With thoughts of the Super Bowl in Arizona, I decided on an Arizona-inspired meal. Chimichangas are fried burritos and a popular dish in Arizona. They’re usually made with a flour tortilla filled with meat, cheese and spices. There are many stories as to their origin, which is based on Mexican burritos. One is of a Mexican restaurant owner in Arizona named Woody Johnson who would deep-fry leftover burritos. They were so successful that they became a staple on his menu.
CHIMICHANGA
Yield 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
1/2 pound cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Four 10-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese (such as colby jack)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tomatoes, sliced
Coarsely chop chicken breast. Add the salsa, ground cumin and scallions. Mix well. Place the tortillas on a countertop. Divide the chicken mix into 4 parts and add each part in a line down the middle of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. For each tortilla, fold in the two sides that are at the end of the line of food. Then fold the other two sides tightly over the filling. Heat a medium-size skillet over medium high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the packets seam side down. Cook 3 minutes. Turn them over and cook another 3 minutes. Remove to two plates. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro with tomatoes on the side.
