If you love these chicken chimichangas, then you might also want to try my Shredded Beef Chimichangas next or maybe these Vegetarian Swiss Chard and Pinto Bean Burritos! It’s Arizona Week on House of Nash Eats! I’m doing a series that I’m calling American Eats where I’m exploring the foods and flavors of America state-by-state, drawing on some of the most iconic dishes or ingredients that each state is known for. You can find all of my Alabama posts here and my Alaska posts here. But today we’re heading to a completely new region of the country – the American Southwest! I thought I would kick things off with one of my favorite foods of all time – Green Chili Chicken Chimichangas. If you haven’t ever tried a chimichanga, you are missing out! They are essentially a deep-fried burrito and they are an amazing combination of texture and flavor thanks to the crispy-fried tortilla shell on the outside and the savory, spicy meat on the inside. Then you top them with guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and dig in!
Where are chimichangas from?
Like many foods, there is some debate about where chimichangas originated, but the story I like best is that of a woman named Monica Flin, who owned the El Charro Café in downtown Tucson in the 1940’s and 50’s. One night she accidentally dropped a burrito in a deep-fryer and fake-swore using a toned-down version of a spanish expletive, turning it into the word “chimichanga”. I love how mistakes in the kitchen sometimes turn out to be some of the best foods! Other claims for creating the chimichanga come from different restaurants in Tucson and Phoenix (you can read more here), but everything I found indicates that chimichangas are definitely an Arizona original! My recipe for the green chili chicken filling and method for making these chimichangas comes from an old cookbook that my mom had when I was growing up. We made these often, especially when my three aunts came to visit.
What goes into a chimichanga?
A chimichanga can be filled with anything from the green chili chicken I use here, to carnitas, carne asada, al pastor pork, shredded beef, rice, beans, and cheese. But I would caution against overfilling the tortilla both from the standpoint of it making it harder to roll and keep together while frying, and from the perspective that an authentic chimichanga is litle more than just a fried tortilla with meat inside. The fixings, like with tacos, are served on top or on the side along with Mexican rice and refried beans. It’s the ratio of meat to shell creating a meaty, crispy packet that is my favorite feature of a good chimichanga and one reason why I prefer them homemade rather than ordered from a Tex-Mex chain. The chimichangas I often get at Mexican restaurants are often stuffed with rice and beans and much less meat, and I find them much less satisfying. Regardless of what you decide to put into a chimichanga, be sure that the filling is already hot since the time it takes to fry up the exterior of a batch of chimichangas isn’t long enough to heat it all the way through if the filling goes in cold.
How to Make Chimichangas
More Mexican Food Favorites
Crispy Mexican Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas with Escabeche Baja Fish Tacos Recipe Authentic Carne Asada Recipe Oven Quesadillas
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
