Beef and Cheese Chimichangas
Crispy beef and cheese chimichangas with seasoned ground beef and melted cheese wrapped in golden tortillas. This authentic Mexican recipe delivers restaurant-quality results that beat takeout every time.
Pin Share Print Servings: 6 chimichangas
Calories: 485kcal
Cost: $8.50
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet (For cooking beef filling)
- 1 Heavy pot or deep fryer (For frying chimichangas)
- 1 Candy thermometer (To monitor oil temperature)
- 1 Tongs (For safe turning while frying)
- 6 Toothpicks (To secure chimichanga seams)
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 pound ground beef - 80/20 blend preferred
- 1 medium onion - Finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic - Minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder - For seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin - Essential spice
- ½ teaspoon paprika - For color and flavor
- ½ teaspoon salt - To taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - Freshly ground
Assembly
- 6 large flour tortillas - Burrito size
- 2 cups Mexican cheese blend - Shredded
- ¼ cup refried beans - Optional
Frying
- vegetable oil - For deep frying
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients for chimichanga assembly
- Cook ground beef in large skillet, breaking into small pieces until fully browned
- Add onion, garlic, and all spices to beef, cooking until fragrant and moisture evaporates
- Heat tortillas in microwave or dry skillet until soft and pliable for easy wrapping
- Place beef mixture and cheese in center of each tortilla, leaving edges clear
- Fold bottom up, sides in, then roll tightly and secure with toothpicks
- Bring oil to 350°F in heavy pot using candy thermometer for accurate temperature
- Cook chimichangas seam-side down first until golden brown and crispy on all sides
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Serving: 1chimichanga | Calories: 485kcal (24%) | Carbohydrates: 32g (11%) | Protein: 25g (50%) | Fat: 28g (43%) | Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 75mg (25%) | Sodium: 865mg (38%) | Potassium: 385mg (11%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 2g (2%) | Vitamin A: 485IU (10%) | Vitamin C: 3mg (4%) | Calcium: 285mg (29%) | Iron: 3.2mg (18%)