These air fryer chimichangas are crispy and delicious, no deep fryer needed! Filled with salsa chicken, refried beans, and cheese, they’ll be a hit with your whole family.

Two halves of an air fryer chimichanga stacked on plate with crema

I love ordering chimichangas at Mexican restaurants, but they feel like such an indulgence since they’re deep-fried in oil. This recipe for air fryer chimichangas has all that crispy deliciousness, minus the vat of oil. They’re easy, completely irresistible, and kids and adults love them!

Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Chimichangas

Crispy without the deep frying. Using an air fryer allows you to achieve that perfectly crispy exterior without the added oil, hassle, and mess of traditional deep frying.
Totally customizable. Although I use chicken and refried beans, you can fill your chimichangas with your choice of protein, vegetables, and toppings, making everyone in your family happy.
Quick and easy to make. With the help of an air fryer, you can have these lightened-up chimichangas on the table in a flash!

Overhead view of ingredients for air fryer chimichangas with labels

Notes on Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

For the Salsa Chicken:

Boneless skinless chicken thighs – Chicken thighs are more juicy and tender than chicken breasts.
Kosher salt
Mild red salsa – Store-bought or my salsa roja.
Water

To Assemble:

Flour tortillas – If you’re gluten-free, try my gluten-free flour tortillas.
Refried beans – You can use canned refried beans from the store or these Instant Pot refried beans.
Shredded cheddar cheese – Or another cheese you like with your Mexican food.
Green onions
Vegetable oil – Or your preferred oil for cooking.

To Serve:

Guacamole – Spicy mango guacamole is my favorite!
Mexican crema – Or sour cream thinned with a bit of milk or lime juice. I like stirring in a little chili powder for some extra flavor.

Filling chimichanga with cheese, green onions, chicken, and beans — Add the fillings.

Wrapped chimichangas on plate before cooking — Add the fillings.

How to Make Air Fryer Chimichangas

Make the chicken. Follow the recipe for my salsa chicken and shred it.
Prepare. Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF.
Fill the chimichangas. Divide the refried beans onto the tortillas, followed by the chicken, cheese, and green onion. Wrap like a burrito.
Air fry. Brush the chimichangas with oil and set them in the air fryer basket. Cook for 8 minutes, flipping at the halfway point.
Serve. Enjoy your air fryer chimichangas with guacamole, crema, or any other toppings you like.

Tips and Variations

Don’t overfill the tortillas. Be sure to leave some room around the edges of the tortilla when filling, so it can be easily folded and sealed. You don’t want them bursting open!
Place them seam-side-down. This helps hold the chimichangas together while they cook in the air fryer.
Don’t crowd the basket. You should be able to fit 4 chimichangas in your air fryer, but if not, cook them in batches. If you crowd them, they won’t get crispy.
Make them meatless. Add extra refried beans, vegan fajitas with tempeh, or Instant Pot spicy black beans instead of the refried beans.

Overhead view of air fryer chimichanga on plate with toppings

What to Serve With Chimichangas

Mexican Rice or quinoa. Spicy green Mexican quinoa or 5-ingredient Mexican quinoa would be perfect!
Salsa. Try my roasted tomatillo salsa or super easy spicy mango salsa.
Salad. For a lighter pairing, try this chili roasted sweet potato + black bean quinoa salad.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Refrigerator: Store leftover chimichangas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Place individually wrapped chimichangas in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Warm chimichangas in the air fryer at 350ºF until they’re heated through. Frozen chimichangas will take longer than ones that were refrigerated or thawed first.

Air fryer chimichanga cut in half on plate with toppings

More Tex-Mex Recipes

Prep: 5

Cook: 30

Total: 35

Ingredients

For the salsa chicken:

¾ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup mild red salsa
¼ cup water

To assemble:

4 flour tortillas
1 ⅓ cups refried beans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons sliced green onions
¼ cup vegetable oil

To Serve:

Guacamole
Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with a bit of milk

Instructions

For the chicken:

Add the chicken thighs, salt, salsa, and water to the bowl of an instant pot. Stir to coat the chicken.
Seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with a fork.

To assemble:

Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F.
Spread 1/3 cup refried beans in the center of one tortilla. Top the beans with ¼ shredded chicken followed by ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 tablespoon sliced green onion. Wrap the filling in the tortilla burrito style. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling ingredients.
Brush the chimichangas with vegetable oil and arrange them in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. Cook for 4 minutes. Flip. Cook for an additional 4 minutes.
Serve with guacamole and Mexican crema, or sour cream thinned with a bit of milk.

Notes

If you do not have an Instant Pot: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub the chicken with kosher salt, salsa, and a tablespoon or so of olive oil (leave the water out). Bake for 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with a fork.
If you do not have an air fryer: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the chimichangas with vegetable oil, arrange them on the prepared baking sheet (seam side down), and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutrition

cuisine: Mexican

course: Dinner, Main Course