These delicious Chicken Chimichangas have a cheesy, hearty filling and a perfectly crispy shell! Keto-friendly chimichangas can be cooked in a skillet, in the oven, or in an Air Fryer for maximum flexibility!

I am obsessed with Mexican food. Honestly, though, isn’t everyone? You can tempt me with a bowl of queso dip any day of the week. Let’s be honest, I’m not going to turn down a margarita, either.

A few of my girlfriends and I never have enough time to see each other. When we do, it’s been way too long, their babies are getting bigger (or someone’s pregnant!), and we ALWAYS meet over Mexican food.

About five hours later, we roll out of the restaurant, knowing we’ll see each other again in six months time. It’s always such a great evening, punctuated by the great food. And my go-to? A Chimichanga! Perfectly crispy tortilla combined with delicious chicken, spices and cheese? I mean, hello. Sign me up!

But now that we’ve moved to the country, I’ve had to get creative. I needed my own Chimichanga recipe! So in a flurry of hunger-inspired creativity, I whipped this Chicken Chimichanga up. Once I was met with the seal of approval from my family, I knew I was ready to share my new recipe with you all!

Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Chimichanga

This Chicken Chimichanga recipe combines my favorite things–juicy chicken, Mexican flavors in the spices, green chilies and cheese. Perfection! As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. For the complete recipe and instructions just keep scrolling. 

• Chicken: shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken, left over grilled or roasted chicken
• Cream cheese: full or reduced fat work in this recipe.
• Shredded cheese: sharp cheddar cheese or your favorite shredded cheddar blend.
• Green Chiles: canned green chilies can be found in the ethnic aisle at your grocery; make sure you grab the mild!
• Salsa: any variety will do, you only need a touch for the filling. 
• Spices: cumin, garlic salt, garlic powder
• Tortilla: regular, low carb, or gluten free all work in this recipe.

Lastly, you will also need oil to fry the chimichangas (unless baking). I prefer avocado oil because it has great flavor but doesn’t leave the dish feeling heavy and greasy. If you plan to cook these in the Air Fryer, a spray oil is very convenient!

What kind of chicken should I use for this Chimichanga recipe?

Truly, any chicken will work, I use chicken breast, but you can use a different cut if you prefer. I’ve even got a hack for you- an incredibly simple shredded chicken recipe! This slow cooker recipe is a breeze. You can also always use up any leftover rotisserie chicken you have for these Chimichangas!

How do you make Chicken Chimichangas? 

This Chicken Chimichanga recipe is also super versatile and will work for any kitchen- these Chimichangas can be baked, fried or air-fried! You can make this recipe totally yours.

• Simply combine the filling ingredients and stir well. Make sure the cream cheese spreads easily, and there are no clumps.
• Add the filling to the center of a large tortilla and fold the ends toward the filling and roll the edges in (this is how you would roll a burrito. Place the chimichanga seam side down.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the chimichanga seam side down and cook 2-3 minutes until golden brown, turn and cook all sides until golden and crisp. 

Can I make this Chimichanga recipe in the oven?

Absolutely! This is an easy dish to make a bit lighter by baking instead of frying. Simply assemble the dish as directed and place on a greased baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and brush or spray well with avocado or olive oil. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas

Assemble the dish as directed and preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F for 3 minutes. Brush or spray all sides of the chimichanga with oil and place seam side down in the air fryer. Cook 4 minutes, flip (if your seam is trying to open use a toothpick to secure or let it cook an additional minute seam side down) and cook an additional 4-5 minutes until it has browned to your liking. 

Can I make Keto Chicken Chimichangas?

Of course! The fillings are naturally low carb, simply use a low carb tortilla to make a keto-friendly chicken chimichanga! Using a Mission Carb Balance tortilla, this came to less than 7 net carbs per chimichanga.

Can I meal prep this Keto Chicken Chimichanga Recipe?

You definitely can! The best way to reduce the work and time needed is to prepare the filling up to 3 days ahead of serving. Then the day of serving, you can just scoop the filling into the tortillas, wrap, and cook! This means the dish could be ready in 10 minutes when you’re ready to serve!

I wouldn’t recommend assembling or cooking these ahead of time, unfortunately. The crispy shell is the key to a great chimichanga, and assembling these well before cooking will cause the tortillas to get soggy and damp. 

Other Mexican Recipes

• Easy Keto Taco Skillet
• Keto Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
• Chuy’s Jalapeno Ranch Copycat Recipe
• One Pan Enchiladas
• One Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice

Continue to Content

Chicken Chimichanga

Yield: 6 Chimichangas

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

These delicious Chicken Chimichangas have a smooth, hearty filling and a perfectly crispy shell! Keto-friendly chimichangas can be cooked in a skillet, in the oven, or in an Air Fryer for maximum flexibility!

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Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 (4 ounce) can green chiles
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 large tortillas (regular, gluten free or low carb)
• Avocado oil for frying

Instructions

1. Simply combine the filling ingredients and stir well. Make sure the cream cheese spreads easily, and there are no clumps.
2. Add the filling to the center of a large tortilla and fold the ends toward the filling and roll the edges in (this is how you would roll a burrito. Place the chimichanga seam side down.

Frying:

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the chimichanga seam side down and cook 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Then turn and cook all sides until golden and crisp. 

Baking:

Place chimichangas seam-side down on a greased baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and brush or spray well with avocado or olive oil. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Air Frying:

Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F for 3 minutes. Brush or spray all sides of the chimichanga with oil and place seam side down in the air fryer. Cook 4 minutes, then flip. If your seam is trying to open, use a toothpick to secure or let it cook an additional minute seam side down. Cook an additional 4-5 minutes until it has browned to your liking. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 (recipe calculated using Mission Carb Balance Tortilla)
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 342Total Fat: 22gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 688mgCarbohydrates: 21.9gNet Carbohydrates: 6.6gFiber: 15.3gSugar: 1.3gProtein: 26.6g