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I’ve mentioned before that my husband Jack used to work at a popular Mexican Restaurant called The Edgewater Café, in a small, out-of-the-way coastal town about an hour north of Boston. These Chicken Chimichangas were one of the most popular dishes on the menu.
To continue the story – whenever I went to that same restaurant (not knowing years ago that my future husband was working back in the kitchen!), the two things I ALWAYS ordered off the menu were the chile con queso appetizer and these chicken chimichangas. So can you imagine how thrilled I am that Jack now makes these for me at home?!?
These chicken chimichangas are filled with moist and delicious Mexican pulled chicken and a blend of cheeses, then deep fried until perfectly crisp and golden on the outside. Then the chimi’s are smothered in a white cream sauce that has the perfect amount of heat and seasonings – this is my idea of Mexican comfort food!
We’re also sharing a restaurant tip with you today! The best way to hold the folded tortilla shells together when frying these chicken chimichangas is to use a stainless steel bulldog or binder clip (see example here
) on each end! Just be sure to buy the stainless steel versions and not the clips that are painted black because the paint will come off when you are frying the chimichangas in the oil.
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Chicken Chimichangas
Bulldog Clips (mentioned above) are preferred over binder clips for this recipe because they have a flat surface that would pinch the tortilla end without leaving an impression in the tortilla. But binder clips will work in a ‘pinch’ (ha ha)! We couldn’t find the correct size bulldog clips so we used the binder clips in our version picture here. Either way, it doesn’t affect the taste of the finished chimichanga and both kinds of clips do a great job holding the tortilla closed during the frying process.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter (4 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups chicken stock, heated
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 4 ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon or more of Rocket Fuel, or your favorite hot sauce
- 4 flour tortillas
- 8 ounces Mexican Pulled Chicken
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
- Vegetable oil for cooking
- 1 1/2 to 2 inch Stainless steel bull dog clips or binder clips (available in any office supply store)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
- In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and add flour. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the raw flour smell is gone.
- Add heated chicken stock 1/3 at a time stirring with a wire whip for each third. This step will ensure no lumps.
- Add sour cream, chilies, cayenne and Rocket Fuel and stir. If you like it spicy, use more Rocket Fuel. Remove from heat or keep sauce on low heat until ready for service.
- Fill the center of each tortilla with warmed Mexican Pulled Chicken and both cheeses.
- Start rolling away from you in a tight roll until you reach the end, then flip the roll back to have seam side up. Now fold each end up and over about an inch or so and bind with stainless steel clips.
- Heat enough oil in a heavy bottomed pot to 350 degrees using a thermometer to get to the correct temperature.
- Place two chimichangas in the hot oil making sure they are completely covered by the oil and cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. (Hold down with a metal strainer if necessary). Remove to paper towels and drain, then hold in warm oven. Heat oil back to 350 degrees and cook the other two chimichangas.
- With a pot holder or towel, gently remove hot binder clip.
- Place on serving platter and cover with the sauce.
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Just saw this on pinterest, and I’d love to try it, but I’m confused – what’s the white sauce you mention?
It’s included in the recipe ingredients Chelsea!
Oh I see the first few steps is making the sauce. I must have read it too fast because I thought all of that was going on the inside on the chimi! Thanks for the clarification!!
No problem!! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
What do you do with the cheese?
Hi Gayla – See Step 5 in the recipe instructions. Both cheeses are added in that step.
I just made this. It was delicious..better than restaurant quality! I only cheated with one thing. I bought a rotisserie chicken to save some time, but I did put it in a pot with all of the ingredients as per your Mexican Pulled Chicken recipe. Thanks a lot for the recipe. I will definitely make this again 🙂
We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe! Using rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut idea! Thanks for writing to us!
I don’t use anything to secure them while frying. If you fold the ends first and then roll it, they stay perfect and together with no problem. JUST DON”T OVER FILL THEM. If you make them too fat then they may come apart while cooking. Then I use to spatula’s to flip them to brown the other side. Presto…. perfect Chimichangas every time. Good luck!
Thanks Kathleen!
I use metal turkey skewers to hold tortillas together when frying. They are very HOT after so be careful removing them!
Great sounding recipes! Going into my “to try” file… Thanks!
Thanks for the suggestion Michelle!
Just made the chicken chimichanga recipe and it was fantastic. I have to say that is was better than any I have had at my local restaurants. I have tried for years to make these, but could never find a good recipe for the filling. This is a keeper…..Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Cathy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Love this recipe! Found your recipe thru Pinterest, now Im a follower! =)
I am definitly going to try this Chicken Chimichanga recipe very soon!
Thank you so much Melissa! I hope you enjoy the Chimi’s!!
I’ll have to try this … My father was a chef and owned his own restaurants and when he got older sold them thinking he would retire…It wasn’t long before he was back in a restaurant -this time a Mexican one (yet when he retired he was head chef a country club). Due to my foodie spoiled up bringing – I also love to cook. I am not sure if an egg yoke wash would seal the tortilla making the bulldog clip unnecessary? It works well in Japanese and Chinese cooking.
Hi Sue! Our initial thought is that the thickness of the tortilla and the weight of the filling might be more than the egg yolk seal can hold…but if you try it, please be sure to let us know how it comes out! Thanks for visiting our site! Martha
Egg yolks work fine for sealing these. I have done this several times. Works out great.
Thanks Deborah!
Oh my goodness! My husband’s birthday is coming up in a few days and now I know just what to make for his birthday dinner. He will love them! Thanks so much for sharing! Could you do a beef version sometime as well?
Hi Jen! I’ll check with Jack to see if he has a beef version and if so, we can definitely share! Thanks for visiting our site and happy birthday to your husband! Martha
I am sorry if this is a stupid question, but what is a bulldog clip?
Hi Shari – Not a stupid question at all!! A bulldog clip is a type of metal clip usually used to hold papers together – like a ‘binder’ clip but a ‘bulldog’ clip has a flat edge that won’t puncture the tortilla so it’s perfect for this recipe. You can find bulldog clips at your local office supply store. If you want to see a picture of it, you can click on this link and view it at Staples.com http://www.staples.com/Staples-Bulldog-Clips/product_SS116632 Hope that helps – thanks for visiting our site! Martha