Shaved Steak Chimichanga Recipe

As if burritos could get any better, just imagine one fried: the same delicious experience as a melty, flavorful burrito, but with a crispy shell that crunches with every bite. This is a chimichanga. Despite being deep-fried, chimichangas are hardly street food, instead being served on a bed of lettuce or with a mound of fresh toppings and salsa. A far cry from the late-night foods at Taco Bell, they're an utter delicacy.

These deep-fried, crispy burritos supposedly originated by accident when a startled restaurant owner accidentally dropped a classic burrito into hot oil. Though the multiple invention stories are a little far-fetched, we're here for a good tale — especially when it involves one of the best Tex-Mex foods of our time.

Even if you don't own a deep-fryer to "accidentally" release a burrito into, you can still make chimichangas at home with a deep pot and some oil. And with this recipe created by Michelle McGlinn, you don't have to spend hours making braised meats to stuff them with, either. This shaved steak filling is super tender and in just a half an hour tastes as flavorful and juicy as a slow-cooked pork shoulder. Yep, taco Tuesday just got way better.

Though the ingredients list may seem lengthy, most of the items needed for steak chimichangas are likely already in your kitchen, at least if you have a penchant for Mexican food. First up: the meat. If your store doesn't sell shaved steak and the butcher can't prepare it, grab a sirloin or strip steak and cut it very thin, or use ground beef instead. To marinate the beef, you'll need garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin, and fresh lime and orange juices. 

The tangy condiment on top comes together with a few seasonings and Mexican crema, which you can replace with sour cream and/or yogurt if your store doesn't have it. Other ingredients you'll use in these chimichangas include white rice, about 2 quarts oil for frying, shredded pepper jack cheese, onion, radish, and burrito-size tortillas. Corn tortillas won't fry up the same way, so be sure to grab flour ones for this recipe.

In this multitasking-friendly recipe, you'll start by combining the garlic, lime juice, orange juice, cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin, and a splash of oil in a large bowl. Massage the mixture into the steak, then let the meat marinate for around 20 minutes (which is about how long it will take to prepare the rice and crema). You can also do this step a few hours ahead for maximum flavor, but we recommend keeping the marination time under 8 hours.

Now for the sauce: Add the cilantro, crema, lime juice, salt, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the cilantro is finely chopped and the mixture is smooth, but not liquidy. If you don't have a food processor and are using a blender, gently pulse the mixture to chop the herbs. If the mixture is too sour or underseasoned, add another pinch of salt.

Adding fluffiness to these chimichangas is simple white rice, cooked on the stovetop in about 15-20 minutes. For plain white rice, simply add 1 part rice and 2 parts water to a saucepan, bring to a boil, and cover and steam until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy. You can also use other types of rice in this recipe, such as brown rice or Mexican-style rice, or none at all: Feel free to swap the grain for black beans, refried pintos, or sautéed peppers.

Much like cooking the perfect steak, searing the beef for the chimichangas will be fairly quick, especially with such thin slices. Simply place the marinated steak into a hot skillet and cook until browned, tossing only occasionally so the edges have a chance to crisp up. Once cooked, remove the steak from the heat.

Assembling a chimichanga isn't so different from building a burrito, except that it's really important to close it securely. To fill the tortillas, add ¼ cup each of rice, meat, and cheese, as well as a spoonful or two of crema. This may not seem like a lot of filling at first, but after much testing, we've found this ratio to be perfect for successfully rolling and sealing the burritos. 

Roll from the bottom of the tortilla upwards, first folding in the sides and then curling the bottom into the top, pushing the fillings in while you roll. This may require some practice; just remember that the most important part is folding in the sides, which will help keep the fillings intact. Once rolled, stick two toothpicks into the tortilla to tightly fasten it closed.

Heat a few inches' worth of oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to about 350 F. If you don't have a thermometer, take a small piece of tortilla and test it in the oil. When it sizzles on contact and begins to brown quickly, the oil is ready.

Working in batches of 1 or 2 at a time, gently lower each wrapped burrito into the hot oil and fry, flipping once the underside is deeply golden brown. If you're having trouble keeping the second side in the oil (the chimichangas may get heavy and roll to one side), use tongs to hold the chimichangas in place until golden. Remove once both sides are fried, and place on a wire rack to drain.

Chimichangas aren't filled quite the same way as burritos, since lettuce, cilantro, and other delicate add-ins would make them soggy and limp once fried. To solve this problem, the fresh ingredients are instead served on top of or underneath the chimichangas and paired with salsa or sour cream. We top our fried burritos with radish, onion, cilantro, and a good drizzle of crema for a refreshing taste and elegant presentation. If radishes or raw onions aren't your thing, you can also use lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, or shredded cheese, and pair it all with a homemade charred tomato salsa or salsa verde. 

Chimichangas are plenty satisfying on their own, but if you're looking for more of a spread, we recommend serving these with guacamole and chips, refried beans, and a classic frozen margarita recipe. These crispy chimichangas keep better than you'd expect, too: If you have an air fryer, pop the leftovers in for around 10 minutes for that perfect next-day crispness.