Oven Baked Chicken Chimichangas – Lower-Calorie
These chicken chimichangas are baked in the oven instead of deep fried, which cuts back significantly on fat and calories. Perfect for any family night Mexican food dinner.
Mexican food is one of my all times favorites. I love ordering chimichangas when I go out, but since they are typically deep fried that means it’s loaded with calories. It’s delicious, but around 1,000 calories for one chimichanga. I really enjoy making this homemade version that is “oven-fried.” All the flavor is still there, and you could eat two (or 3!) for less calories than eating out. The butter that is brushed over the top gives the tortilla the perfect crispiness when baked in the oven.
I use boneless, skinless chicken breast that I cook then shred. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken too and shred that up too to save time. Any picante sauce will work, so if you have a favorite already then that’s great. We rotate different sauces, but feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand. My kids like helping me make this for dinner, especially brushing the tops with butter. This is a meal the whole family likes and it’s ready in under and hour, with prep time and cooking.
The prep for these are easy. Start by preheating the oven so it’s ready to go while the chimichangas are being assembled. Once the chicken is cooked, cooled and shredded, add in the picante sauce, oregano, cheese and onion then mix together. Divide the chicken mixture evenly between the tortillas then fold the tortillas tightly into burritos, placing them seam side down into the baking dish. Then brush the tortillas with some melted butter. Once the oven is preheated, place the chimichangas in the oven and cook for approximately 25 minutes.
What do I serve with Oven Baked Chicken Chimichangas?
There are so many great sides to serve with chimichangas. A few ideas are refried beans, black beans, Mexican or white rice, grilled zucchini, grilled corn or corn on the cob.
What can I put on top of my Oven Baked Chicken Chimichangas?
Toppings are a personal preference, but some favorites are salsa, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, chopped tomatoes, jalapeños, and lime wedges.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Comment below or tag me on Instagram. And don’t forget to Pin it for later!
Ingredients for Oven Baked Chicken Chimichangas
- Boneless, skinkess chicken breast
- Picante sauce
- Dried oregano
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Green onions
- Flour tortillas
- Butter
Calories per serving (1 chimichanga): 336
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Oven Baked Chicken Chimichangas - Lower-Calorie
Ingredients
- 2 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 3/4 cup picante sauce or your favorite salsa
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
- 8 8" flour tortillas
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, mix chicken, picante sauce, oregano, cheese and onion together.
- Divide chicken mixture evenly in the center of each tortilla.
- Fold tortillas into burritos by folding in sides of tortilla, then rolling tightly until closed. Place burrito seam side down on a baking sheet.
- Brush burritos with melted butter. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- If desired, garnish cooked chimichangas with additional cheese, green onions, and salsa.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
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Enjoy!
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I’m Erika; food lover and blogger. I live in Arizona, and I’ve recently started taking up photography as a hobby. My life pretty much revolves around food and my family and I wouldn’t change a thing!
I am a huge fan of recipes that require no deep frying. These oven baked chimichangas look amazing.
Thanks! This is such an easy way to make these.
I love chimichangas, but always hesitate to order them because they are fried. So I love that you made a baked version! I’m going to have to give this one a try for sure. Thanks for the recipe
Thanks! We love them baked as well!
Thanks for sharing a baked method for chimichangas. I gave up eating the fried version.
Thanks! We love baking them too!
I honestly think this looks way better than the deep fried chimichangas! And I bet the butter adds a really nice saltiness to the tortilla.
Thanks so much! The butter does make these really good.
I love how easy and simple this looks! Perfect protein serving aside a salad, cannot wait to try !
Thanks, Dee! I hope you enjoy.
Can you believe that I have never tried a chimichanga before?? Maybe it’s not really big in Canada. But I JUST moved to Chicago, so maybe there are a lot more food options available to me!
Now’s the perfect time to give one a try. They are so flavorful. 🙂
What an easy to make recipe, I’ve added some jalapeños too and it was awesome. Thank you so much for this. My kids want me to make it again already. 😉
That’s awesome, Ramona! The addition of jalapeños is smart. I’m glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Oh yum! Chimichangas is my favorite, too and I love your oven-baked version better. Do you think it will work in an air fryer?
Hi Linda, yes I do they they should work in the air fryer, especially since everything is already cooked. Same process of buttering the tortillas and they should come out delicious. 🙂
They look moutb-watering. I often oven bake my food to make it healthier,I try to fry as little as possible these days.
These chimichangas will be perfect then! 🙂
Love this unique, low cal alternative to chimichangas. Thanks for this recipe.
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy!
What a great family meal and I love that my girls can help me prepare it as well.
Thanks, Kelly! It’s a great meal for kids to help make.
Such a brilliaant idea to oven bake these chimichangas! So much healthier than frying them! Def adding these to next week’s meal plan!
Thanks! They are just as delicious when baked. 🙂
I love Mexican food, too. And I love it for both eating out and making at home. It just never disappoints. This is why I can’t wait to try your chimichangas – they must be so flavorful!
Thanks, they are! Mexican food is a top favorite here too.
Wow, I’m so impressed you crammed so much flavor into these chimichangas for just a bit over 300 calories! I love chimichangas, but they’re definitely not something I eat often. So excited to put these on the rotation — thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Thanks, Amanda! My whole family loves them.
Now this looks like something my husband would actually eat for dinner! Thanks for this recipe !
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
With low cal, this chimichangas caught my attention. Love to try this. Hope this perfect to pack in the lunch box. Do you agree?
You definitely could pack this in a lunch box. You just might want to heat it up before eating. 🙂