This Air Fryer Chimichanga recipe is the best way to make perfectly crispy homemade chicken chimichangas without all the mess of deep frying!
We’re all about the Tex-Mex food around here and one of our favorites is the classic chimichanga. What could be better than a fried tortilla stuffed with chicken and veggies? It’s the ultimate comfort food! Most chimichanga recipes require deep frying though which is messy, expensive, and sometimes even a little dangerous!
The good news is that air fried chimichangas are just as good as deep fried! They’re certainly healthier, and they’re quicker and easier to make. You can also easily customize them with other ingredients or different meats besides chicken.
If you love easy air fryer Tex-Mex recipes as much as we do check out some of our other favorites like air fryer nachos or these cheesy taco pinwheels!
What is a Chimichanga?
This popular Tex-Mex dish is basically a deep fried burrito! These chicken chimichangas are loaded with shredded chicken, garlic, onion, Roma tomato, and spicy jalapeno with a blend of spices and sour cream. We top it all off with our homemade roasted salsa verde recipe and Pico de Gallo recipe!
Although we’re using chicken here, a chimichanga can be prepared with just about any protein. Ground beef chimichangas, pork chimichangas, or even turkey are options! Pretty much anything you’d put in a burrito will go.
Ingredient Notes:
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For the filling:
Shredded Chicken – Make our air fryer whole chicken and finely chop or shred the leftovers for use here.
Veggies – We’re adding chopped white onion, minced garlic, and minced jalapeno pepper to the filling along with a small chopped Roma tomato. You can modify this with other veggies if you’d like such as bell pepper or other spicier peppers.
Herbs & Spices – The chimichanga filling is spiced up with some chili powder, cumin, salt, and cinnamon. The cinnamon adds a bit of warmth that’s just right! We’re also adding some freshly chopped cilantro to the mix. You could sub that with parsley or just not include it if you don’t like cilantro.
Sour Cream – For flavor and to add moisture to keep the chimichanga filling from drying out.
For assembly:
Refried Beans – You can keep this as easy as canned refried beans or check out our homemade easy refried beans! They’re even better when you make them yourself and if you’ve got extra you can serve it as a side.
Flour Tortillas – You’ll want the large 10-inch sized tortillas.
Monterey Jack Cheese – Shred the cheese yourself for the best melty goodness.
For serving:
Salsa Verde – You can use the jarred variety or go the extra mile and prepare our homemade roasted salsa verde recipe! We top each chimichanga with it and some Pico de Gallo for serving.
Pico de Gallo – Another topping that you can get from a jar, or even better, make yourself! Our homemade Pico de Gallo recipe is exactly what you need.
We love the combination of the salsa verde and Pico de Gallo for topping but you don’t have to stick to that! Feel free to use any other toppings that you like. Warmed enchilada sauce, taco sauce, or red salsa are other good options. You can easily modify the filling with any other ingredients like veggies or spices. Make this air fryer chimichanga recipe your own!
How to Make Air Fryer Chimichanga:
To prepare the filling cook the onions, garlic, and jalapeno in a skillet with the spices, tomato, and cilantro.
Stir in the chicken and sour cream and remove from heat. Taste this and add additional seasonings if you like.
Assemble the chimichangas by laying one tortilla on a flat surface and spreading with a layer of refried beans. Top with chicken and cheese then fold in the edges of the tortilla and roll up tightly.
Air fry the chimichangas for 8 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until they are as crispy and browned as you like. Serve the chimichangas with the salsa verde and Pico de Gallo.
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Serving Suggestions:
You can serve air fryer chimichangas either all on their own or with a variety of side dishes.
Our air fryer street corn would make a great side to go with this chimichanga recipe. And you can’t go wrong with our air fryer tortilla chips and some guacamole!
We serve these chimichangas topped with salsa verde and Pico de Gallo but you can also serve them with pretty much any other burrito/taco toppings you’d normally use.
Freezing & Storage Instructions:
To store leftovers first allow the chimichangas to cool to about room temperature to reduce the sogginess from condensation when storing. There isn’t much you can do to stop them from getting a bit soggy when storing but it helps to store the air fried chimichangas separately from the salsa verde and Pico de Gallo toppings.
You can store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or individually wrapped in plastic or foil for about 3 to 4 days depending on the freshness of the ingredients like the shredded chicken. Reheat in the air fryer or the oven instead of the microwave to help these crisp back up before serving.
These air fryer chimichangas can also be frozen for up to a few months. Again it’s best to store them separately from the toppings. Wrap individually in foil and air fry straight from the freezer, like you would our air fryer frozen burritos.
Recipe FAQ:
The main difference is that a burrito often contains rice and beans and is generally not deep fried (or air fried!) like a chimichanga which has a crispier tortilla than a burrito. Otherwise, they are pretty similar!
Nope! That is the classic and most popular option probably but it’s neither the easiest or the healthiest, especially when making homemade chimichangas. The air fryer does the job though and delivers with crispy fried tortillas that are just as good as deep-fried!
Recipe Tips!
You can make air fryer chimichangas as spicy or mild as you like. We add chopped jalapeno for spicy flavors along with the chili powder. You could add more of the jalapeno, use a spicier pepper like habanero, or switch up the seasonings.
Cool things down by serving with a dollop of sour cream.
These are great for meal prep. Wrap tightly in foil and follow the freezer instructions above.
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