Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas are stuffed full of Mexican-inspired ingredients and crispy after air frying. No need for takeout — just take out your air fryer instead!
AIR FRYER CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS RECIPE
This recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas reminds me of my favorite Mexican restaurant dish. We are 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.
INGREDIENTS IN AIR FRYER CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS
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 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 to our chimichanga filling.
Cheddar Jack Cheese - This is my favorite 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.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS
- First, 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.
- To assemble the chimichangas, place a tortilla on a work surface and spread refried beans in the middle.
- Then, top with a quarter of the chicken mixture and then sprinkle with cheese.
- Now, fold sides of the tortilla in. Fold bottom over filling and sides, then roll up tightly.
- Set rolled tortilla aside and repeat with remaining tortillas.
- To cook, lightly spray the inside of the air fryer basket with cooking spray, as well as the outside of each filled tortilla. Place two chimichangas, seam side down in the basket, and cook as directed in the recipe until lightly browned and heated through. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions for air fryer chimichangas, please see the recipe below.
TIPS FOR MAKING CHIMICHANGAS IN THE AIR FRYER
- Do not crowd your air fryer basket! 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 fool-proof recipe.
HOW TO SERVE AIR FRYER CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS
My favorite part of these air fryer chicken chimichangas is the toppings! I like to make a buffet of garnishes so everyone can make theirs perfect.
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.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER CHIMICHANGAS
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!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CHIMICHANGA AND A BURRITO?
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 clean up.
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!
CAN I AIR FRY CHIMICHANGAS WITHOUT 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.
The recipe should work in other air fryers. This recipe was created and photographed in a Hamilton Beach Air Fryer.
If you have an OVEN STYLE air fryer, you may need to add 1-3 minutes of additional cook time.
Keep in mind that each air fryer runs differently, it is important to check your food often.
MORE YUMMY AIR FRYER DINNER RECIPES
Frozen Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer will be a simple dinner recipe you will recreate over and over again. Kids love these!
Air Fryer Chicken Legs are a yummy and inexpensive chicken dish that is ready in a flash.
Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers are a delicious game day snack that can be prepared in under 15 minutes!
Love seafood? Try Air Fryer Scallops for a dinner that you will crave every summer!
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Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Cooking Oil
- 1 ½ cups Cooked Chicken Breast shredded
- 1 can Chopped green chiles undrained
- 1 packet Taco Seasoning
- ½ Lime juiced
- 4 8-inch flour tortillas
- ¾ cup Refried Beans
- 1 cup Cheddar jack cheese shredded
- Sour Cream for serving
- Pico de Gallo for serving
- Fresh Cilantro for serving
Instructions
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken, chilies, taco seasoning, water, and lime juice, stirring to coat. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is heated through.
- Place a tortilla on a work surface, and spread 3 tablespoons of the refried beans in the middle.
- Top with about ¼ of the chicken mixture (¾ cup) and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheese.
- Fold sides of tortilla in. Fold bottom over filling and sides, then roll up tightly. Set aside, seam side down, and repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Lightly spray the inside of the air fryer basket with cooking spray, as well as the outside of each filled tortilla. Place 2 chimichangas, seam side down, in the basket, and cook at 400 degrees F for 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until lightly browned and heated through. Repeat cooking with remaining chimichangas.
- Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Cook only two at a time, avoid letting the chimichangas touch each other.
- Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the "Air Fry" function.
Nutrition
Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.
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