The pressure builds and you start counting down minutes until you eat. You hear that gentle hiss and the float valve doing its thing, telling you its almost time. The kitchen smells so good already, kinda like a fiestas about to happen right there.
You spot that sealing ring doing its job, holding all that heat in tight like a little secret. When you quick release the steam, its like the big reveals finally here. You can barely wait as you pull off the lid and see the chicken mix all warm and juicy.
You recall all those times you wished for tasty food thats fast and fuss-free. This recipe sorta feels like a win after waiting just a bit, making it all worth it. No long hours, just good eats ready to dig in.
The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method
- You get tender shredded chicken packed with flavor in no time.
- The pressure cooker makes your chicken juicy but the frying adds crispy fun.
- You keep things easy with just one skillet for the chicken mix before frying.
- This method saves you from hanging over the stove all day; your float valves got it covered.
- Cleanups easier because your pressure cooker handles the cooking, and you quick release when its done.
The Complete Shopping Rundown
You gotta grab 3 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken breasts to start with. If you want, cook your chicken right in the pressure cooker first, it works real good.
Vegetable oil is next. You need some for saute9ing onions and garlic and then about 1 inch of oil for frying the chimichangas. Two teaspoons for that saute9 lightness, then plenty for browning up your chimichangas crisp.
Next up is half a cup of finely chopped yellow onion and one clove of garlic, minced up nice. These add that base kind of flavor that gets everyone wanting more.
For the sauce, youll want half a cup tomato sauce and the same amount of low-sodium chicken broth. This keeps things saucy but not sloppy.
Spices bring your dish alive so grab 2 ½ teaspoons chili powder, half a teaspoon cumin, half a teaspoon paprika, and a quarter teaspoon ground coriander. Youre basically building layers of yummy here.
Dont forget a quarter cup salsa, sour cream (two tablespoons for the mix plus more for topping), and 1 ¾ cups refried beans. You choose whether store bought or homemade refried beans, both work.
Finally, six burrito size flour tortillas and 5 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend, which is about 1 ¼ cups packed, round out the list. Optional guac and diced tomatoes are for topping when youre ready to serve.
How It All Comes Together Step by Step
Step one, heat two teaspoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toss in the chopped onions and saute till they get all translucent and soft, which takes about three minutes.
Next, you add the minced garlic. It cooks up fast, like 30 seconds or so till it smells real fragrant. Keep your eyes on it so it wont burn.
Step three, stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth, then sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, paprika, and coriander. Youre gonna simmer this mix for about five minutes so all those spices come together just right.
Then, add the shredded chicken into the skillet. Stir that in good, cook for two to three more minutes untill its heated through. Then take off the heat and set it aside.
While the chickens cooking, warm your tortillas a little to make them bendy. Then scoop about half a cup of the chicken mixture onto each. You got to fold the sides in and roll them tight to make your chimichangas.
Lastly, heat about an inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet to around 350 degrees F, or 175 C. Carefully add the chimichangas seam-side down and fry each side for two to three minutes till golden brown. Set them on paper towels to drain excess oil and serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Easy Tweaks That Make Life Simple
You can totally skip making your own refried beans if you just grab a good jar or can. It saves time and still tastes on point.
Warming tortillas? Use the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 20 seconds and they get nice and soft without any fuss.
If you wanna make the sauce faster, canned enchilada sauce can stand in for tomato sauce and broth, just mix in the spices.
For a shortcut to shredded chicken, grab a rotisserie chicken from your local store. Pull apart the meat and youre set to go.
Your First Taste After the Wait
When you bite into a chimichanga, you first notice that crunchy golden shell outside. Its a little oily, sure, but in the best way because its so darn satisfying against the tender filling.
Inside, the chicken is juicy and full of those chili and cumin flavors from the sauce. The onions and garlic add a slightly sweet and spicy undertone that makes you wanna take another bite right away.
Top it off with a dollop of sour cream or guacamole, and youve got creamy, cool balance that makes all those spices sing. Its messy but worth it every single time.
Smart Storage That Actually Works
Once your chimichangas cool down a bit, wrap each one tightly with foil or plastic wrap. This helps keep moisture out and crispiness in if you plan to eat them soon.
For longer stash, slide them in an airtight container and toss in the fridge. When you wanna reheat, pop them in the oven at 350 F till warm and crispy again.
If you wanna freeze, wrap individually then put in a freezer-safe bag. To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge and then oven crisp like usual. This way, they taste almost fresh, promise.
What People Always Ask Me
- Can I skip the frying step and just bake? Yeah, you can bake 'em at 400 F for about 15-20 mins, flipping halfway. They wont be as crispy but still yummy.
- How does the pressure cooker help here? It makes the chicken cooking super quick and the meat really tender. Then frying adds that nice crunch.
- What if I dont have a float valve or its broken? You gotta be careful then. Maybe just do slow release to slowly ease out the pressure so you dont get splattered steam.
- Can I make the filling spicier? For sure, add some cayenne or more chili powder if you like your food with a kick.
- Is it okay to use whole chicken instead of just breasts? Yeah, just cook it well in the pressure cooker and shred as usual. Dark meat adds more moisture and flavor.
- Whats the best way to reheat without losing crisp? Ovens your friend. Avoid microwaving if you want that crunchy outside intact.
Chicken Chimichangas Made Easy in the Pressure Cooker
Equipment
- 1 Skillet 10-inch non-stick
- 1 Tongs for flipping
- 1 Paper towels for draining
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 3 ½ cups shredded chicken breasts cooked
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil for sautéing
- vegetable oil for frying
- ½ cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ cup salsa bottled or fresh
- 2 tablespoon sour cream plus more for topping
- 1 ¾ cups refried beans homemade or store bought
- 6 burrito size flour tortillas
- 5 oz shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoon oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add onion and saute until slightly golden and tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
- Add in tomato sauce, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander and salsa. Bring to a bubble then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently until sauce has thickened and onions are tender, about 6 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir in sour cream and toss in chicken.
- Spread ¼ cup refried beans onto each tortilla. Layer with ½ cup chicken mixture and top with 3 tablespoon cheese. Fold and roll tightly.
- Fasten each chimichanga with a toothpick to hold the shape.
- Fill pan with 1-inch vegetable oil. Heat to 360 - 365 degrees F.
- Add two chimichangas seam side down and fry until golden brown on bottom. Use tongs to flip and fry other side until golden.
- Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining chimichangas. Serve hot with guacamole, salsa or sour cream.
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