servings
Chicken Chimichangas
You can fill these as much or as little as you like depending on your family. I find 6 works well for one recipe but small kids might only eat half of one. For a dairy free version use special cheese or dice up an avocado in place of the grated cheese.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown rice (I use Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 14 oz can pinto beans or black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup grated jalapeño havarti or monterey jack cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon water
- 6 10 inch flour tortillas
- 3 cups canola oil for frying
Option: Salsa, Sour Cream and Guacamole for Serving
Instructions
- In a ceramic dish microwave rice, broth and salsa on high for 5 minutes and stir. Put in for an additional 2-4 minutes until most of the broth is absorbed.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a large dutch oven heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until softened approximately 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin and sauté another minute stirring constantly. Add 1 1/4 cup broth, the rice mixture and beans and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium low and place seasoned chicken on top of the rice mixture. Cook with the lid on for 10 minutes then flip the chicken over and cook another 5-10 minutes until chicken registers 160 degrees.
- Set chicken aside on a cutting board to cool for a few minutes.
- In a large clean pot add approximately 3 cups canola oil and heat to 325-350 degrees.
- Cut chicken into small pieces (approximately 1 cm in size) and put back in your pot and mix together with rice, cheese and cilantro. Taste and add any additional salt or pepper needed.
- Stir together flour and water in a small bowl to make a paste. Place 1/4 or less of filling in the centre of the tortilla and brush one side with the flour and water paste. Roll one side of the tortilla tightly over the filling and then fold the side with the paste to create a roll. Next using paste on both ends fold in to seal.
- Working with 2 chimichangas at a time place them using tongs seam side down in the oil. Fry until chimichangas are a deep golden brown about 2 minutes per side. Pat with paper towel and set on a wire rack in a baking sheet to drain and cool. Repeat with remaining chimichangas ensuring oil stays at approximately 325 degrees.
- Slice in half and serve with guacamole and salsa.
