Baked Chimichangas

Dib's's Note:

If served with rice and refried beans you will be rolling away from the table. I make these for tailgate parties at my house-keeps them full and happy!!!!!! Please note prep time does not include cooking the meat, which can be done a day in advance.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 2 -3 lbs shredded beef or 2 -3 lbs shredded pork or 2 -3 lbs shredded chicken, cooked
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 -4 chipotle chiles, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
• adobo sauce (from chipotles)
• 8 -10 large tortillas (white flour or whole wheat)

Condiments

• shredded lettuce
• chopped tomato
• salsa or picante sauce
• sour cream
• guacamole
• sliced jalapeno
• sliced olive
• gravy (made from the meat-I make it quite spicy)

Directions:

1. After stewing the meat on a crockpot or pan drain off liquid and reserve.
2. Shred and chop meat-set aside.
3. In a large skillet cook onion and garlic with just a touch of oil and cook until onion is just browning.
4. Add the meat, chilies, oregano, salt and red pepper and cook on low for 10 minutes.
5. Add adobo sauce if needed, you don't want a totaly dry mixture and you dont want it soggy.
6. Warm tortillas in the oven so they are bendable.
7. Lay out 3 or 4 at a time and slightly off center place some cheese and then about 1/2 a cup of meat mixture and fold envelope style.
8. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet-repeat.
9. Lightly oil the tops and bake in a 425 oven for 20 minutes or a 375 oven for 35-40 minutes-your choice.
10. With the juices from the cooked meat I make a spicy gravy to offer with this.
11. When done remove from oven.
12. Serve with condiments, spanish rice and refried beans.
13. Believe me when I say you will roll away from the table!
14. To Plate: Lettuce on the bottom, then chimichanga, then gravy, then guac and sour cream and salsa, then remaining condimednts sprinkled on top.

Reviews

[Karen From Colorado]

Diana, these were fantastic! I have made chimichangas before but deep fried them. I like this recipe much better then my own. I served it on a bed of lettuce as suggested but topped it off with homemade green chili that I had frozen, diced tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream. Absolutly delicious with a side of refried beans and spanish rice.

[NurseChef]

You can make this recipe much quicker by buying Old El Paso prepared Mexican style meat and adding your own finishing touches like chipotle peppers or just using the meat lik it is. We also use the Mexican style Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese which gives this recipe some oomph and use the condiments on the side as you normally would. Also, we are very fat conscious and use some Pam spray directly on the chimis as fat and they "fry" crisper than you can believe. The important thing is using the oven cooking time posted because the poster was correct on that. We also use shredded pork, shredded chicken or believe it or not, good crab meat in these and the taste is awesome!

[Teri]

*****EXCELLENT*****