I haven’t made chimichangas in a long time but didn’t feel like taking my deep fryer out so I made these baked turkey chimichangas to satisfy my craving!
Pureist are probably rolling their eyes at this point as Authentic Mexican Chimichangas are deep-fried, not baked in an oven.
What is a Chimichanga
A chimichanga is basically a deep-fried burrito. It is typically made with a flour tortilla and filled with various ingredients such as shredded meat, beans, rice, cheese, and vegetables. It is then deep-fried until crispy and golden brown.
Tips
- If you want your chimichangas extra crispy turn on the broiler for 1-2 minutes after the published cook time. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!
What makes this chimichangas recipe a little different is instead of deep-frying them. we bake them in the oven. They may not be golden brown in color but a little healthier without all the oil.
Recipe Variation
You can make several changes to this recipe to make it your own. Instead of the rotel, you can use salsa and some diced green chilies. For the Mexican Blend Cheese, you can use some Monterey Jack Cheese. These are just a few options for you to experiment with.
How to Soften Tortillas
When the time comes to warm up your tortillas, you have a few options. You can wrap the tortillas in foil and bake them for 10 minutes at 350°F. You can also put them in a non-stick pan to heat both sides of the tortilla (this is how I usually do it), heat them over an open flame, or if you must, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for about 30 seconds.
Kitchen Gadgets
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Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Baked Turkey Chimichangas recipe. For ingredient amounts please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Lean Ground Turkey – as lean as possible
- Rotel – drain any excess juices
- Refried Beans – storebought or homemade refried beans
- Chili Powder – adjust to taste
- Mexican Blend Cheese – you can also use Monterey jack cheese
- Flour Tortillas – use burrito size flour tortillas
How to Make Baked Turkey Chimichangas
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat cook the turkey until it is no longer pink.
- Add the rotel, refried beans, and chili powder. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until heated through.
- Add the cheese and stir until well combined.
- Place a tortilla on a work surface and spoon about 3/4 to 1 cup of the turkey mixture down the center.
- Assemble the burrito by folding the right and left sides of the tortilla over the meat mixture. Then roll the bottom of the tortilla up over the bottom third of the filling. Fold in the top over the mixture.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and turkey mixture. Arrange the chimichangas in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake, uncovered, until the chimichangas are crisp and browned, about 20 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Printable Recipe Card
Baked Turkey Chimichangas
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Ingredients
- 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
- 10 oz Rotel, drained
- 16 oz Refried Beans
- 1 Tsp Chili Powder
- 1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded
- 4 Flour Tortillas
Garnish (optional)
- Fat Free Sour Cream
- Salsa
- Avocado
- Lettuce, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat cook the turkey until it is no longer pink.
- Add the rotel, refried beans, and chili powder. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until heated through.
- Add the cheese and stir until well combined.
- Place a tortilla on a work surface and spoon about 3/4 to 1 cup of the turkey mixture down the center.
- Assemble the burrito by folding the right and left sides of the tortilla over the meat mixture. Then roll the bottom of the tortilla up over the bottom third of the filling. Fold in the top over the mixture.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and turkey mixture. Arrange the chimichangas in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake, uncovered, until the chimichangas are crisp and browned, about 20 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Equipment Needed
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