Chimichanga vs Burrito: Are they Same? What Are the Differences?
I guess you are here because either you are confused or frustrated or curious about the whole chaos regarding whether burrito and chimichanga are the same or not. I have been there too!
Fast-forward to the answer, no, they aren’t the same, and there are many basic differences between them.
If you want to know more, stick around till the end.
What Is a Burrito?
Burrito, a Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine dish, is a soft flour tortilla wrapped into a cylindrical shape with various ingredients inside such as filling of beans, cheese, salsa, and veggies.
However, depending on the location, the burrito has different fillings and types. Cheese, vegetables, sauce, and meat are common fillings in Mexico. But in the United States, a full burrito almost always includes rice, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream in addition to the other standard fillings.
The size of a burrito differs in different countries. For example, in Northern Mexico, it is quite small in size. Still, in America, the burrito is a little bit larger.
What Is a Chimichanga?
People may think Chimichangas are essentially deep-fried burritos with spicy meat as a filling. It is also a Tex-Mex cuisine. Contrary to popular belief, this dish originated in the United States, not Mexico. It took place in any other border state such as Arizona or Texas, where Tex-Mex cuisine was very popular.
Chimichangas, like burritos, are made from flour tortillas and fillings, but they are then deep-fried in hot oil. Given this extra step in preparation, the ingredients for chimichanga are also slightly different.
Chimichangas are typically served with sour cream or melted cheese. The added fillings and sauces vary depending on the location and the chef. Some people fill their chimichangas with refried beans, cheese, and rice, while others add enchilada sauce and guacamole.
Chimichanga vs Burrito
Chimichanga and burrito mainly differ in eight aspects.
| Aspects | Burrito | Chimichanga |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | in Mexico | in one of the border countries of the USA, such as Texas or Arizona. |
| Ingredients | contain beans, potato, rice, and other vegetables and rice wrapped with soft tortillas. Meanwhile, non-veg burritos contain chicken, beef, rice, and beans. Other ingredients used in the burrito are cheese, salsa, sauce, and guacamole. | ingredients are meat, melted cheese, rice, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. And because chimichanga is a fried dish, oil is also an ingredient of it. |
| Preparation | flour tortillas are carefully and tightly wrapped with a variety of fillings. | Chimichanga is prepared by deep frying in the oil. |
| Texture | As the burrito is not a fried dish, it is soft, and the cheese inside is not melted. | Chimichanga is a deep-fried and crunchy dish. It is crispy outside, and melted cheese is used to fill it. |
| Serving | Burritos are served wrapped in foil and ready to eat with your hands. So, like a wrap, you can eat a Burrito directly. | Chimichangas, on the other hand, are extremely hot because they are deep-fried. That’s why it is eaten on a plate with a fork and knife rather than with hands. |
| Sauces/Dips | Burritos don’t come topped off with sauces. | As chimichangas are served hot on a plate, they are topped with a variety of sauces, such as salsa, sour cream, or guacamole. |
| Taste | In Burritos, you will get the taste of soft tortillas, flavorful chicken, and hard cheese. | Chimichanga has a crunchy, savory taste with melted cheese. It is a little greasy since the skin and the filling absorbs some oil. |
| Health Factors | Burritos are healthier than chimichangas. Burritos have a reasonable number of calories, unlike chimichangas. They don’t include high-calorie components, nor are they deep-fried. | A single serving of chimichanga contains approximately 1500 calories. It’s because chimichangas are first deep-fried before being covered with a ton of heavy ingredients like sour cream, cheese, and other sauces. A diet with so many calories raises the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. |
How Do You Cook a Frozen Burrito in an Air Fryer
For cooking a frozen burrito in an air fryer, thaw the burrito first. And then place it in a hot air fryer. Flip it twice. Then use your favorite toppings and roll the burrito and serve it.
How Long Do You Cook Frozen Burritos in the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer before cooking a frozen burrito. Usually, it takes 15-20 minutes to cook frozen burritos in the air fryer. But frozen burritos more than 6 oz will take 2-3 minutes extra to cook in the air fryer.
How Do You Cook a Frozen Chimichanga in an Air Fryer
For cooking frozen chimichangas, wrap them in foil paper and cook them for 18-20 minutes. Flip them once for both sides to be cooked. The foil paper will restrain the outside of the chimichanga from being over-crispy. At the same time, the filling inside will get enough time to be ready. Then serve this air-fryer chimichanga on a plate with cheese and sour cream sauce and enjoy.
You can watch this video from “Air Fryer Recipes with Booger” on how to make Chimichangas using an air fryer!
FAQ
How to spell Chimichanga
chi-mi-chan-ga
Chimichanga is Mexican food. It usually contains a tortilla with a spicy chicken filling inside. The tortilla is deep-fried in the oil. Chimichanga is traditionally served as an appetizer with sour cream, cream cheese, and salsa at the top.
Chimichanga origin
Mexico, United States
What part of Mexico are chimichangas from?
Tex- Mex dishes are mostly from the 20th century. Chimichanga is a Tex- Mex cuisine dish and came mainly from a restaurant in Arizona in, Mexico.
What Is the best way to reheat a Burrito?
The best way to reheat a refrigerated burrito is to wrap it with aluminum foil and heat it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for 12- 15 minutes. The time duration can be more or less depending on the thickness. Usually, it will take 7-10 minutes to be ready. You can also use a microwave to reheat your burrito.
Final Takeaways
- Burrito and chimichanga contain the same types of ingredients.
- The significant difference is that burrito is a baked dish, but chimichanga is a fried dish.
- Burrito is comparatively healthy and contains fewer calories than chimichanga.
- They are quite different in taste too.
- They both belong to the same Tex-Mex cuisine.
- For burritos and chimichanga, the serving process is different.
