Mini Chicken Chimichangas Appetizer Recipe

I was able to create a new Mini Chicken Chimichangas appetizer recipe using Kraft Fresh Take as part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias.  All words and opinions are my own.

I love experimenting in the kitchen.  At least a few times per week you can find me in the kitchen trying completely new recipes I find on Pinterest, duplicating something delicious I tried at a party, or giving our family favorites a little twist.

We frequently went out for Mexican food when we lived in Florida, but those restaurants don’t abound quite as much in Kentucky.  Because we missed those foods I started trying my hand at different entrees that we had regularly ordered: quesadillas, enchiladas, churros, chimichangas and more.  The chimichangas turned out particularly well and earned a regular place in our monthly meal rotation.

Recently while shopping at Walmart I noticed the Kraft Fresh Take kits in the cheese section.  We’ve used them in the past to change up our baked chicken or pork chops, but that day I had chimichangas on the brain.  It made me look at the packaging a little differently, wondering if I could use it to spice up our Mexican night.

I saw that they had a Southwest Blend – but it was sold out.  That would have been perfect for my plans, but cooking is often about flexibility, so I picked up the Cheddar Jack & Bacon variety.  Cheddar and Jack cheeses are ones I often choose for our chimichangas, so they were a fit, and really, what’s not better with bacon, right?  I had a $0.99 off coupon so it would cost me less than a dollar to give it a try.

Because it’s football season that means I spend a lot of my time serving appetizers and tailgating food.  I decided to make mini versions of the chimichangas to make them more of a finger food that could be noshed on over the course of a whole game (or eight, depending on who all is playing that day).  I set myself up in the kitchen to work while all the pregame stuff was on and started experimenting.

Mini Chicken Chimichangas

I had purchased chicken tenders instead of breasts because they cook a little faster and more evenly.  The Kraft Fresh Take kits come with two halves – a seasoning/breading mix and the cheese – that you’re supposed to mix together, but for this, I left them separate.

I mixed half the seasoning/breading pouch with about half of my taco seasoning packet (I usually get burrito seasoning, but they didn’t have any) then I lined a baking sheet with foil and laid the tenders out on it.  I generously sprinkled my seasoning mix over them and then baked for about 20 minutes at 375.

After the chicken was cooked, I let it cool and shredded it.  I placed the chicken in a medium saucepan and added about a tablespoon of olive oil, half a can of diced tomatoes plus all the juice from the can, and the seasoning mix I had made.  I stirred it over medium heat until it was warmed through.

To that I added about a half cup of sour cream and the cheese from the Kraft Fresh Take kit.  I stirred it until the cheese was melted and it was creamy.

I cut the tortillas into rough ovals, getting 2-3 ovals per tortilla.  (Keep your trimmings and use them to make homemade tortilla chips!)  Then I placed about a tablespoon of the chicken mixture on each oval and rolled them up.

Brush a baking sheet with a mixture of melted butter and olive oil.  Place chimichangas on sheet and brush tops with same butter/oil mixture.  Bake for about 12-15 minutes, turning chimichangas once halfway through.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce: salsa, sour cream, queso dip, whatever you’d like.

The mini chimichangas turned out great.  My husband’s exact words were “You have a winner here”.  They definitely make a great tailgating or party finger food, but they’re also great for a Tuesday night, or a Friday afternoon, to take to the office, or… well, you get the point.  They’re delicious for any occasion and are definitely going into our regular rotation.

What appetizer recipe might you try using Kraft Fresh Take kits?