Crispy Chicken Chimichangas with Black Beans and Avocado
These chicken chimichangas combine lime-marinated chicken thighs, black beans, avocado cream, and melted cheese inside golden flour tortillas. A thick filling and a snug fold make the difference: the tortilla should blister in the pan without splitting or leaking. Give the beans time to drain before you start assembling.
A chimichanga is a filled burrito that is fried after folding. This version uses shallow frying and a creamy avocado filling, making it a substantial main course for a weekend supper or a meal with friends.
This recipe is based on my YouTube video, with a few adjustments since publication to clarify the quantities, filling consistency, and cooking instructions.
{VIDEO}
What Makes This Version Different
The chicken is cooked before it goes into the tortilla. Lime, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, and jalapeño season the meat, while avocado and sour cream bring the beans together. There is no rice inside: keeping the filling focused leaves room for the chicken and makes the burritos easier to close.
Unlike my chicken quesadillas with avocado-lime dip, these tortillas are completely enclosed before frying. The filling also stays inside rather than being served as a dip. For a softer tortilla meal without this frying step, try slow-cooker chicken tacos.
This is hearty comfort food. Chicken and beans contribute protein, but the large tortilla, cheese, avocado, and frying oil make it a rich meal. A fresh side is usually enough.
Ingredients You Need
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They stay forgiving through the initial cooking and the brief second heating inside the tortilla. The published batch below makes six large chimichangas with burrito-size flour tortillas.
Black beans must already be fully cooked, then rinsed and drained thoroughly. Canned beans make this straightforward. If cooking dried beans, cook them until tender before measuring; a fixed cooking time alone does not guarantee tenderness.
Choose ripe avocados that yield gently when pressed. Sour cream loosens the avocado, but the mixture should remain spreadable. For a separate topping, homemade guacamole offers another way to serve avocado alongside the meal.
Use a melting cheese such as Monterey Jack or mild cheddar. Large, flexible flour tortillas matter more than an exact brand. Smaller tortillas need less filling and will give a larger number of portions.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Blend the Lime Marinade
Blend 3 tablespoons lime juice with the smoked paprika, 2 garlic cloves, half the jalapeño, 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon fine salt. Scrape down the container so the garlic and pepper are finely chopped. A narrow blending cup works well for this small quantity.
2. Marinate the Chicken
Coat the chicken thoroughly, opening out any folded parts of the thighs so the marinade reaches their surfaces. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This is a short lime marinade; leaving it overnight is unnecessary and can change the surface texture. My guide to chicken marinades has more ideas for other meals.
3. Make the Avocado Cream
Using clean equipment, blend the avocado with 2 tablespoons sour cream, the remaining tablespoon lime juice, garlic clove, jalapeño, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the remaining sour cream only as needed, up to 1/4 cup total.
What I look for here is a thick spread that holds a spoon mark. A pourable sauce makes the beans slippery and encourages leaks. Keep the mixture refrigerated while the chicken cooks.
4. Cook the Chicken Through
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Lift the thighs out of the marinade, letting excess drip off, and discard the used marinade. Sear in a single layer for about 2 minutes per side, working in batches if necessary. Lower the heat if the spices darken too quickly, then finish in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Check the thickest pieces with a thermometer: they must reach 165°F. Browning alone is not a doneness test. Continue cooking as needed until the center reaches temperature, and remember that the skillet handle stays hot.
5. Rest and Slice
Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then slice into short, bite-size strips on a clean board. Long strips can pull out of the burrito when you bite into it. Leave any puddle of resting juices on the board rather than pouring it into the filling.
6. Combine the Beans and Avocado
Fold the drained beans into the avocado cream. Add the cream gradually and stop when the beans are generously coated but still hold together in a mound. Depending on avocado size, a little cream may remain for serving. This control is more useful than forcing every spoonful into the tortillas.
7. Fill the Tortillas
Warm the tortillas briefly until flexible. Divide the chicken, bean mixture, and cheese among them, keeping the filling in a compact mound below the center. Aim for about 3/4 to 1 cup total filling per large tortilla, leaving a generous border. Reserve excess filling if your tortillas cannot close comfortably.
8. Fold and Secure
Fold the sides inward, pull the bottom over the filling, and roll snugly. The tortilla should wrap around the mound without stretching. Secure the seam with wooden toothpicks, counting how many you use so all are removed before serving.
9. Shallow-Fry Until Golden
Add about 1/2 inch neutral oil to a heavy, high-sided skillet and heat to 350°F. Lower in two chimichangas seam-side down, leaving room to turn them. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes per broad side, briefly turning onto the edges if needed, until evenly golden and hot inside.
I fry in small batches because crowded burritos are difficult to turn and cool the oil quickly. Adjust the heat between batches. The chicken is already cooked; this stage crisps the tortilla and melts the cheese.
Drain on a rack, remove every toothpick, and rest for 2 minutes before cutting. The shell should feel firm and lightly blistered, with no wet patch underneath.
Substitutions
Chicken breast can replace the thighs, but watch its temperature closely and stop cooking at 165°F. For another chicken-and-tortilla option, grilled chicken souvlaki wraps use a different seasoning profile.
Use pinto beans in place of black beans, keeping the same cooked, drained volume. Thick plain Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream, although it tastes tangier. Monterey Jack, mild cheddar, or a combination will melt well. Remove the jalapeño membranes for gentler heat, or omit the pepper entirely.
If using dried oregano, replace the 4 teaspoons fresh oregano with about 1 1/4 teaspoons dried, divided between the two mixtures. Corn tortillas are not a direct substitute: their smaller size and different flexibility make this folding method difficult.
FAQ
Why did my tortilla open in the oil?
Usually the filling was too generous, the tortilla was cold and stiff, or the seam was loose. Warm the next tortilla, reduce the filling, and secure it before frying. Do not press hard enough to squeeze filling through the ends.
Can I use leftover cooked chicken?
Yes. Use about 3 cups chopped cooked chicken and skip the raw-chicken marinade. Season to taste with a little lime, paprika, oregano, and salt. Reheat it before assembly and ensure the finished center reaches 165°F, especially if the other ingredients were refrigerated.
Can I prepare these ahead?
Prepare the chicken and beans ahead, refrigerating them promptly. Make the avocado cream closer to serving and assemble just before frying. Filled tortillas held for hours absorb moisture and are more likely to tear.
How should I store leftovers?
Refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until the center reaches 165°F; check after about 15 minutes and continue as needed. A microwave warms the filling but softens the shell.
What to Serve With and Cook Next
A little fluffy rice pilaf works alongside smaller portions. For something fresh, choose chickpea, cucumber, and tomato salad or a small helping of creamy coleslaw.
For another tortilla supper, spicy chicken and bacon wraps and creamy chicken Caesar wraps offer different fillings. If you mainly want melted cheese and a crisp tortilla, pan-cooked cheese quesadillas keep the preparation simpler.
Crispy Chicken Chimichangas with Black Beans and Avocado
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice divided
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 3 garlic cloves divided
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely chopped, divided
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano divided
- 1 teaspoon fine salt divided, plus more to taste
- 2 small ripe avocados about 1 cup mashed flesh
- 2 to 4 tablespoons sour cream as needed
- 1 cup cooked black beans rinsed and thoroughly drained
- 4 oz Monterey Jack or mild cheddar shredded, about 1 cup
- 6 large flour tortillas about 12 inches across
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil for cooking the chicken
- Neutral oil for shallow frying enough for a 1/2-inch depth
Instructions
- Blend 3 tablespoons lime juice, paprika, 2 garlic cloves, half the jalapeño, 1 tablespoon oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Coat the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- With clean equipment, blend the avocados, 2 tablespoons sour cream, remaining lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, oregano, and salt. Add more sour cream only as needed for a thick spread, up to 4 tablespoons total. Refrigerate.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Lift chicken from marinade and discard used marinade. Sear about 2 minutes per side, then finish in the oven about 15 to 20 minutes, until every thick piece reaches 165°F.
- Rest chicken 5 minutes, then cut into short strips on a clean board. Leave excess juices behind.
- Fold the drained black beans into enough avocado cream to coat them thickly without making a loose sauce.
- Warm tortillas until flexible. Divide chicken, bean mixture, and cheese among them, using about 3/4 to 1 cup filling per tortilla and reserving any excess.
- Fold in both sides and roll tightly. Secure seams with wooden toothpicks and count them.
- Heat a 1/2-inch depth of oil to 350°F in a heavy, high-sided skillet. Fry in small batches, seam-side down first, about 2 to 3 minutes per broad side, turning edges briefly as needed, until golden and hot through. If using chilled cooked filling, verify a 165°F center.
- Drain on a rack, remove all toothpicks, rest 2 minutes, and serve.
