chicken thigh fillets and fry for 6 to 8 minutes on each side until cooked through, then remove from the pan and set aside. Add another tbsp of the oil to the pan, then the onion and red pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Shred or cut chicken into small pieces and put in a bowl with the cooked onions and peppers, chillies, cheese and spices, season and mix well.
4. Heat the tortillas briefly in a dry frying pan for a few seconds on each side to make them a little more pliable, or heat in a microwave. Spoon a layer of the refried beans (if using) into the centre of each tortilla, then spoon some of the chicken mixture on top. Repeat so all the wraps and filling are used up.
5. Roll up the chimichangas – fold the bottom over the filling, fold the sides in, then roll away from you so all the filling is sealed in.
6. To bake in the oven - place the chimichangas on an oiled baking sheet and brush lightly with more oil. Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Or to fry them - heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the 60ml oil to the pan and place the chimichangas seam-side down. Turn gently every few seconds until lightly golden on all sides and the filling has heated through.
8. While they cook, make the smoky enchilada sauce (instructions below). If you’ve made the enchilada sauce ahead, it can be reheated now in a small pan.   Spoon some enchilada sauce on a plate, lay the chimichanga on top, and top with sour cream, a little more cheese and some coriander.

For the smoky enchilada sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, add the rest of the ingredients, and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture up to the boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes, stirring regularly.   Check the seasoning and add more salt, to taste, if required.
2. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth. Set aside until ready to use the quantity required (see Tips for freezing leftovers).

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Chicken Chimichangas

By: Deborah

The filling is so full of flavour...warmth, spicy and smoky, with smoky enchilada sauce make it a winning combination!

PREP: 10 minutes minutes

COOK: 40 minutes minutes

TOTAL: 50 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 6 chimichangas

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Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil plus 60ml (if frying rather than baking)
• 5 skinless boneless chicken thigh fillets
• half an onion chopped
• 1 small red pepper roughly chopped
• 100g mild green chillies from a jar or tin finely chopped (see Notes)
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder
• 85g Monterey Jack cheese grated plus extra for serving
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp chipotle chilli powder
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large flour tortillas
• 400g tin refried beans (optional)
• 240ml smoky enchilada sauce – see ingredients and instructions below (see Notes to make ahead and freeze leftovers)
• sour cream to serve (I use reduced fat)
• a handful of chopped coriander to serve

For the smoky enchilada sauce:

• 20ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 0.5 to 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.25 tsp dried oregano
• 1 to 2 pinches cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chipotle chilli powder

Instructions

• If baking the chimichangas, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan or skillet pan on a medium heat, add the chicken thigh fillets and fry for 6 to 8 minutes on each side until cooked through, then remove from the pan and set aside. Add another tbsp of the oil to the pan, then the onion and red pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Shred or cut chicken into small pieces and put in a bowl with the cooked onions and peppers, chillies, cheese and spices, season and mix well.
• Heat the tortillas briefly in a dry frying pan for a few seconds on each side to make them a little more pliable, or heat in a microwave. Spoon a layer of the refried beans (if using) into the centre of each tortilla, then spoon some of the chicken mixture on top. Repeat so all the wraps and filling are used up.
• Roll up the chimichangas – fold the bottom over the filling, fold the sides in, then roll away from you so all the filling is sealed in.
• To bake in the oven - place the chimichangas on an oiled baking sheet and brush lightly with more oil. Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Or to fry them - heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the 60ml oil to the pan and place the chimichangas seam-side down. Turn gently every few seconds until lightly golden on all sides and the filling has heated through.
• While they cook, make the smoky enchilada sauce (instructions below). If you’ve made the enchilada sauce ahead, it can be reheated now in a small pan.   Spoon some enchilada sauce on a plate, lay the chimichanga on top, and top with sour cream, a little more cheese and some coriander.

For the smoky enchilada sauce:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, add the rest of the ingredients, and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture up to the boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes, stirring regularly.   Check the seasoning and add more salt, to taste, if required.
• Blitz with a hand blender until smooth. Set aside until ready to use the quantity required (see Notes for freezing leftovers).

Notes

• Green chillies from a jar or tin – I struggled to get mild green chillies from our local supermarket, so used 20g of hot sliced jalapenos from a jar instead.
• Make ahead – the smoky enchilada sauce, can easily be made the day before or in the morning if you’re having the chimichangas in the evening.   It just needs to be reheated at step 8.
• Leftover enchilada sauce can be frozen in an airtight container. When ready to use, defrost thoroughly and reheat on the hob.
• This chicken chimichangas recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people
•  

 

You might also like to try:

• chicken and turkey dishes
• Mexican dishes

KEYWORDS BBC Good Food, chicken thighs, chipotle, enchilada sauce, fried, oven baked, smoky

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