Chimichangas

Ingredients

• 500 ml/17. fl oz chicken stock or water
• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 chipotle chillies
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt flakes
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 x 400 g/14 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 x 400 g/14 oz can pinto beans
• ¼ cup queso fresco (ricotta)
• 8 flour tortillas (recipe for homemade flour tortillas available in Mexican Craving)
• ¼ bunch coriander/cilantro, chopped
• Oil, for frying

Method

Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a medium saucepan. Place the chicken and chipotle in the stock and bring back to the boil. Cover with a lid and turn the heat off and leave for 15 minutes. Take the chicken and chillies out of the liquid, shred the meat and chop the chillies. Set aside.

Heat the oil in large frying pan and fry the onions until translucent then add the garlic, spices, salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and pinto beans and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chicken, chillies and queso fresco and check for seasoning.

Soften the tortillas in the microwave or a dry frying pan so they are pliable. Spoon some chicken mixture into the middle of a tortilla then fold the side facing you up, and then fold the sides in, like you are wrapping a present. Sprinkle with chopped coriander. Place it fold side down as you repeat with the rest of the mixture and the tortillas.

Heat some oil in a large frying pan then shallow-fry the parcels until they are golden and crunchy.

Mexican food for a themed dinner party

If you're planning on serving these chimichangas as part of a dinner party with a Mexican theme, try our recipe for Mexican roast tomato tortilla soup as a starter with buñuelos as a dessert. See our Mexican recipes section for even more ideas.

Recipe taken from Mexican Craving by Ben Milbourne, available from New Holland Publishers, RRP: £19.99