These chimichangas save time by using leftover chicken, or a cold rotisserie chicken from the supermarket as well as canned items to make the sauce!
This is delicious! I changed the recipe to 4 servings and made the following changes: black olives instead of green, lemon juice instead of lime juice, and 1/2 can refried beans in place of cream cheese. I made these changes because of what was in the pantry at the time. Besides we like refried beans with our chimis. (I warmed the sour cream and beans slightly in microwave to make mixing easier). I also used pepperjack cheese, which gave it a nice kick. Also after rolling them up I sprayed them with cooking oil and baked on a cookie sheet for 12 minutes in a convection oven at 350. They were nice and crispy and right before serving I poured the sauce over. Very Very Good and WILL make again. thanks for a great recipe.
Read MoreI think I would search for a different sauce. The chimis themselves were ok (a little dry without sauce) but I didn't care for the sauce.
Read MoreThis is delicious! I changed the recipe to 4 servings and made the following changes: black olives instead of green, lemon juice instead of lime juice, and 1/2 can refried beans in place of cream cheese. I made these changes because of what was in the pantry at the time. Besides we like refried beans with our chimis. (I warmed the sour cream and beans slightly in microwave to make mixing easier). I also used pepperjack cheese, which gave it a nice kick. Also after rolling them up I sprayed them with cooking oil and baked on a cookie sheet for 12 minutes in a convection oven at 350. They were nice and crispy and right before serving I poured the sauce over. Very Very Good and WILL make again. thanks for a great recipe.
How to fry a chimichanga with NO MESS: Pour 1/2 inch Oil in your electric skillet and heat to 360 degrees. Place the filling in a recangle fashion. Leaving 2" of the tortilla dry at the top and bottom.Leave the SIDE 1 & 1/2" dry. Fold the botton of the tortilla up first, then carefully fold the sides up. Roll over, making sure you keep your fingers on the bottom edge of the tortilla. Gently lay/roll the chimichanga into the hot skillet, folded side down. Fry 3-4 minutes on each side. Always use TONGS when turning your Chimi's. It's really easy and the crispy texture of the tortillas is fantastic. Best of all, NO MESS!
Pretty good but I would say to bake them!!!!!! We made 4 the way the recipe instructed and fried them. The rest we did various things - baked as is, baked with non fat spray butter, and baked with brushed oil. We could not tell a difference between the baked varities, but we preferred them over the fried in oil!!! Healthier too! Also, as others said- too much cheese! We didn't even use 1 package of the cheese it called for. But still I would say, use only half of one bag (so use 1/4 the cheese that the recipe calls for unless you love cheese.)Would make again using these adjustments only!
WOW, this is the best recipe I've tried in a very long time. My husband, who loves chimis from a favorite Mexican restaurant said that these were definately restaurant quality. I followed the recipe as is; I used Louis Rich Grilled chicken strips and shredded them, and used whole wheat tortillas. The sauce I thought was different, but it really does compliment the chimis. So easy and delicious, and can't wait to make this again!
Overall this was certainly a crowd pleasing recipe! I used a store bought rotisserie chicken, that made making this so quick and easy. One tip I would suggest is to watch the temp of the oil. The oil should be hot enough to brown the tortilla, but not too hot so that the tortilla browns too quickly not giving the chicken and cheese mixture time to melt. Mine browned too quickly so after I set them on a paper towel I transferred them to a cookie sheet in a warm oven. This actually worked out well for me, it allowed me to finish other dishes I was working on, and gave the cheese more time to heat up and melt. The tortilla remained crispy and delicious! Also, I made too much…but the leftovers were easily reheated in my toaster oven. I will never be able to have “taco night” again, without making this recipe too! I look forward to making it again soon! Thanks for posting it!
Yummy- sooo good!! I also sprayed with cooking spray and baked 15 minutes on each side at 350 degrees. The sauce is surprisingly perfect with the chimis. I only used 5 oz cream cheese because others had said it was too much- but I thought it could have used more- so next time I will do the whole 8 oz as the recipe says. I only made half the sauce and it was more than enough. I used black olives instead of green. Really great!
I agree with the rest of the reviewers that this is an excellent recipe. Easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. I followed the instructions to the letter except for one variation. A previous reviewer recommended adding garlic and salt to the chicken to give it more flavor. My variation is not for the fat conscious cooks, I melted a half cube of butter in a pan with about 4 finely chopped garlic cloves then tossed the mixture with the shredded chicken before adding to the cheese mixture. My wife and I agree that in our memory this is the best Chimi we have tasted.
This recipe was quick and good. I thought the chicken part could have used a little more seasoning, maybe a little garlic and salt. Also if you fry them at the recommend heat they will burn. I cooked them on low until nicely browned. I will make them again.
WOW!! Boy were these good! My whole family gave them a five. Best chimichangas I have ever had. I did bake them instead of frying, and they were perfect. The sauce was delish. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
This recipe is very yummy! I sprayed with olive oil spray and baked. Turned out very good. Had my parents over for dinner and my mom asked me for the recipe.
You know what? My family loved 'em! I had to make changes to accomodate what was on hand but I feel the original recipe created the inspiration & deserves the stars! Okay, I only made 1/2 of the sauce & omitted both the jalapeno & olives so used 5oz. green chiles (had opened a 7oz can), made plenty was still yummy, family couldn't believe it was canned soup! Only had 4oz. cream cheese so added 4oz. refried beans, 2oz. green chiles (leftover from the sauce), about 1/2 tsp. garlic salt & used 8oz. cheddar along with leftover bbq chicken (wiped off the sauce of course!). Did a quick fry in hot oil on both sides then baked in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. By the time the chimi's were done the sauce had gotten a bit thick so I added a bit of chicken broth (had an open carton in the fridge) to bring it to the desired consistency...I'm still kinda surprised at how good these actually were! I can see how the green olives may add a brineyness(?) so will try it next time & though we loved 'em with cheddar I really wanna try 'em with Jack. Really tasty, pretty easy & I think a creative way to use leftover chicken.
I made these for my family and everybody loved them, I followed the recipe execpt I brushed on melted butter and baked in the oven.......turned out great
Great recipe..although I did make several changes..I used canned green sauce with added chopped green chilies, onion and some of the shredded chicken..that was all for the sauce. I love baking the olive oil brushed chimies in the oven..the best! My husband ate them like no tomorrow.
You nailed it, Bobbi!! Way to go!! I've actually made it a couple times and I change nothing. OK, I eyeball the amounts and I might substitute a type of cheese, depending on what's on hand. Oh and I fry the chicken with garlic and onions and incorporate that into the filling it,and coat it with flour and taco seasoning. That's it, the rest is all you and it rocks!! I always add at least 6 more chimis to the list of ingredients because they freeze great! I don't put the sauce over the top of the ones I freeze, of course. But they go together so fast, there's no reason not to do another ten and have them around for afternoon snacks. But every time I made these, I do a fist pump and scream, "I nailed this one!" Thanks a bunch!!
Really easy to make and good. Cooked the chkicken breat in a crop pot with taco sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. I also added some cumin, then prepard recipe according suggestions. The sauce was spicy and tangy from the limes. I added minced olives and cheese on topa nd baked in oven for 15 minutes on 350. Served with sour cream. Yum.
Oooh, SO yummy!! I took a reviewers' advice and baked with a bit of cookiing spray instead of frying and was so glad I did. (note - turn them halfway through). It saved a ton of fat and mess and the tortillas were plenty crispy and tasty. Loved the sauce! I halved the recipe and it fed my husband and I. No leftovers tonight! Next time I'll add some refried beans and use lowfat cheeses. Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe!
I think I would search for a different sauce. The chimis themselves were ok (a little dry without sauce) but I didn't care for the sauce.
This was really good. I did not add any olives or lime juice to the sauce. Also, I only had one can of cream of chicken soup so I had to sub cream of celery for the other and it still turned out pretty good. The filling was awesome. I did not have any montery jack cheese so I just used cheddar instead, but it was still great. Thanks for sharing.
We loved these! We baked them (without any oil) at 350 for 15 minutes each side. Perfect! We didn't have olives or jalapeno, so I just made the sauce without them. It still turned out great. We will add this to our dinner rotation.
The hubby said 'I want to take a picture of this because it looks like it came out of a restaurant!' I agree, this could have used maybe 2/3 of the package of cream cheese but overall a delicious recipe and a great way to use up extra cream of chicken soup in the cabinet, which is how I found this recipe ;). Made a full recipe but half the sauce (and that was more than enough!)
These are good, but VERY heavy with cheese! Eater beware! And I'm a cheese lover! It's the cream cheese that makes the filling heavy and you don't have to make them very large... just a little filling goes a long way. I also baked them at 350 for about 15-20 minutes, after brushing melted butter on the tops to help make them golden and crispy. Here's what I did differently for the sauce: I used a can of Stoke's Green Chile Sauce with Pork. HIGHLY recommend!!
Abolutely wonderful recipe. I took the advice of spraying them lightly then baking them and they are great! Have made them twice now, very successfully. A family hit!
Used 2 cans of chicken, capers instead of olives, and added cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning.
Made exactly as directed. These were Awesome and, strange as this may sound, even better eaten cold for lunch the next day!
So delicious. Just very filling. My husband and I could barely finish 1 chimichanga between the 2 of us. Next time I'll use light cream cheese.
These are great!! I used black olives instead of green. I have made these a few times now, and everyone who had them likes them, even good as left overs. Thanks for the recipe!
these were very good, i did make few changes. i added fresh cilantro to the green sauce, and to the filling i added green onion, black olives and some crushed red pepper flakes for extra kick. then i deep fried them. i did have some trouble keeping them together in the fryer, so they looked kinda funny and messy, but they were really really good. thanks for a great recipe
Wonderful recipe! Great tasting and easy to make. I brushed the tortillas with melted butter and baked in the oven for about 10 minutes on 500 (I got the idea from another Chimichanga recipe) instead of frying, and they were great.
I was quite disappointed with this, not only because it didn't float my boat, but also because I have been wanting to try this for a while and the anticipation that had been building up didn't meet my expectations in the least. On the flip side, my hubs liked this more than I did, but wouldn't necessarily want it again either. What we both agree on is the sauce. It was not to our liking at all. And it makes WAAY too much! Half the amount would have been enough for more than 8 chimis!!! The sauce was the worse part, but the actual chimi itself wasn't great either. Perhaps if the cheeses were heated FIRST and THEN added to the chicken, the consistency would have been better??? As is, the filling isn't gooey-cheesy-creamy like it should be. NOTE: You can eliminate the frying step alltogether by brushing your chimis with a T of melted butter. Just be sure to bake on the very top rack of your oven, turn at least once and brush once more. It may take longer than a half hour to crisp up, but the calories saved is worth it. :) Served with Mexican Rice II and refried beans, this was just an "OK" meal. Thanks anyways, Bobbi. :-)
i left the recipe as is and it turned out great. i didn't think the filling was bland as some said. will make again.
These turned out great! They're kind of a lot of work, but worth it when you have the time. I baked mine on 450 after brushing with oil. Serve with lettuce and sour cream.
I made recipe as written and ended up burning the chimis - I may try baking them next time, or just lowering the oil heat. I found the sauce a tad salty, as canned soup tends to be, so I'll have to check for a low sodium option, and perhaps skip the olives. I would call these restaurant quality taste, even when burnt! You could cut down on the shredded cheese a bit, and recipe doesn't call for softened cream cheese (maybe it's assumed?), but it's hard to mix without being softened.
Yummy! The only thing I changed was additional green chiles in the filling. Best recipe of it's kind! 5+ stars
The sauce was 5 stars, but felt the flavor of the chimichangas only rated a 3-1/2. I baked them for 10 - 12 minutes at 450 degrees, with no oil added, and the texture was great. Nice and crispy. Very easy to prepare and freeze ahead. simply put the portions of sauce in separate containers from the chimichangas and put the whole thing in the freezer.
An hour & 20 minutes?? I made this in 45 minutes. Absolutely delightful, but, just too similar to what my neighbor makes and brings over to me. Great taste, but, just not new for me, at least.
We really didn't care for this. The chimis themselves weren't bad, although I would've dialed down the cream cheese and probably added some diced chilies or jalapenos to the filling. We did not care for the sauce at all. Even after I attempted some tweaking, we didn't end up using it.
Very Very good. My husband really enjoyed it. I was a bit worried at first because he doesnt like cream cheese, but the cream cheese blended well and made the filling nice and creamy. We will definately make this again.
I've made these once, and everyone loved them. I will be taking them to my family Christmas party because we do a Mexican themed Christmas every year. I think they will be a huge hit! What made this so easy was that I used a store bought Rotisserie Chicken and shredded it. This made it so quick and easy!
Just comparing it to the other recipes off this site for chimichangas I could tell this one had some serious potential to be outstanding and more authentic and I was right! What really surprised me was the condensed chicken soup, its so much better for you than I anticipated (so little sodium too) and it brings the flavor together so don't leave this one out! I didn't have jalapeños or olives but it was still fantastic. If you do want to add jalapeño, please be sure to take out the seeds AND the ribs or your mouth will catch on fire (personal experience). I always have pre-shredded cheese, so I just used the Mexican blend which works fantastic with this and I eyeballed how much I wanted. I also have taco seasoning in a jar, so I used 1 tbsp and it worked great (I halved the recipe). For the chicken, I baked 2 small chicken breasts at 400 degrees for 20 minutes with olive oil, salt and pepper, then shredded it. I also baked the chimichangas at 350 for ten minutes and they were done to perfection. We also ate these with raw onion (personal preference) on top though I don't suggest you do this if you're on a date ;). These are making it into my recipe folder for sure.
My family was skeptical at first, the ingredients sauce do seem a bit strange, but they work wonderfully. My husband and brother had me make the sauce again for plain grilled chicken. High in calories, but a worthwhile splurge.
This was super delicious! The sauce was incredible. My husband made it and instead of using separate monterey jack cheese and cheddar cheese, he used a blend of the two. We used very large burrito tortillas and because they were so big, it only made 4 chimis. Also, as a warning, don't let the sauce simmer too long, we did and it cooked down and it was a little salty and thick. This is definitely restaurant quality!
I omitted the olives (due to picky eaters), but this recipe was absolutely fantastic!! Thank you!
Awesome recipe! I used jalapeno stuffed green olives and added fresh cilantro to the green sauce. Followed twistedsister's suggestion and baked them.I sprayed with PAM in place of cooking oil, they turned out crispy and re-heated okay the next day. This is a definite keeper. Am making it tomorrow for the vegetarian daughter and her husband; they are getting black beans in theirs and I am going to try cheddar cheese soup in place of cream of chicken and hope the color is not too weird. Thanks for a great recipe!!
I thought it was really good. I love the sauce!! I didn't seed the whole jalapeno. The stuffing tasts a little like my chicken enchiladas, so I'm gonna experiment with stuffing ingrediants.
Made this recipe against my better judgement.... don't mix cream cheese with mexican... I only used half the recommended amount but still flavorless... even after throwing in cayenne and bottled hot sauce.
Delicious! We don't make the sauce though (which I know sounds odd since that is what the majority of the ingredients in this recipe are for). We just make the cream cheese and chicken mixture. Then we add black beans and a type of rice (we have used white rice at one time and mexican rice at another time) to the inside of the tortilla with the chicken mixture and then deep fry it. SOOOO GOOD!! We top it with sour cream and salsa and if we have the ingredients I make a little veggie garnish consisting of diced avocados, diced tomatoes (fresh, NOT canned), diced red onion, parsley, garlic salt and pepper. We top the chimi with that as well. LOVE this meal!
These were excellent!! Made them for dinner tonight had this recipe in my recipe box for over two years and finally made it. I'm mad at myself for waiting so long! My kids devoured these and asked for seconds! The only sub I made was lemon juice for lime juice in the sauce but still delicious never the less!
This recipe is awesome! I will be cooking this dish every week for my family for the rest of my life!
Love this recipe! Wondering, though, if the sour cream is supposed to go in the sauce or if it is just to use as a topping at the end? It's not mentioned anywhere in the recipe.
These were ok, I think it was the cream cheese that I didn't care for. I did add some onions and bell peppers to the meat/cheese mixture as I had them on hand and normally add them to my chimis. Might make again but omit the cream cheese or at least cut it in half.
My family loves these chimichangas! I have made these several times, serving them with Best Black Beans and Mexican Rice III (recipes from this site). The only changes I made were to only make half the green sauce leaving the olives out and there is always plenty of sauce left over. I only used half the shredded Monterey Jack cheese called for to fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture and used the other half on top of the chimis after I put the green sauce on them. I also did as others suggested, & brushed the tortillas with oil and baked the chimis at 350 degrees for 20 min. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
These were so good! I didn't have any green olives on hand so I just ommitted tham and the sauce was still great. I might try to add some chopped green chiles to the filling next time and use a bit less taco seasoning.
Awesome! I put about a 1/3 can of refried beans in the chicken/cream cheese mixture, and then also put a layer of refried beans down on each tortilla before putting the chicken mixture down. I also added onions to the mixture (might add tomatoes next time). I didn't use olives or jalapenos. Then I deep fried the chimis and they are amazing! I also baked a couple of them at 350 (sprayed w/ olive oil first) and they were good, too, but deep fried was better of course!
Wonderful! I cooked mine on a griddle with spay oil and they turned out perfect. I did heat the filling first. Perfect!!!!
my boyfriend and i thought this was extremely delicious! i baked mine like some others said (350 degrees for 12 minutes), and i didn't even put the sour cream, cheese, or chives on top, and it was fantastic. i thought the sauce was especially delicious.
Yum! I was hesitant about the green sauce only because of the cream of chicken soup. I didn't think that it would stay true to the Mexican chimichangas. I was wrong; it was great. the chimichangas themselves were wonderful with the chicken, cream cheese mixture. The shells were crispy but not soaked with oil (I let them sit on paper towel after being fried). The whole dish was very easy to make. I ended up yielding 12 for 5 people and they were gone before dinner was done!
Very delicious! My family didn't like the green sauce, but I really enjoyed. I was surprised at how good it was, made from a canned soup base: the fresh jalepeno and olives took the "canned" flavor up to "nice & fresh", (similar to a tomatilla sauce). I, like many others, choose to bake (375 for 20 minutes). I sprayed with a buttery spray first, and when it didn't brown/crisp up, I brushed with butter. I used only half the Jack cheese inside and thought that was PLENTY cheesy. We topped with the stated, sauce, cheese and sour cream and added chopped fresh tomatoes. WILL make this one again with a few very minor changes.
Yum. This recipe is a little salty for my usual taste, but it totally hits the guilty-good spot in my face tonight. Thanks for the recipe!
I usually leave an extended review but this one is perfect AS IS. as rachel would say. yummo!!!
VERY yummy. If you're looking for low cal, continue your search! They are also very putsy and very rich. One suggestion- don't use cold tortillas, as they will crumble when you fold them up. We all loved the chimichangas, and am definitely adding this to my recipe collection!
The kids request this at least twice a month and I willingly give in because it's soooo good!
I made these tonight and they were excellent!! Restaurant quality indeed. My 2 teenagers loved them. To go along with them, I made Spanish Rice II from this website, a great companion for the chimies. Yummy!
Really good meal. I'd pass on the olives in the sauce next time plus add a bit more lime juice. I would also use a bit less cream cheese. This is going in the "Make Again" file. Thanks Bobbi for sharing.
Absolutely wonderful. Whole family enjoyed. The only thing I did different was not to add the fresh lime juice. Will definitely make again and again.
This is a great recipe!! I baked the chimichangas on about 425 degrees and sprayed with canola oil. The sauce was also very good. The sauce adds just a little bit of heat to the dish. Serve with gaucamole and chips.
This recipe is so easy. . .and really delicious! My daughter likens it to her fav restaurant chicken chimichanga! The sauce is fabulous. . .and I am going to try it on carnitas.
Super easy and delicious. Loved the green sauce. My husband loved these so much; I had to limit him to only three. He said he could have eaten the rest (4) of them. I felt very successful! I will definately be making these again...SOON.
These were really good, rich, and different. The only thing I changed was to omit the olives because I didn't have any on hand. My family really enjoyed them.
I have made this over and over by now and it keeps getting better and better. Of course, though, I had to mod. For 2 people, use 1 can chilies, 1 can soup, 1 tbs lemon juice, 3 olives and 1 full jalepeno for sauce; only added a little more taco seasoning and fold it like a simple burrito. Top with sour cream and tomatoes. Serve it resturaunt quality at $12+ a plate easy.
Very easy & very tasty!
AWESOME; Nothing more needs to be said, but I will! Time and time again, I make chimis (beef/chicken), this is the "go-to guide" for this dinner. I tweek the recipe to what I'm feeling or have on hand, use the reviews that suggest quick fry/bake, and the chimmis just turn out beautifully, every time!
This has been a family favorite since 2006. Due to preference, I omit the olives and the 1 jalapeno pepper from the sauce. I use the "Taco Seasoning I" recipe from this site for the seasoning. Instead of frying, I put softened butter on the tortillas and bake it at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
these were pretty darn tasty. we felt the green olives gave off quite a strong flavor in the sauce but it still went well with the whole thing. i also used whole wheat tortillas and baked them in the oven, same thing without making them too greasy.
I followed the recipe exactly except for that I left the olives out completely. I thought the recipe was quick, easy, and very delicious. I will definitely make these again.
Really creamy and good. 1 per person is plenty if served with rice and beans - I didn't think it would be enough, but they are just right. Left off the cheese on top, wasn't necessary, and the sauce was great. Served with homemade salsa.
Chimichangas are my favorites. This was pretty good but not as authentic as I like. Sorry!
This recipe is my new favorite! I followed the recipe except I used black olives instead of green because of personal preference! My husband and I loved them!
This recipe is a keeper. I baked the chimichangas instead of frying spraying with Butter flavor Pam. Came out great. The sauce was fantastic. I made sauce in the morning. Boiled chicken w/garlic powder in the morning, so all I had to do was assemble and cook. It is really a 5 star recipe. Restaurant worthy.
I tried this recipe because my boyfriend and I love Chimi's and we don't have many options for them where we live, we were both quite skeptical; however they turned out great....the only thing I would do differently is roast my own chicken; unfortunately the store bought rotisserie chicken we used didn't exactly shred, it turned to mush. Fortunately the flavor was good enough to overlook the mushy inside. Since I fried them in a pan with a little grease, I put them in the oven for about 15 min on 350 to finish heating the center through....Thanks so much for putting this recipe online.
Got rave comments from my family. The green sauce make the dish. Amazing! Thank you!
I have made these a few times exactly as the recipe states. This is by far my favorite recipe on this site as of yet! The last time I made them I put a couple to the side and baked them to see if they were as good, and I didn't like them as much. Everybody loves these!
My family loved this recipe; my 4 year old even had 2nds (minus the sauce of course!) I used a store bought roasted chicken and added 2 cups instead of 1. I also used a spicy green salsa from my favorite restaurant in the sauce instead of the jalapenos and omitted the green olives. Was a huge hit and am in fact making it again tonight for neighbors. Very quick and easy, great served with guacamole too. Thanks Bobbi!
These tasted good, but fell apart. Eating them was tricky. The grease soaked in to the tortillas and tasted delicious although it was very unhealthy. I had toothpicks all over the place but food was falling out while it was frying so I used forks pressing strategically to hold some ingredients in. Didn't work well and I burnt my fingers several times.
very good!!! I used 1/2 the cream cheese and 1/2 can of refried beans. Black instead of green olives, and it was so good I made it again the next week.
