These Air Fryer Chipotle Chimichangas are exploding with flavor! Seasoned chicken breast is shredded and combined with beans and salsa before it’s topped with a homemade chipotle sauce and cheese, then tossed into the air fryer for only a few minutes!
Taco Tuesday takes on a new meaning with these Air Fryer Chipotle Chimichangas! Juicy, flavorful shredded chicken, mild chipotle sauce, and cheese, what else could you ask for? The best part is that you can customize the toppings however you’d like!
Try my Taco Casserole or Taco Pie if you’re looking to mix up taco night!
Ingredients
- Seasonings such as chipotle powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, granulated garlic, onion powder, and black pepper
- Olive oil
- Chicken breasts
- Poblano pepper
- Garlic
- Red onion
- Chicken broth
- Lime
- Dried chipotle peppers
- Pinto beans
- Salsa
- Shredded chihuahua cheese with jalapenos
- Flour tortillas
- Mexican sour cream
- Cilantro
Why I Love Air Fryer Chipotle Chimichangas
Flavor: Air Fryer Chipotle Chimichangas are bursting with flavors! The well-seasoned chicken is combined with peppers, onions, and lime juice and topped with a homemade chipotle sauce that is bound to rock your taste buds!
Homemade: I love how easy it is to make this homemade meal! Everything in this recipe is homemade, from the flavorful chicken breast to the chipotle sauce. If you want to save some time in the kitchen, you can cut corners by purchasing premade chipotle sauce or a rotisserie chicken, but I love how rewarding it is to eat a meal I can say I made from scratch!
Texture: From the juicy, tender chicken on the inside to the crispy and crunchy tortilla exterior, you’re going to crave these chimichangas for weeks! Serve them up with a side of crunchy chips and mouthwatering salsa to complete this meal!
Air Fryer: This recipe goes on to prove how convenient and easy air fryers are! They take up hardly any counter space and perfectly crisp up food in minutes! No need to dirty a big baking sheet or other dishes, either!
How To Make Air Fryer Chipotle Chimichangas
Step One: Season the chicken breast and sear it in a hot skillet.
Step Two: Add the poblano pepper, red onion, and garlic to the skillet and saute. Add the chicken broth, lime, and dried peppers. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the heat and shred it. Set aside the peppers as they will go into the chipotle sauce. Drain the chicken broth and discard, then place the chicken breast back in the skillet with the onion and peppers, and add pinto beans and salsa.
Step Three: Soften the tortillas by heating them in the microwave for a few seconds.
Step Four: Make your chipotle sauce by removing the stems from the peppers and adding the whole peppers to a food processor. Add the remaining lime juice, sour cream, and cilantro. Blend until smooth.
Step Five: Preheat the air fryer and begin preparing the chimichangas. Fill the bottom half of a tortilla with some chicken mixture, a dollop of chipotle sauce, and shredded cheese. Roll the chimichangas up by rolling the tortilla away from you and tucking in the edges.
Step Six: Lightly spray the air fryer with oil to prevent the chimichangas from sticking. Air fry for 8 minutes, flipping halfway in the middle. Once cooked, plate and serve the chimichangas on a bed of lettuce and top with pico de Gallo and sour cream! Enjoy!
Do I Have To Use An Air Fryer?
No, you don’t have to use an air fryer. I prefer to use an air fryer out of convenience, but if you don’t have one, you can preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and bake the chimichangas on a baking sheet until golden brown.
What is Chihuahua Cheese?
Chihuahua Cheese is a semi-soft Mexican cheese that is made from cow’s milk. Some alternatives, if you cannot find any Chihuahua cheese in your local grocery stores, can be muenster, mild cheddar, Monterey jack, or queso fresco.
I Can’t Find Mexican Oregano Anywhere!
I have a hard time finding Mexican Oregano where I live (hello, rural Maine), so if I know I need some, I go ahead and order on Amazon. If you’re in a pinch and can’t order any online, marjoram or regular oregano can also work. Mexican oregano and your typical oregano do have very different flavors, so I highly recommend using Mexican oregano if you have access to it; it’s worth it!
Is This Recipe Spicy?
If you have an extremely low spice tolerance, this recipe may not be for you. If you can handle some heat, the peppers and seasonings used in this recipe are perfect for you! Sour cream can help kick the heat down a notch if you find this recipe to be too spicy for you.
How To Serve Air Fryer Chipotle Chimichangas
Serve these Air Fryer Chipotle Chimichangas alongside some rice and beans or even with a side of chips and salsa! You can even eat these alone or dipped into a big bowl of queso!
Air Fryer Chipotle Chimichanga’s
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tsp chipotle powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp mexican oregano
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 poblano pepper diced
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 red onion diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 lime cut in half
- 2 dried chipotle peppers
- 1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed (15oz)
- 2 tbsp salsa any preferred kind
- 2 cups shredded chihuahua cheese with jalapenos
- 6 extra large flour tortillas
- 1 cup mexican sour cream
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- Canola oil spray
For Serving
- 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Cilantro as garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine chipotle powder, cumin, mexican oregano, granulated garlic, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Generously season both sides of the chicken breast with seasoning.
- Heat a deep skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil. Once shimmering, place the chicken breasts into the skillet and sear both sides 2 minutes each. Add poblano pepper, crushed garlic cloves, and red onion and saute for 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, then add ½ of a lime and dried peppers. Cook for 15 minutes over medium high heat. Remove the chicken and shred. Set aside chipotle peppers (for use in the chipotle sauce) and discard the lime. Strain remaining ingredients from the chicken broth and discard the broth. Place pepper/onion’s back into the skillet and add the shredded chicken, pinto beans and salsa. Cook for 4 minutes over medium heat.
- Soften the tortillas by warming in the microwave for 15 seconds.
- Prepare chipotle sauce. Remove stem from the peppers and add to a food processor or blender with sour cream, chopped cilantro, and juice from remaining ½ of lime. Puree until smooth.
- Preheat air fryer to 400* for 5 minutes
- Prepare chimichangas. Fill the bottom half of the tortilla with ¾ cup chicken mixture, a dollop of chipotle sauce, and ¼ cup shredded cheese. Grab the bottom of the tortilla and lift it over the filling. Tuck both sides towards the center, then roll the tortilla towards the opposite end. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with canola oil. Place chimichangas into the basket, 2-3 at a time. Spray chimichangas with canola oil. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip chimichangas over.
- Spray again with canola oil, and cook for 4 more minutes. (8 minutes total)
- Add half of the shredded lettuce to a platter. Arrange chimichangas on the platter atop the lettuce. Drizzle with sour cream and top with remaining lettuce, pico de gallo, and cilantro. Enjoy!
