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Arizona chimichangas
Crisp fried burritos of shredded beef
AmericanTucson and Phoenix both claim to have invented the chimichanga, and the story told in Tucson is of a cook who dropped a burrito into the fryer by accident and swore in Spanish. It is now a staple of Arizona Mexican diners: a flour tortilla wrapped around shredded beef and beans, fried golden and crisp, then topped with guacamole and soured cream. Chef's tip: roll the burrito tightly and fry it seam-side down first so it seals and doesn't open in the oil.
- Total time
- 170 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 2 lb beef chuck, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp chili powder and 2 tsp salt in a pot, cover with water and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, until the beef shreds easily.
120 minStep 2: Lift out the beef and shred it with two forks. Fry the shreds with the 14 oz tinned tomatoes with green chiles in a dry pan for 8 minutes, until the liquid is gone. Cool slightly.
10 minStep 3: Warm the 6 large flour tortillas (25 cm) so they are pliable. Spread each with 10 ½ oz refried beans, add beef and 4 oz grated cheese, fold in the sides and roll up tightly; secure with a cocktail stick.
8 minStep 4: Heat 4 cm of 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep frying pan to 350°F and fry two at a time, seam-side down first, for 2–3 minutes a side until golden and crisp. A common mistake is overfilling, which makes them split.
12 minStep 5: Drain on paper, remove the sticks and serve with 5 ½ oz guacamole and ¾ cup soured cream.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 680 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arizona chimichangas take?
- About 170 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 140 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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