Easy Chimichangas

OH chimis- how you speak to me!  How can you not like a chimichanga?  Fried and meaty?  Yumm-o!  On to this insanely easy and pretty fast recipe that my family has been using for years!

2 lbs ground meat 

2  4oz cans green chiles

1 large onion chopped

10 tortillas

Enough oil for about 2 inches in pan

10 toothpicks

Items for topping

  

In large skillet cook up chopped onions and ground meat.  After meat is cooked thoroughly add both cans green chiles stir up well and set aside.  Heat up oil on large pan/pot.  Put about 1/2 cup of meat mixture in middle of tortillas and wrap like a burrito.  Wrap up tight otherwise you may have splatters from the juices  leaking into the oil.  Secure with toothpick (as shown above!)  Fry chimis in batches of about three until crisped up as much or as little as you like.  Remove from oil and top as you see fit!

* I use a large cast iron pot to fry them.  It heats a little more even than a regular pan of pot.

* They are wonderful topped with any traditional taco toppings! 

*I used gordita sized tortillas this time but since that is not something I normally see at the store we usually use burrito size. 

Baked Chicken Taquitos

OKay two things first!  One- I had a realization today that I am becoming like my grandma.  She used to put food into empty bread sacks and cool whip containers when I was little.  My mom used to tell me that it was the depression attitude.  Waste not- want not.  I thought she was such a freaking weirdo!  Now I am doing the same thing.  I put two pieces of chicken in a tortilla bag and tossed it on inside the fridge.  I did it without even thinking about it.  What a strange moment it was once I realized what I had done.  It surprises me the things I have picked up from my grandma.  It made me miss her a little more than usual today.

Now onto two- How do you get good pictures of food?!  I can't figure it out.  I need a better camera but until that happens I am going to have to work with what I got.  I need to figure out how to get better light I think for sure.  any way- any tips would be greatly appreciated!  And a huge apology for the blurry dark picture!  Don't let the picture discourage you from trying this recipe though.  It is awesome!  I got the recipe from my sister over at Jandee Crafts.  She links in her post where she originally got it.  I changed it up a little so here is my adaptation. 

Baked Chicken Taquitos

One 8oz brick cream cheese

1/2 cup green salsa

Juice from 2 limes

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 of an onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

one bunch of cilantro cut up

2 lbs chicken cut up into small cubes

Fajita size flour tortillas

Couple tbsp butter melted

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with a layer of foil.  Spray foil with cooking spray.  In a large skillet cook chicken, onion and garlic until cooked through. Add cream cheese, green salsa, cumin and chili powder.  Stir until cream cheese is melted and combined.  Turn off heat.  Add cheese, lime juice and cilantro.  Mix until combined.  Load each tortilla with 2-3 Tbsp of mixture.  Roll and put seam side down onto prepared baking sheet.  Brush with butter.  Cook for 15-20 minutes.

I think I am going to make a big batch of these to freeze!  Instead of butter you can spray with cooking spray to help with some of the calories.  Oh and I used chicken thighs because I like the flavor in things like this but again using chicken breasts would be fewer calories.