Oven-Baked Chicken Chimichangas
- 1- 1/2 cup Cooked Chicken, Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano, Crushed
- 1/2 teaspoons Chili Powder
- 1/4 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt (1/4 Tsp Table Salt)
- 1/4 teaspoons Black Pepper
- 5 Scallions, Finely Chopped
- 1/2 cups Drained And Rinsed Black Beans
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro Or Chopped Baby Spinach
- 3/4 cups Salsa (salsa Verde Also Works Great)
- 8 ounces, weight Monterey Jack Cheese, Shredded
- 7 Taco-size Flour Tortillas (about 8-9")
- Vegetable Oil Or Olive Oil For Brushing
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, scallions, black beans, and cilantro.
- Add the salsa and cheese.
- Stir to combine.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Brush 4 tortillas on one side very lightly with water then place them in a stack on a clean kitchen towel.
- Wrap the towel around the tortillas.
- Microwave the tortillas for about 25 seconds.
- This heats the tortillas enough to make them pliable.
- Remove one tortilla from the kitchen towel and rewrap the others to keep them warm.
- Add 1/3 cup of the filling to the center of the tortilla.
- Wrap the chimichanga like you would a burrito.
- Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla up over the filling then roll it starting from the bottom to completely enclose the filling.
- You should not roll the chimi too tightly or the tortilla will tear (or later burst during baking).
- Place the chimi seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Repeat with the other tortillas heating additional tortillas in the microwave when needed.
- Brush the tops and sides of each chimi with some oil.
- Bake for 23 to 26 minutes or until the chimis are golden and crispy.
- Serve with additional salsa, sour cream, or pico de gallo.
- Alternative Preparations:
- 1) Use freshly grated 2% sharp cheddar.
- Regular cheddar is also tasty but releases a lot of oil when it melts.
- Pepper jack cheese works great for those who appreciate things on the spicy side.
- Feeling naughty?
- Use 12 oz of cheese.
- Its really tasty that way but increases the caloric content and level of saturated fat considerably.
- 2) Make it vegetarian!
- Instead of chicken, add some red bell peppers, corn, and additional black beans.
- 3) Use whole-wheat or low-carb tortillas.
- 4) Instead of regular salsa, use salsa verde.
- Its really tasty this way!
chicken, cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, scallions, black beans, cilantro, salsa, weight monterey, flour tortillas, vegetable oil
Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/oven-baked-chicken-chimichangas/ (may not work)