In case you didn’t know, the Chimichanga is a pan-seared, deep-fried, baked or air fried burrito that is a common Tex-Mex cuisine. This easy to make Beef Chimichanga recipe is full of flavor, beefy, cheesy, delicious and a hit at most dinner tables.
Beef Chimichanga
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Ingredients
- 1 lbs ground beef
- 1 can 16 ounces refried beans
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 3 cans 8 ounces tomato sauce divided
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 12 flour tortillas 10 inches, warmed
- 1 can 4 ounces chopped green chilies
- 1 can 4 ounces chopped jalapeno peppers
- Oil for deep-fat frying
- 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, onion, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic and cumin.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup of beef mixture off-center on each tortilla. Fold edge nearest filling up and over to cover. Fold in both sides and roll up. Fasten with toothpicks. In a large saucepan, combine the chilies, peppers and remaining tomato sauce; heat through.
- In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry the chimichangas for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with sauce.
Nutrition
How the Thingamajig Became the Chimichanga
According to Monica Flin, the founder of the Tucson, Arizona, restaurant El Charro, she accidentally dropped a burrito into the deep-fat fryer in 1922. She immediately began to utter a Spanish profanity beginning “chi…” (chingada), but quickly stopped herself and instead exclaimed chimichanga, a Spanish equivalent of “thingamajig”. Knowledge and appreciation of the dish spread slowly outward from the Tucson area, with popularity elsewhere accelerating in recent decades. Though the chimichanga is now found as part of the Tex-Mex cuisine, its roots within the U.S. are mainly in Tucson, Arizona.
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