Description
Crispy Beef and Cheese Chimichangas filled with seasoned ground beef, creamy refried beans, salsa, and melted cheese. Bake them for an easy weeknight dinner or cook them in a skillet for a crunchier golden finish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 cup refried beans
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- 6 large burrito-size flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, or salsa for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef and diced onion in a large skillet over medium heat until the beef has browned and the onion has softened. Break the beef into small crumbles while it cooks.
- Drain the excess grease from the skillet.
- Add the minced garlic, taco seasoning, and salsa. Stir well and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Warm the tortillas briefly in the microwave under a damp paper towel or in a dry skillet until flexible.
- Spread a portion of refried beans down the center of each tortilla.
- Top the beans with an equal portion of the seasoned beef mixture and shredded cheese.
- Fold the left and right sides of each tortilla inward. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, then roll tightly into a burrito shape.
- For the oven method, preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the chimichangas seam-side down on a baking sheet and brush them lightly with vegetable oil.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the tortillas turn crisp and golden.
- For the skillet method, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Place the chimichangas seam-side down in the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
- Transfer the cooked chimichangas to a plate and let them rest for 2 minutes before serving.
- Serve with sour cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce, or additional salsa as desired.
Notes
- Do not overfill the tortillas because excess filling can cause them to split during cooking.
- Warm the tortillas before folding to make them flexible and less likely to crack.
- Keep the assembled chimichangas seam-side down until cooking.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or in a 350°F air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Freeze individually wrapped chimichangas for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking or Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chimichanga
- Calories: 548
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 1180
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 29
- Cholesterol: 79