Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas

Our Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas are stuffed full of Mexican-inspired ingredients and are super crispy! No need for takeout — just take out your air fryer instead!

recipe overview

We’ll be making delicious and packed chicken burritos and then using the air fryer to crisp up the outside, making the most delectable chicken chimichangas you have ever made at home!

I think that these chimichangas rival anything I have had in a restaurant, and that is the beauty of the air fryer! Restaurant quality meals, made at home, without ever turning on the oven.

gather the ingredients

• Cooking Oil – We will be using the stovetop to warm our filling ingredients, oil will help to sauté everything together.
• Chicken Breast – I use already cooked and shredded chicken breasts. This is a great use of a grocery store rotisserie chicken or any leftovers you have.
• Diced Green Chilies – Do not drain your can of chilies, we want all of that flavor in the mix! The chicken will absorb a lot of the liquid, so no need to worry about a soggy tortilla.
• Taco Seasoning – One packet of your favorite taco seasoning adds tons of flavor and spice. You can also make your own blend with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Water – Just a little bit to make the chicken filling the right consistency. This will change depending on how you like your burritos and chimichangas.
• Lime Juice – The juice of half of a lime adds tang and brightness.
• Flour Tortillas – Use 8-inch tortillas so that they are large enough to really fill up.
• Refried Beans – This acts as a creamy base for our chimichanga filling.
• Cheddar Jack Cheese – This is my favorite cheese for Mexican dishes because it melts so well. I like to shred my own cheese from the block, but pre-shredded cheese works here, too.
• Sour Cream – Serve the chimichangas with a dollop of sour cream. You can also add salsa, shredded cheese, or even queso.
• Pico de Gallo and Cilantro – For garnish, of course! Use a little or a lot.

how to make them

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil, then add chicken, chilies, taco seasoning, water, and lime juice, stirring to combine. Cook as directed until heated through.
2. Place a tortilla on a work surface and spread refried beans in the middle.
3. Top with a quarter of the chicken mixture and then sprinkle with cheese.
4. Fold the sides of the tortilla in. Fold the bottom over the filling and sides, then roll up tightly.
5. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
6. Lightly spray the inside of the air fryer basket and the outside of each filled tortilla with cooking spray. Place two chimichangas, seam side down in the basket, and cook at 400 degrees F for 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, Repeat with remaining tortillas.

tips and tricks

• Only cook two chimichangas at a time in your basket-style air fryer. You can do more if you have a toaster oven-style air fryer. You do not want them to touch each other or you will end up with soggy air fryer chicken chimichangas.
• If your filling has extra liquid after cooking, drain it off. You do not want the inside of the chimichanga to be too wet. It will still have tons of flavor, I promise!
• Spray both the basket and the chimichanga with oil to avoid any sticking. You can also use parchment paper for a foolproof recipe.

Topping tips

Serve these topped with sour cream, pico de gallo, and fresh cilantro. If you prefer other toppings on your Mexican food, like queso dip, salsa, or shredded cheese, go right ahead and use them!

Pro-tip: Any wet garnishes will make the tortillas less crispy by the second. If you want to use a runny salsa or sour cream, garnish immediately before eating.

how to serve

Air fryer chicken chimichangas are an entire meal on their own though, so enjoy them just as they are for a delicious dinner!

Add extra flavor with some Spanish rice and Southwestern black beans on the side. Maybe add some chips and salsa too.

I have enough Mexican-inspired recipes on this blog for an entire feast! You might also like to make Air Fryer Taquitos, Air Fryer Enchiladas, Air Fryer Quesadillas, Air Fryer Tostadas, or Air Fryer Cauliflower Tacos!

chimichangas vs burrito?

Basically, a chimichanga IS a burrito, just one that has been fried crispy. There is no limit to what you can stuff in your chimichanga!

In a Mexican restaurant, ordering a chimichanga means that they will bring you a burrito that has been deep fried so it is nice and crispy on the outside. Here we are air frying burritos to get the same effect but with way less fat, oil, and cleanup.

can I skip the oil?

While you can do this, I do not recommend it.

Without adding any oil to the outside of the flour tortillas, they will become dry and not very tasty. However, you can use any neutral oil you like from vegetable oil or canola oil to avocado oil or sunflower oil!

Luckily, this air fryer chimichanga recipe uses far less oil than a traditional one, and that is good enough for me! Just a small amount of spray oil is enough to brown them up and make them perfectly crispy and air-fried.