Recipe Makeover: Chimichanga

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

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.

Downsizing from a typical 10-inch tortilla to an 8-inch saves 106 calories and 207mg sodium.

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.