The El Charro Café in Tucson, Arizona claims the prestige of inventing the chimichanga. Supposedly, a worker dropped a king sized burrito into a deep fryer and accidentally began to let a Mexican curse word slip out but caught herself as there were children present. She changed what she had started to say mid word, and the resulting word was “chimichanga.”
As entertaining as this story is, no one knows for sure where these delectable fried burritos originated. They could have been created in a café in Tucson, or they could have originated in Mexico and migrated north. In the end, does it really matter where they came from? They are delicious!
If you are interested in trying a homemade chimichanga, check out this recipe from The Food Network.
Almost Famous Chimichangas
“Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet; transfer to a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt; toast 30 seconds. Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and sour cream and warm through. Remove from the heat.
Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the butter-oil mixture. Spread 2 tablespoons refried beans down the center of each tortilla, leaving a 2-inch border on both ends. Top with 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Fold in the ends and roll up.
Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet; brush with the butter-oil mixture. Bake 8 to 10 minutes per side, brushing again after you flip. Top with the sauce, more cheese, lettuce and tomato. Serve with rice and the remaining beans.”
Remember, the great thing about chimichangas is that you can adjust and modify them to your liking. Try changing up the meat or some of the veggies for a customizable taste.
Maybe you’re not ready to try it yourself. That’s perfectly fine, because we are here to help. Try our Cancun Chimichanga, a large flour tortilla wrapped with cheese and your choice of chicken, ground beef, pork or shredded beef, topped off with lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream. To try this dish and many others be sure to visit Acapulcos in our many locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut.