Description
Crispy beef and cheese chimichanga comes packed with bold Tex-Mex flavor that will make your dinner table dance with excitement. Stuffed with seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and wrapped in a golden tortilla, this dish delivers serious comfort right to your plate.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese
- 4 flour tortillas
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 packet taco seasoning
Cooking Ingredients:
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet to medium temperature. Sear 1 lb ground beef, crumbling into small pieces until no pink remains. Drain away excess fat from your meat.
- Add 1 medium finely chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves to the skillet. Sauté for 3 minutes until vegetables soften and release their aromatic flavors.
- Sprinkle 1 packet of taco seasoning over the beef mixture. Pour ¼ cup water and stir thoroughly. Simmer for 5 minutes until liquid reduces and mixture thickens.
- Lay 8-inch flour tortillas on clean work surface. Distribute ½ cup beef mixture across center of each tortilla. Sprinkle ⅓ cup shredded cheese over beef.
- Fold tortilla edges inward, creating tight rectangular packets. Press seams firmly to seal filling inside each chimichanga.
- Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place chimichangas seam-side down into hot oil.
- Fry chimichangas for 3 minutes per side at 375°F until exterior turns golden brown and crisp. Rotate carefully to ensure even browning.
- Transfer fried chimichangas to paper towel-lined plate. Let excess oil drain for 2 minutes before serving immediately.
Notes
- Choosing the right tortillas makes a huge difference in creating a crispy, golden chimichanga that doesn’t fall apart during frying.
- Drain the ground beef thoroughly to prevent soggy chimichangas and ensure a perfectly crisp exterior.
- For a lighter version, consider baking the chimichangas at 425°F for 20-25 minutes instead of frying, brushing with a little olive oil to help them crisp up.
- Vegetarian friends can swap beef for black beans, quinoa, or seasoned plant-based crumbles to create an equally delicious alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 to 4
- Calories: 610 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg