Baked and Smothered Chipotle Chicken and Kale Chimichangas

I think we need to get smothered on this here Good Frideeeee.

chimi6

It’s hard to see with the naked eye, but this is actually super duper crazy freaky healthy!

Okay, minus the 45 pounds of cheese dip on top, and the enormous tortilla the size of a rhinoceros torso. But underneath that crispy, golden-brown carbo-mama exterior, lie oceans of wilted kale, mountains of seasoned, chopped chicken, and delicate speckles of chipotle pepper greatness. Okay fine and more cheese.

I’M GOING THROUGH SOME THINGS, I NEED THE CHEESE.

chimi1  chimi2

So the other day when I was drumming up dinner ideas for our mouths, I was taking a casual stroll through my Tex-Mex brain drawers, and guess what I didn’t find. Jerst gerse.

CHIMICHANGAS. I’ve never made dang chimichangas before. Never! And I keep getting a squiggly line underneath that word. One moment please as I check on this.

Huh, seems right according to lord Goog.

Anyway, I know technically they’re deep fried, but I had to make a vital decision once I came to this crossroad. Fry them? Or smother them with cheese dip?

I’m sorry but cheese dip always wins. Always, always always. Always.

Always.

Oh look! How convenient for these cheese dip photos to have magically appeared right here before our very eyes.

chimi4  chimi5

That’s white American cheese in that, bee tee dubs. I’ve never made a cheese dip with white American cheese before. Never! Look at me, broadening my horizons. My super melted, super velvety cheese dippa lippa ding dong wonderfully delicious horizons.

chimi11

Ya wanna know what the word chimichanga makes me think of? Okay, you know the scene in Dirty Dancing when Neil tries to convince Johnny to end the season with the Pachanga? And Johnny goes, “We’ll end the season with the Pachanga. Great idea.” That’s what it reminds me of.

That’s all I had to say.

chimi7

Get smothered!

Baked and Smothered Chipotle Chicken and Kale Chimichangas:

What it took for 4 chimichangas:

* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 Tbs. ground cumin
* 1 Tbs. chili powder
* 1 tsp ground coriander
* 1/2 tsp garlic salt
* 1 pinch coarse salt
* 1 pound chicken breasts
* 1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
* 2 chipotle peppers, minced
* 2 tsp adobo sauce
* 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
* 4 large burrito flour tortillas
* 1 Tbs. melted butter (to brush on the chimis)

for the cheese dip:

* 1/2 pound white American cheese, chopped (if in slices) or cubed (if in a block)
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 Tbs. butter
* 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 2 tsp adobo sauce
* 1 small pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400.

Bring the oil to a medium-high heat in a large sauté pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder, coriander, garlic salt and salt.

Arrange the chicken in the pan and sprinkle half the mixture on top. Cover the pan and let the chicken sear for 5 minutes. Flip it, sprinkle with the rest of the mixture, cover and sear 5 more minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan let rest 5 minutes while you take a photo. I MEAN prepare the kale.

Back in the skillet (if you need to wipe it out due to blackened spices, that’s fine) add a little more more oil (if needed), the chopped kale, the minced chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce. Toss in a little pinch of salt. Throw the lid on and steam it for a couple of minutes while you chop the chicken. Then add the chicken back to the pan and toss everything to get it all nice and in lerve.

Grab a baking sheet and lightly coat it with a little cooking spray. Arrange the tortillas on the sheet and evenly pile the chicken mixture in the center of each one. Evenly sprinkle with the cheese. Then tuck in the corners and tightly roll up the chimis into a little roll. Like a burrito! I guess that was obvious.

Place them seam-side down on the baking sheet, brush each one with the melted butter and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy!

Now, in the meaaaantime, make your cheese dip.

Basically, throw all the ingredients into a small saucepan and melt over medium-low until smooth and cheesy and melty and glorious.

Smother each chimichanga with the cheese dip and garnish with tomatoes, cilantro, guacamole, sour cream, whatever the Mexican Lords of Greatness guide you to do.

chimi9

I think I’ll add more cheese next time.

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29 Responses to Baked and Smothered Chipotle Chicken and Kale Chimichangas

  1. Brian @ A Thought For Food March 29, 2013 at 7:08 am #
    Yo girl... stop torturing me with your meat.
  2. Marie @ Little Kitchie March 29, 2013 at 7:16 am #
    I can't even deal. Cheese dip FTW!
  3. Julie @ Table for Two March 29, 2013 at 7:22 am #
    woaaaah - can you wrap me up with one of these babies? they look AMAZING smothered in that cheese sauce!!
  4. Laurie {SimplyScratch} March 29, 2013 at 7:43 am #
    Smother me bay-bee!!!
  5. Tieghan March 29, 2013 at 7:54 am #
    Oh yes! I would love to get smothered with all that deliciousness! WHOA! These look amazing, crazy, and So SO good!
  6. Cassie | Bake Your Day March 29, 2013 at 8:12 am #
    I can't get enough white American cheese lately. Shoot me now!
  7. Heather @ Heather's Dish March 29, 2013 at 8:22 am #
    It cracks me up how people here call it cheese dip, and literally right over the border in Texas we always called it queso. Either way, FEED ME!
  8. claire @ the realistic nutritionist March 29, 2013 at 8:33 am #
    I want to just....DO THAT SAUCE.
  9. Katie March 29, 2013 at 8:43 am #
    I love the kale in there. Makes it basically health food...I'll have ninety chimichangas please.
  10. Brianna March 29, 2013 at 10:03 am #
    Chimichangas........I haven't had one of these in years! Yum!
  11. Kristin March 29, 2013 at 10:09 am #
    OMG. that is all.
  12. Michelle March 29, 2013 at 11:52 am #
    Um, I want to live inside these.
  13. Jackie @ The Beeroness March 29, 2013 at 12:09 pm #
    I want to be baked and smothered too.
  14. Katie @ Blonde Ambition March 29, 2013 at 1:30 pm #
    I say the kale totally cancels out the cheese dip! And it's not fried. I mean, this is practically health food. Cheesy, mouthwatering health food....
  15. Marnely Rodriguez-Murray March 29, 2013 at 2:35 pm #
    Holy heck my drool just went into overdrive. Yuck, but YUM.
  16. Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking March 29, 2013 at 5:05 pm #
    Oh my gaaahhh. Get in my mouth!
  17. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl March 31, 2013 at 4:54 pm #
    These look SOOO darn tasty!! I would love to try making these, but with seitan in place of the chicken. Yum, yum :).
  18. Nutmeg Nanny March 31, 2013 at 10:46 pm #
    Oh my word. These need to be in my mouth right now ;) they look super tasty!
  19. Stephanie @cookinfanatic April 1, 2013 at 7:34 am #
    Wow. These look ahhhhmayyyyzinggg!
  20. stacysmom3 April 1, 2013 at 10:19 am #
    Made these last night - you have to try them . . .sooooo good. My store was out of kale (how lame) so i subbed spinach and they were still delicious. the sauce makes a great con queso for chips while you are waiting for the chimis to cook.
  21. joan April 2, 2013 at 8:53 pm #
    Oh my! My daughter doesn't know what to do with all her kale. She gets a home delivery every two week and they have had ALOT
  22. joan April 2, 2013 at 8:54 pm #
    Sorry, was so excited I hit the return too fast! My daughter will love this. And I couldn't agree more... I would choose the cheese too. :)
  23. Julie Presley April 29, 2013 at 1:32 pm #
    Question: I've never noticed American Cheese at the store before unless your talking about the Kraft slices . . . is that what you're talking about? I'm going to make these puppies this week so I needsta know!
    • Bev Weidner April 29, 2013 at 2:17 pm #
      I was the same way! I've read that it comes in different forms, like a block or thick slices. I didn't get the Kraft kind, but instead I went to the cheese counter and had them slice about half a pound (or however much the recipe called for). SO, try the (cheap) cheese section and look for a block first. If you can't find that, the cheese counter will have some! They should. Also, sorry for the longest reply ever ever ever.
      • Julie Presley May 2, 2013 at 3:18 pm #
        Thanks! I went w/ Kraft this time b/c I didn't see the comment :( After I'd bought it I found the american at the deli counter. Next time! Making these tonight!
  24. Krista B. June 10, 2013 at 11:53 am #
    I was unable to find white American cheese, Kraft or otherwise :( I bought extra monterey jack, so hopefully that will be a good enough substitute. can't wait to make these tonight, they've been on my "make soon" list for so long!!! :)
    • Bev Weidner June 10, 2013 at 12:05 pm #
      Ohhh I'm sure Monterey Jack will be great! Let me know how it turns out!
      • Krista B. June 11, 2013 at 9:25 pm #
        Omg. These were soooo amazing!!! My husband could not stop talking about it. "This dinner is blowing me away." "This is one of the best things you've ever made." "I could eat all 4 of those." "I'm stuffed but I'm already excited for lunch tomorrow!" Etc! This recipe is definitely going in my Tasty Tasty Things to Make Again google doc :) As for the Monterey Jack in lieu of white American cheese, the sauce flavor was excellent, but the consistency was kind of like dumping Mexican fondue on top...not a BAD thing per say, but I'm going to search for white American cheese for next time. Anyway, THANK YOU! :)

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  1. 15 Crunchy Finger-Licking Chimichangas - February 14, 2014 […] Recipe & Photo credit to bevcooks.com  […]

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