I don’t know about you, but getting meals on the table during the summer can be a bit of a challenge. I always think that the summer is going to be slower and more relaxed, and in some ways it is, but then suddenly, because of that relaxation and lack of routine, it is 6pm, I’ve got starving kids, and I haven’t even started thinking about dinner yet! Panic!
That is where quick and easy dinners save the day and I have been depending a lot on quick pastas, egg dishes, and rice bowls of various sorts. These are all great, but we all need something new from time to time… or at least I do.
Enter the baked chimichanga. Now, I know that this is not even close to a traditional chimichanga, especially since they aren’t deep fried, but to be totally honest, calling them chimichangas was quite a selling point with my kids. They thought it was fun to say and if it is fun to say, then maybe it is fun to eat, and then suddenly I have two boys who are in love with a new dish to the point where one declares that he loves chimichangas more than hot dogs (true story!). So maybe I could call them baked-delicious-pockets-of-goodness, but it just doesn’t quite roll off the tongue in the same way.
So this recipe is inspired by one I found on Rachel Cooks that is made with spring ingredients and looks truly amazing, but I wanted to go a tad more traditional with mine and I also wanted to give you some ideas for tweaking, just depending on what you’ve got in the house because I’m telling you, once you’ve got these puppies down, they are going to become a regular in your dinner rotation!
So give them a shot, tell me what you think, and I’d love to hear your ideas for filling options!
- 8 whole wheat tortillas
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained or 2 cups homemade beans
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups chicken, shredded or finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, monterrey jack, Mexican blend, etc.)
- 8 whole wheat tortillas
- Cooking spray (optional)
- Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Chop the zucchini into small pieces. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 10-12 minutes, or until some pieces are just starting to brown.
- While the zucchini is roasting, rinse and drain the black beans and put them into the large bowl along with the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir well. When the zucchini is roasted, mix it into the black bean and spice mixture.
- Lay out the tortillas. Put about ¼ cup of the bean mixture in the center of each tortilla. Evenly distribute the chicken and cheese on top. Fold each tortilla as you would a burrito and place, seam-side down on the baking sheet. Spray each with cooking spray (if using), this will give them a nice crust and a golden color. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden on top.
Make vegetarian: Use baked tofu or scrambled eggs instead of the chicken.
Change the meat: Use ground beef, cut up steak, or shredded pork
Change the vegetables: You want about 1 ½ cups of vegetables. Use what sounds good to you. Possible options include corn, spinach, roasted broccoli or cauliflower, etc.
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