Oven-Fried Beef Chimichangas

AuntMare's Note:

A good, simple alternative to deep-frying. I think I got this from OAM Cookbook years ago. Make sure the tortillas are room temperature or they will crack when you roll them. You can microwave the whole package for about 20 seconds to speed things up.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• ½ cup onion , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 (16 ounce) can fat-free refried beans
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• ¼ cup butter , melted

Sauce

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

Optional

• ½ cup Mexican blend cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brown beef in large skillet; drain, if necessary.
3. Add onions, garlic and salt, and cook until onions are soft.
4. Stir in refried beans and spices. Remove from heat.
5. Scoop 1/3 cup of meat filling a little off center on the tortilla.
6. Fold up edge closest to you over the filling.
7. Fold in each side and roll all the way.
8. Place on cookie sheet and repeat with all the tortillas.
9. Brush melted butter over the chimichangas making sure to get some on the bottom side as well.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
11. While the chimichangas are baking, heat the sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan. Keep warm.
12. Serve the chimichanga with the sauce drizzled over the top and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.
13. These can be frozen before baking and kept in a zip top bag. To reheat, let thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake as usual.

Reviews

[CJAY]

Great chimichangas!! I followed the instructions as written. I baked 4 and froze the rest. I didn't make the sauce but will next time. I'm sure I didn't roll them right this time but after seeing the photo I'll do better. The flavor was perfect. We enjoyed these as part of a mexican meal with beans and rice. Thanks for sharing. Made for PAC 2011.

[GoesbyMom]

These were great! Quick to make and everyone loved then. The only thing I changed was using black beans rather than the refried beans. We will be making them again

[NoviceFreezerCook]

What a fantastically easy and delicious recipe! I made this pretty much exactly to recipe, and it was perfectly spicy for me. I baked some fresh and froze some. When I thawed and baked those, they were just as good as the fresh chimichangas. I was very pleasantly surprised! I actually only made 6, I froze the filling from the other 4 for the next time I make tacos, I think it will work wonderfully. Thank you for a fantastic, easy, OAMC recipe.