This dinner for one would have probably cost a minimum of $13.99 here in my little Arizona town. Multiply that times the 7 people in my family and I could have spent over $100 with tip and tax in a restaurant. Instead, using leftover meat and rice from the freezer, home canned salsa and homemade refried beans, the entire, huge meal cost a total of just $13.99. Not bad, eh?
Have you made chimis before? If not, here is a basic run down. Take shredded beef, chicken or pork and mix it with a little salsa….just to moisten it, not to overpower it. Place a few tablespoons of the meat on a flour tortilla, fold the ends in and roll. You will want to use a larger tortilla for these. The little ones make tiny chimichangas. (If your tortillas crack as you fold them, heat them in a microwave for a few seconds between moist paper towels to soften) Heat some oil in a deep skillet and fry them on all sides until brown and crisp. Remove to a wire rack over a cookie sheet and keep in the oven on warm while you cook up the rest. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce with sour cream or guacamole and maybe a side of Fiesta Rice. Top with green chile…which isn’t spicy, just delicious.
1. Info for Chimichangas with Green Chile
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: unavailable
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Chimichangas with Green Chile
- 1½ pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes (optional)
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and chopped
- 2 poblano chiles, cored, seeded and chopped (these are really mild peppers!)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
3. Directions:
- In a large Dutch oven, brown the meat in the ¼ cup olive oil (you may have to do this in batches).
- Remove the meat and set aside to keep warm.
- In the same skillet, saute the onions, garlic, tomatillos and chiles with the cumin in the remaining oil.
- When the vegetables are soft (10 minutes later), add the meat back into the pan along with the remaining ingredients.
- Scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate the fond and simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes, uncovered, until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.
- The meat is totally optional here.
- You can make the green chile without any at all and it will still be delicious.
- Cut the olive oil down to ¼ cup for just the veggie version.
4. Tips and advices:
- Makes enough for at least two meals, so plan to freeze the extra or serve an army.
