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  • Anna's Baked/Zapped Chicken Chimichangas

    1 vote
    Anna's Baked/Zapped Chicken Chimichangas
    Prep: 1 hours Cook: 2 hours Servings: 20
    by Ann Harris
    8 recipes
    >
    This dish is rather time consuming, but well worth the effort. Traditionally, chimichangas are deep-fried, but for us health-conscious folk, baking or microwaving them saves us from those unwanted calories from all that fat. And it's just as yummy. Any leftover filling can be refrigerated for up to a week...and believe me, it's just as amazing the third day as it is the first day! ¡Es muy delicioso! :-)

    Ingredients

    • 5 pounds skinless chicken breast, cleaned and cut into large pieces
    • 1 tbsp. lime juice
    • 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper
    • 2 tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 1 large green pepper, diced
    • 1 large red pepper, diced
    • 1 large orange pepper, diced
    • 1 tsp. chili powder
    • 2 4-oz. cans chopped green chiles
    • Flour tortillas
    • 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

    Directions

    1. Place cleaned and cut chicken breast in a large bowl; season with salt, pepper and lime juice.
    2. Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until the pieces turn opaque, about 10 minutes. By this time there will be quite a bit of liquid in the pot. Lower the heat and continue to cook the chicken, turning the pieces occasionally. Once thoroughly cooked, turn the heat off, remove chicken and drain any liquid.
    3. While the chicken cools, add olive oil to the same large pot and add the veggies, a bit more salt and pepper, and the chili powder. Cook on low heat til tender.
    4. While keeping an eye on the veggies, shred the chicken using 2 forks. Use one fork to hold down the piece, and the other to do the actual shredding (pull the fork along the grain of the meat to shred it). This is the most time-consuming task, and your veggies will be cooked way before you finish the shredding, trust me. Just turn off the heat and let 'em sit.
    5. Once the chicken is shredded, add it back to the pot along with the green chiles. Cook on low-medium heat for about 10 minutes, just to ensure that the chicken is cooked thoroughly.
    6. Now you're ready to fill some tortillas. Take about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture and place it in the tortillas, kind of off-center. You can now do one of two things: Bake or Zap.
    7. To Bake: Roll 'em up, put 'em in a baking dish seam-side down and brush with olive oil. You'll probably only be able to fit 8-10 chimis in the dish. Remember, they don't all have to be baked. Bake at 400℉ for about 10 minutes or until browned. Take the dish out and add cheese; return to oven and cook til cheese is melted.
    8. To Zap: Roll one or two tortillas and place seam-side down on a microwave-safe plate. Sprinkle some Jack cheese on top and cook for about 60-90 seconds, or til the cheese melts.
    9. So now you're ready to serve. Top with your favorite salsa, some sour cream (I use Reduced Fat...saves on the calories a bit) and guacamole. Put some tortilla chips and Spanish Rice on the side. Can I get an '¡Olé!'?

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    Comments

    • MetricCook
      MetricCook
      That is odd, I thought chimchaga was Mexican? Mexico uses Metric only. Please use 2.5 kg of chicken breast and 250 g of green chilies, instead, and put in a 200°C oven. Americans are so out-dated.
      1 reply
      • Ann Harris
        Hello MetricCook,

        Chimichangas are Mexican; this is just my version of it. I will continue to use whatever measurements are best for what I am making. And I will continue to use an oven that measures temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. :-)

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