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A close-up view of a deep-fried beef chimichanga with a layer of ranchero sauce and melted Colby jack cheese on top.

Beef Chimichanga

Course: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 501kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
This Beef Chimichanga recipe is authentic and just exploding with flavor. You could opt for baking these, but giving them a quick fry in hot oil gives the perfect crunch to this unforgettable dish. Truly one of the Loon's all-time favorites!
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Large skillet with about ½ to 1-inch of oil, or a deep-fryer

Ingredients

Do Ahead

  • Ranchero sauce click for recipe
  • Refried beans click for recipe

For the Beef Filling

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried, preferably Mexican
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 15 oz.can Ro-tel tomatoes with juice, See NOTES
  • 1 cup beef broth or stock

For the Chimichangas

  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 6 large flour tortillas burrito size
  • 2 cups refried beans
  • 2 cups cheddar shredded
  • 2 cups Ranchero sauce for garnish
  • ½ cup sour cream or Mexican crema, for garnish
  • 1 cup pico de gallo for garnish (optional)
  • salsa for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Do Ahead

  • Prepare the ranchero sauce, and if desired, refried beans (click links in Ingredients for recipes).
    Ranchero sauce, Refried beans

Prepare the Beef Filling

  • Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds, stirring often.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add the ground beef, breaking up the meat with a large wooden spatula or spoon. Cook until no longer pink and fully cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes. Tilt the skillet and use a large spoon to remove all but about 1 tablespoon of the rendered grease. Discard safely.
    1 lb ground beef
  • Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring and cooking until fully combined and very aromatic, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the flour until well coated. Cook for another 1 minute.
    2 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • Stir in the tomatoes and then the broth/stock. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer until slightly thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes (don't let it get too dry!). Set aside until ready to use.
    1 15 oz.can Ro-tel tomatoes, 1 cup beef broth

Prepare the Chimichangas

  • Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large saucepan to 350°F and preheat your oven to 425°F.
    Vegetable oil
  • Warm the refried beans in a saucepan until warm and bubbly. Heat the tortillas briefly in the microwave or oven, until soft and pliable.
    6 large flour tortillas
  • Working one chimichanga at a time, place about ¼ to ½ cup of the beans one half of the tortilla, leaving about 1 inch border from the edges. Place about the same amount of beef filling over the beans and then sprinkle cheese over the top.
    2 cups refried beans, 2 cups cheddar
  • To form the chimichanga, begin rolling the tortilla over the filling, and then fold in the sides of the tortilla over the filling, about 1 inch on each side. Then, tightly roll the chimichanga, tucking the ends inwards once it's fully rolled. If desired, secure the seam with 1 or 2 toothpicks. (See blog post or video for visual reference).
  • Working in batches, use metal tongs to carefully lower 1 to 2 chimichangas into the hot oil. You may need to use your metal tongs to keep the chimichanga closed. After a couple of minutes, very carefully flip the chimichanga over and cook until golden all over. Remove the chimichangas from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board. Continue with the remaining chimichangas.
  • Spoon about ½ cup of the prepared ranchero sauce over the top of each chimichanga and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a couple of pinches of grated cheese over the top and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melty and bubbly.
    2 cups Ranchero sauce
  • Remove from the oven and serve at once with pico de gallo, sour cream, and salsa on the side.
    ½ cup sour cream, 1 cup pico de gallo, salsa

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
The beef filling, refried beans, and ranchero sauce can all be made 1 to 2 days in advance. Keep covered in the fridge until ready to warm and use. If you don't have time to make the beans, see about picking up a pint from your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant. 
Ro-tel tomatoes can be found in many supermarkets with the other canned tomatoes. If you can't find them, look for canned tomatoes with chiles (or peppers). Regular canned diced tomatoes (with juice) will work just fine if you can't find tomatoes with chili or peppers. 
Chimichangas are best served piping hot, sooner after being fried. However, as you are preparing them, you can cover them with foil to keep them warm until ready to finish them off in the oven.
See the blog post on how to prepare the chimichangas in your air-fryer or oven. 

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 782mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1183IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 350mg | Iron: 3mg