You’re gonna love me for this one. This is a Kirksey family favorite for sure!

It’s quick and easy, relies on some convenience food if you’d like, and the yum factor is off-the-chart.  Not even close to authentic, but fantastically yummy, family-friendly chicken chimichangas.

Begin by harvesting all the meat from the biggest rotisserie chicken you can find.  Or use 3 cups of cooked chicken or turkey.

To the chicken add in an 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, softened is great.

Next, throw in 8 oz. of freshly shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese. Please don’t buy the yucky bagged stuff. It’s got stuff in there to preserve it and freshly shredded takes two minutes and is soft and yummy and just so much better. (Just my little opinion.)

Add 3-4 T. of taco seasoning and then mix all this with your hands. Yup! Scrub up like a doctor and reach in there and squish it all together. No spoon is gonna do what your fingers will.

Now, get out a pile of nice, soft, small flour tortillas. I like the non-refrigerated kind because they are usually a more workable texture– they don’t rip as easily and hold their shape when folded.

Use about 1/3 cup (ish) of your meat mixture and make a line down the center of a tortilla.

Fold in the bottom and the top of the tortilla…and then roll into a little bundle of goodness.

This time, my chicken allowed me 16 little chimis. The amount will vary depending on the shell size.

This is when I begin heating my oil. I use about one cup of oil in my huge non-stick skillet heated on medium. I’m super picky about what kind of oil since most are pretty nasty for us. Today I used refined coconut oil (no coconut flavor) and no nasty hydrogenated business.

While my oil is heating, I put one can of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup salsa verde (green salsa), and 3 T lime juice into the blender. If your salsa verde is not spicy enough you can add a few jalapeños from a jar. Blend it up and put it into a small saucepan on the stove on low.

Now, begin frying your chimi collection about four at a time in the hot oil. It’s ready if it sizzles nicely when you put the first little guy in. After a couple minutes when golden brown on the bottom, give it a flip.

Again, when golden brown on the bottom, hold each chimi on its side for a few seconds to brown them all the way around.

Drain off excess oil and place on a platter.

When all chimis are beautifully golden, drizzle the sauce over the top and then sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

You can serve these little guys with warm tortilla chips and salsa or sweet corn muffins.

Oh, they’re just soooo good.

Chicken Chimis

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Chicken, cheese, cream cheese and taco seasoning fill wrapped tortillas which are pan-fried until crispy and coated with a mildly spiced creamy sauce.

Alison: That Which Nourishes

Recipe type: Meal, Dinner, Chicken

Serves: 8 large or 15 small tortillas

Grocery List

• 1 cup oil
• 10-15 small, flour tortillas
• 1 rotisserie chicken or 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning or 2 T. homemade taco seasoning
• 8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese + 8 0z. Cheddar
• Sauce:
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ½ cup salsa verde or ¼ c. jalapeno juice from the jar
• 3 T lime juice
• Jalapeños (optional)

Here's how...

1. In a bowl, mix 3 cups of cooked chicken or turkey, cream cheese, and freshly shredded cheese.
2. Add 3-4 T. of taco seasoning.
3. Mix well with your hands.
4. Put ⅓ of a cup of the mixture down the center of each flour tortilla and fold in the top, bottom, and then roll them up.
5. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet and fry four at a time browning up each side. Drain and put on a platter and place in the oven at 175 degrees to keep warm while you fry up the rest.
6. Put one can of cream of chicken soup, salsa verde, and lime juice into a blender adding jalapeños if you'd like more heat. Blend well and and heat in a small saucepan on low.
7. Drizzle the warm chimis with sauce and sprinkle with cheese and jalapeños if desired.

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