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Healthy Air Fryer Beef Chimichangas

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August 11, 2019 by Wine a Little Cook A Lot 11 Comments

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Healthy air fryer beef Chimichangas are a quick and easy dinner that’s a healthier version of the fried American-Mexican classic.

Three chimichangas that are topped with sour cream, shredded lettuce and guacamole. They're dark brown and crispy from the air fryer.

I seriously LOVE my air fryer.

Well, technically it’s not mine it’s my sister’s, but I like to think it’s been inherited especially because I’ve been using it more than her and I make her amazing things in it like these beef chimichangas ;).

I really didn’t think I’d use it much more than to make roasted potatoes once in a great moon.

Boy, was I wrong…

Air fried fish, Brussels’ sprouts, THE BEST crispy chicken wings, sweet potato fries.  My goodness the possibilities are endless.

Plus, when it’s 100 degrees out and you don’t feel like turning on your oven but you reallllyyy want some good roasted potatoes to go with that grilled steak…AIR FRYER the heck out of them (and they take way less time to cook!)

Okay, enough about the air fryer, let’s talk chimichangas…

Air fryer beef chimichangas are made with flour tortillas that are filled with seasoned ground beef, refried beans and topped with sour cream, shredded lettuce and whatever else your heart desires.

A crispy healthy air fryer beef chimichanga that's cut in half so you can see the ground beef and refried bean filling. It's topped with sour cream, guacamole and shredded lettuce

What’s the difference between a burrito and chimichanga?

The biggest difference is that a traditional chimichanga is deep fried until crispy and golden while burritos stay soft in the flour tortilla.

What’s in air fryer chimichangas?

  • refried beans
  • ground beef (seasoned with Mexican seasoning)
  • salsa
  • shredded cheese

Other ingredients you can add to your chimichangas:

  • bell peppers
  • onions
  • black beans
  • corn

How to make your healthy air fryer beef chimichangas:

  1. Cook your ground beef (or chicken) with the Mexican seasoning and salsa until browned.

  2. Spread refried beans onto each flour tortilla, then top with beef, and shredded cheese, keeping the mixture more towards the middle.

  3. Fold the tortilla in to the middle, then the other edge, so they’re slightly overlapping

  4. Then, fold the two ends up towards the middle, pushing the filling up as you fold.

Four pictures that show how to wrap chimichangas made with soft flour tortillas.

Once your chimichangas are folded, brush both sides with a little oil and place in your air fryer (two at a time).

Bake at 400 degrees for about 7-9 minutes or until golden and crispy.  Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Side by side pictures of two chimichangas that are placed in the air fryer basket. The picture on the left is before cooking and the picture on the right is after the chimichangas have been air fried. They're brown, golden and crispy.

Topping ideas for air fryer chimichangas:

  • sour cream
  • guacamole 
  • chopped tomatoes
  • shredded lettuce
  • cilantro
  • pico de gallo 
A white round plate with 3 crispy chimichangas that are topped with sour cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes. There's a piece of lime and extra shredded lettuce on the plate. An air fryer is in the background next to the plate.

So if these air fried chimichangas are making you think you want to indulge in an air fryer, I’ve linked to amazon for a really great, decently priced air fryer that I love and use weekly.

I will say, if you’re willing to spend a little extra, it is worth it to buy the bigger air fryer, especially if you plan on using it for family dinners. 

I have friends that see my air fryer and wish they spent the extra for the larger one just for convenience.

This one is made by Tidylife, it’s a 6.3 QT and has a digital screen with pre-programmed settings like French fries, fish, or veggies, making it super easy to use. 

And yes, I do make a small commission if you end up buying that air fryer, but as with my other affiliate links, I will NEVER link to something I haven’t used before or don’t trust….  Just for your peace of mind :).

For more easy Mexican inspired Dishes try:

  • Mexican Chicken Foil Packets
  • Crockpot Chipotle Barbacoa (Mexican Shredded Beef)
  • Low Carb Mexican Cauliflower Rice Bowls
  • Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Continue to Content
Three chimichangas that are topped with sour cream, shredded lettuce and guacamole. They're dark brown and crispy from the air fryer.

Healthy Air Fryer Beef Chimichangas

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Healthy air fryer beef Chimichangas are a quick and easy dinner everyone will love. They’re a healthier version of the fried classic!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 tbsp Mexican Seasoning, see recipe notes
  • 1/3 cup Salsa
  • 4 Soft Flour Tortillas
  • 1 16 oz can Refried Beans
  • 1 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese

Topping Ingredients (Optional)

  • Sour Cream
  • Guacamole
  • Shredded Lettuce
  • Cilantro
  • Lime Wedges

Instructions

  1. Add ground beef and Mexican seasonings to a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon until browned. Stir in salsa and set aside.
  2. Spread about 1/3 cup of refried beans onto your flour tortillas, leaving about a 1” border around the edges. Add ground beef on top of the refried beans, then cheese.
  3. Fold one edge of the tortilla in to the middle, then the other edge, so they’re slightly overlapping. Then, fold the two ends up towards the middle, pushing the filling up as you fold. You should have a rectangle shaped pocket.
  4. Brush the chimichangas lightly with oil, then place in your air fryer (two at a time to so you don’t over crowd them).
  5. Air fry at 400 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until crispy and deep golden brown.
  6. Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Notes

Looking for a great air fryer that's budget friendly?  Click here.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @winealittlecookalot on Instagram and hashtag it #winealittlecookalot

© Wine a Little Cook A Lot
Cuisine: American / Category: Dinner
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Filed Under: Dinner, Healthy Tagged With: airfryerrecipes, easydinner, familydinner, healthydinner, Mexican

Previous Post: « Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Steak Roll Ups
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jeanie

    September 19, 2020 at 12:53 pm

    Thanks. I still enjoyed them!

    Reply
  2. Jeanie

    September 18, 2020 at 3:21 pm

    These were very good but either I’m not very good at folding chimichangas or I had the wrong size tortillas. I couldn’t close mine. What size did you use? Other than that, no changes. I followed the recipe exactly. I made two at a time, ate one and used the IP (Air Fryer Lid) to reheat the second one for lunch the next day. I topped them with sour cream.

    Reply
    • Wine a Little Cook A Lot

      September 18, 2020 at 11:36 pm

      Hi Jeanie, glad you liked them! I used regular taco size flour tortillas. If you put too much filling that would make them hard to fold. Or you can use the burrito size since those are bigger. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  3. Mary Docherty

    August 4, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    I used leftover roasted chicken tossed in a little taco seasoning. I added leftover corn I had on the cob too! I used my Misto to lightly spray them and sprinkled a little more taco seasoning on them. These are terrific!

    Reply
    • Wine a Little Cook A Lot

      August 5, 2020 at 5:30 pm

      Thanks Mary, that sounds fantastic :). So glad you liked them!

      Reply
  4. Victoria Gustavison

    July 29, 2020 at 12:28 am

    I made these today and we loved them. They were so easy to make. I first cooked a roast with your crockpot chipotle barbacoa recipe and filled my chimis with this shredded beef, black beans and cheese. Wonderful! Can you make up the chimis with the filing and then freeze them to cook later?

    Reply
    • Wine a Little Cook A Lot

      July 29, 2020 at 1:09 pm

      Hi Victoria, wow what a great idea using the barbacoa beef in the chimichangas! I’m so glad you liked them :). Yes, the chimichangas can be made up with the fillng and frozen. I would suggest thawing them before cooking them when ready.

      Reply
  5. Anonymous

    December 6, 2019 at 12:07 am

    5 stars
    These were so easy and so loved by all 😋 I made them with ground turkey

    Reply
    • Wine a Little Cook A Lot

      December 7, 2019 at 5:40 pm

      Thank you! Glad you liked them 🙂

      Reply
  6. Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes

    August 12, 2019 at 12:38 pm

    5 stars
    I recently bought an air fryer, and have still not used it – this seems like a delicious recipe to begin with!

    Reply
    • Wine a Little Cook A Lot

      August 14, 2019 at 2:56 pm

      Yes! Wait till you use it, you’re going to love it :).

      Reply

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