Arizona Chimichanga

We’ve been moving from state to state since January and we’ve covered a lot of ground! Today we head to Arizona.

The only official state food in Arizona is the Apache trout, yet in all the research I did and all the times I visited the state, I rarely saw any fish dishes. What I did find is a lot of Mexican inspired dishes and food that was used by the natives in the area.

But I did find one thing that you can get almost anywhere in Arizona – the Chimichanga.

The story goes…in the mid-1950s the owner/chef of El Charro’s cafe accidentally invented this fun and delicious food. She accidentally dropped a big burrito into the deep fryer. And the result is history.

Arizona Chimichanga

The original is a big – like as big as a newspaper (remember those) big! But at our house we like to stick to real person portions, so we made a smaller version of this fabulous meal.

You can make a chimichanga with any of the ingredients you would put in a burrito. You can use chicken, pork, beans, beef or a combination – add cheese and some seasoning and you’ve got your start. This recipe is for beef and bean chimis.

NOTE: One of our readers notes, “Originally Arizona chimichangas did not have beans in them. I learned from a master in Tucson in 1972. Beans are a TexMex thing. You certainly can have them on the side.”  Good to know!

Here’s How to Do it:

Start by cooking the beef. Mix up the spices

and give the meat a good, hard rub with it on both sides. Cover it and let it sit int he refrigerator for about an hour.

Next, cut it into small cubes while it’s still cold. Then let it rest for about 15 minutes.

While it’s resting, heat up the oil in the pan. When it’s hot, put the beef in and brown it on all sides.

When it’s brown and starting to crisp on the edges, pour in the broth making sure to loosen all the bits on the bottom. Bring the broth to a boil

Arizona

then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the meat pulls apart with a fork, about 2 to 3 hours.

Arizona

You can make the meat a few days in advance, just refrigerate it until you’re ready to build your burritos… Like now!

Lay out the tortillas and top each one evenly with 1/4 of the beans, then the meat and sauce. Top that off with two to three tablespoons of cheese,

Arizona

and roll the burrito.

Set the burritos aside and prepare the oil.

Place enough oil in skillet to cover the burritos a little more than half way. Heat the oil to about 375° –

Using a scoop, gently lower the burritos into the oil. Let them cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, then gently turn them to brown on both sides.

Remove from the oil and let drain on paper towels or coffee filters.

Ready to eat? Serve these up with a fresh  jalapeño, some sour cream, a little bit of salsa and some fresh cilantro. And don’t forget the avocado! De-licious!

Arizona

© Copyright 2019 The Lazy Gastronome

1 from 1 vote
Arizona Chimichanga

The story goes...in the mid-1950s the owner/chef of El Charro's cafe accidentally invented this fun and delicious food. She accidentally dropped a big burrito into the deep fryer. And the result is history.

Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American, Arizona, Mexican
Keyword: bean, beans, beef, burrito, cheese, deep fry
Servings: 4 Burritos
Author: HelenFern
Ingredients
Meat
  • 1-1/2 pounds top round roast
  • 1 Tablespoon chipotle powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 cup corn oil
  • 2 cups beef broth
Chimichangas
  • 4 10" flour tortillas
  • 1 14-oz can refried beans (or just pinto beans)
  • 1 to 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used extra sharp)
  • Corn oil to fry in
  • avocado
  • sour cream
  • salsa
  • jalapeños
Instructions
Cooking the meat
  1. Start by cooking the beef. Mix up the spices and give the meat a good, hard rub with it on both sides. Cover it and let it sit int he refrigerator for about an hour.

  2. Next, cut it into small cubes while it's still cold. Then let it rest for about 15 minutes.

  3. While it's resting, heat up the oil in the pan. When it's hot, put the beef in and brown it on all sides. 

  4. When it's brown and starting to crisp on the edges, pour in the broth. Bring the broth to a boil, making sure to loosen all the bits ont he bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the meat pulls apart with a fork, about 2 to 3 hours. 

  5. You can make the meat a few days in advance, just refrigerate it until you're ready to build your burritos... Like now!

Making the Chimichanga
  1. Lay out the tortillas and top each one evenly with 1/4 of the beans, then the meat and sauce. Top that off with two to three tablespoons of cheese, and roll the burrito. 

  2. Set the burritos aside and prepare the oil.

  3. Place enough oil in skillet to cover the burritos a little more than half way. Heat the oil to about 375° - 

  4. Using a scoop, gently lower the burritos into the oil. Let them cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, then gently turn them to brown on both sides. 

  5. Remove from the oil and let drain on paper towels or coffee filters. 

  6. Ready to eat? Serve these up with a fresh  jalapeño, some sour cream, a little bit of salsa and some fresh cilantro. And don't forget the avocado! De-licious!

Recipe Notes

© Copyright 2019 The Lazy Gastronome

Arizona

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!


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2 Responses to Arizona Chimichanga

  1. GwenA says:

    1 star
    Originally Arizona chimichangas did not have beans in them. I learned from a master in Tucson in 1972. Beans are a Tex Mex thing. You certainly can have them on the side.

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