Baked Chimichangas
Healthier version of a Tuesday night favorite
Ingredients
Poached Chicken
- 3 chicken breasts
- 3 cups of chicken broth
- 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 Tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Chimichanga filling
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 can diced green chiles or one small diced jalapeño
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- shredded poached chicken
- 1/2 cup reserved poaching liquid
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 12 six inch flower tortillas
- 3 tablespoons oil or butter
Instructions
To poach the chicken
- Combine chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in a saucepan
- Place chicken breasts in the seasoned liquid and bring to a simmer
- Poach chicken for 20 min, or until cooked through
- Allow to cool and shred chicken
- Reserve 1/2 cup poaching liquid
To build the chimichangas
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Heat medium sized sauté pan and coat with the olive oil
- Toss in red bell pepper, onion, chiles/jalapeno and garlic and cook until softened
- While veggies are cooking, mix together remaining chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper
- Remove vegetables from heat and toss in seasonings and shredded chicken
- Slowly add reserved poaching liquid until the seasonings coat the other ingredients
- In a 9X13 casserole dish, brush 1 tbsp of melted butter to coat bottom
- One shell at a time, layer cheese on a tortilla shell and top with chicken mixture
- Wrap up each end and then roll sides over to form an envelope
- Place the filled shells seam side down in the casserole dish
- Line them up next to each other in two rows down the length of the dish
- When all the shells have been filled, use the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to brush over the tops
- Place chimichangas in the oven and bake for 45 minutes
- Serve with sour cream, salsa, gaucamole or other toppings you enjoy