These healthy baked fajita chimichangas aren’t deep fried like they are at most Mexican restaurants. They are loaded with veggies and can even be made vegan or vegetarian (see note below). I enjoy making comfort foods like these fajita chimichangas a little healthier by pumping up the nutrition and cutting back on unnecessary additives.
This healthy Mexican recipe is one of my favorites to meal prep, and is also an easy crowd pleaser for any Mexican themed dinner party.
I still love ordering chimichangas at our local restaurants but I always try to add sauteed peppers and onion.
Ingredients
I love using fresh peppers and onion and grating my own cheese for this recipe but you can also save time by using canned peppers and pre-shredded cheese.
Baked Fajita Chimichanga Ingredients:
- Salsa
- Cheddar Cheese
- Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Chicken Breast
- Flour Tortillas
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This fajita chimichanga recipe can be put together in under an hour and will make 6-8 soft taco shell sized chimichangas. Definitely easy to double the recipe if you're meal prepping or cooking for a crowd!
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Saute diced chicken breast in 1 tablespoon olive oil until fully cooked then put into a large bowl.
- Step 2: Using the same pan, saute the diced onion and pepper until soft and slightly browned. Add sauteed pepper, onion to the bowl of chicken. Add in cheese, salsa, cumin, oregano, and salt to the bowl and stir until combined.
- Step 3: Scoop about ½ c. of the mixture into each tortilla, roll up then fold the top and bottom corners until you form a pocket. Repeat until all the filling is used up then place the chimichangas seam side down on a baking sheet. Brush the tops of each chimichanga with remaining olive oil.
- Step 4: Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until the tops are slightly browned and crispy. I like to serve mine with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa for dipping.
Hint: Make sure the fajita chimichangas are completely cool before storing in the fridge or freezer if meal prepping. Storing when they're still warm will cause a soggy tortilla and no one wants that.
Substitutions
This recipe can be adjusted to fit specific diets, whether you are dairy free, vegan, or gluten free.
- Dairy Free/Vegan - use DF tortillas, DF shredded cheese, and roasted sweet potato or black beans instead of chicken
- Gluten Free - Simply substitute your favorite gluten free wrap for the flour tortilla
If you're having a large dinner party, I'd recommend having a chicken fajita chimichanga and a sweet potato chimichanga with a gluten free wrap to accommodate specialized diets.
Equipment
I love using a wooden cutting board (that can be used for charcuterie as well) and my stainless steel sheet pan for this recipe.
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Storage
Store cooled fajita chimichangas in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 1 month. Be sure to use an airtight container so your tortilla doesn't get stale.
FAQ
The kind of chimichanga really just depends on the filling, so you can have a chicken chimichanga, beef, or whatever filling you desire. These are called fajita chimichangas because they contain sauteed peppers and onion, which are typically in fajitas. Regular chimichangas don't usually come with vegetables.
The difference between a burrito and a chimichanga is that a chimichanga is typically pan fried or deep fried after rolling filling inside a tortilla. A burrito is not typically fried. They can both have various filling and toppings.
Traditionally a chimichange will have chopped or shredded meat inside, sometimes with rice, beans or cheese.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Baked Fajita Chimichangas
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅔ cup salsa plus extra for topping
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ sweet onion finely diced
- 1 bell pepper finely diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon seasoning salt
- 3 boneless chicken breasts diced
- 10 soft taco flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Saute diced chicken breast in 1 tablespoon olive oil until fully cooked then put into a large bowl.
- Using the same pan, saute the diced onion and pepper until soft and slightly browned. Add pepper, onion, cheese, salsa, cumin, oregano, and salt to the bowl with the chicken and stir until combined.
- Scoop about ½ c. of the mixture into each tortilla, roll up then fold the top and bottom corners until you form a pocket. Repeat until all the filling is used up then place the chimichangas seam side down on a baking sheet.
- Brush the top of each chimichanga with remaining olive oil.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until the tops are slightly browned and crispy. I like to serve mine with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa for dipping. Rice and refried beans also make excellent side dishes for these.
Beth says
So tasty! Also not too spicy for kids if you use mild salsa.