Description
Beef & Cheese Chimichangas are a crispy, golden treat filled with seasoned beef, melty cheese, and optional extras like beans and rice. Whether fried or baked, they’re an irresistible Tex-Mex classic that’s perfect for dinner or game day.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large flour tortillas (10–12 inch, burrito-size)
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 or leaner)
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup diced green chiles (canned)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Mexican blend)
- 1/2 cup cooked rice (optional)
- 1/2 cup refried or whole black beans (optional)
- 1/4 cup corn kernels or diced bell peppers (optional)
Seasoning Blend:
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
For Cooking & Serving:
- Vegetable oil for frying (or cooking spray for baking)
- Toothpicks (optional, to secure chimichangas)
- Sour cream, guacamole, salsa, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cilantro (for serving)
Instructions
- Warm tortillas to room temperature for flexibility.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef with diced onion and garlic until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in green chiles and all seasonings. Simmer for 2–3 minutes. Add optional rice, beans, or vegetables at this stage.
- Remove from heat and mix in shredded cheese.
- Lay out tortillas. Add filling in the center, fold sides in, then roll tightly into a burrito shape. Secure with toothpicks if frying.
- For frying: Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry each chimichanga seam-side down for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- For baking: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking oil. Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Serve hot with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Use cooked shredded beef (like chuck roast or leftover pot roast) for a more traditional filling.
- For a spicy version, use Pepper Jack cheese or add diced jalapeños.
- Chimichangas can be frozen before cooking and baked straight from frozen — just add 10 more minutes to bake time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Tex-Mex
- Method: Frying or Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chimichanga
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: undefined
- Unsaturated Fat: undefined
- Trans Fat: undefined
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: undefined
Keywords: Beef Chimichangas, Cheese Chimichangas, Tex-Mex Dinner, Crispy Tortilla Wraps, Mexican Recipes, Fried Burritos