Chicken & Cheese Chimichangas
Perfectly seasoned meat with loads of melty cheese. What's not to love about a deep fried burrito? These Chimichangas are the bomb!
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 8 large burrito size flour tortillas
- 8 oz colby jack, cheddar or pepper jack cheese, grated
- vegetable oil, for frying
- sour cream, to serve
- salsa, to serve
Instructions
Cook Chicken Breasts:
- Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker and add chicken broth to cover. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred chicken breast meat with a fork.
Assemble Chimichangas:
- Place the shredded chicken meat in a large bowl and add chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper and a couple tablespoons of chicken broth from the slow cooker just a little to moisten the meat a bit.
- Place tortillas between two damp paper towels and heat them on high in the microwave for 10 - 15 seconds or until tortillas are soft. This will prevent them from cracking when you roll them around the filling.
- Lay out a warmed tortilla and add about 1/2 cup of grated cheese.
- Top cheese with about 1/2 cup of chicken meat.
- Top the meat with another generous mound of grated cheese.
- Roll the tortilla into a tight roll, tucking in the sides and completely enclosing the filling to form a burrito.
- Place seam side down on a platter while you finish filling and rolling the remaining tortillas.
Cook Chimichangas:
- Set up a fry station. Place a wire rack in a cookie sheet and set aside.
- Pour enough oil in a large skillet so that the oil comes about 1/2 way up the sides of the chimichangas.
- Heat oil over medium high heat.
- When oil is hot use tongs to place a chimichanga in the pan, seam side down. Hold it in place for about 15-20 seconds to make sure the tortilla doesn't unroll.
- Add another chimichanga to the pan holding it in place for 15-20 seconds with the tongs.
- Fry for about a minute per side, just until heated through and the tortillas are a crisp golden brown.
- Remove cooked chimichangas with tongs and place on wire rack to allow any excess oil to drain off.
- Continue this shallow fry method with the remaining chimichangas, frying a couple at a time.
- Serve with a side of sour cream and salsa if desired.