Recipe Makeover: Chimichanga

By Sidney Fry, MS, RD
May 01, 2014
Photo: Randy Mayor
All the cheesy goodness you want inside, plus crispy perfection outside.
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Lighter Chimichangas

Photo: Randy Mayor
Cha ching! The calorie count rises faster than a lawyer's bill when an overstuffed burrito hits the deep-fryer and gets covered in cheese. The classic chimichanga boasts 730 calories and 40g of fat. For the season of swimsuits and shorts, we'd thought we'd shave some calorie-filled layers off this heavy-handed classic.

Classic 
731 calories each
41.3 grams total fat
1,358 milligrams sodium

Makeover
296 calories each
10.3 grams total fat
625 milligrams sodium

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Lighter Chimichanga Tip #1: Crispy Pan-Sear

Photo: Randy Mayor
We coat the chimichangas in cooking spray then pan-sear in a superhot skillet for a crispy, crunchy finish—not a drop of oil needed. Save 120 calories and 14g fat per chimichanga over the deep-fried version.

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Lighter Chimichanga Tip #2: Portion Savvy

Photo: Randy Mayor
Downsizing from a typical 10-inch tortilla to an 8-inch saves 106 calories and 207mg sodium.
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Lighter Chimichanga Tip #3: Fresh Toppers

Photo: Randy Mayor
Bright, fresh tomato salad and creamy, heart-healthy avocado tastefully top our chimichanga, replacing cheese and sour cream to save 106 calories and 7.5g sat fat per serving.
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By Sidney Fry, MS, RD