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one golden crisp baked flour-tortilla chimichanga cut across the middle to reveal cooked shredded chicken, dark refried black beans and melted white cheese, with a small sour-cream dollop beside it on an ordinary plate and no garnish
Andre Lewis

Baked Chimichangas with Crockpot Chicken

The crockpot handles the chicken filling, then the oven crisps the folded tortillas into baked chimichangas. Let the filling drain before you start rolling. Extra cooking liquid makes the bottoms soggy no matter how much oil you brush over the outside. Refried black beans and Monterey Jack hold the chicken together inside each packet, and leaving a little space between the rolls on the sheet pan lets hot air reach their folded edges.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 can 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1 can 16 oz refried black beans
  • 4 oz Monterey Jack grated
  • 8 large flour tortillas 10 inches across
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Method
 

  1. Place chicken, onion, tomato sauce, chipotle, adobo sauce, cumin and salt in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours until chicken reaches 165°F and pulls apart easily.
  2. Lift chicken out and shred it coarsely. Drain off excess liquid, then mix chicken with refried black beans, Monterey Jack and no more than 1/4 cup of the cooking sauce so the filling holds together without running.
  3. Heat the oven to 425°F and lightly oil a rimmed sheet pan with 1 teaspoon of the measured oil. Warm tortillas in the microwave under a barely damp paper towel for 20 to 30 seconds so they fold without cracking.
  4. Divide filling evenly among tortillas. Fold the sides inward, roll tightly into closed packets and place seam-side down on the sheet pan with space between them.
  5. Brush packets with remaining oil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning carefully once, until golden and crisp and the filling reaches 165°F.
  6. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve one chimichanga per person with 1 tablespoon sour cream alongside.