Chimichangas are like glorified tacos that are slightly less messy to eat than normal tacos. My family loves any kind of meat-stuffed pastry (egg rolls, pasties…) and these are no exception.
Made with elk or venison, chimichangas are a fun and delicious way to eat some of that ground game meat you have in the freezer. Really any kind of wild game burger works, whether it’s elk, deer, moose, caribou or antelope. Our family just happens to have a lot in the elk and deer department right now.
Making the Chimichangas
These are pretty simple to throw together. To make the filling, simply chop the garlic and onions, give them a quick sauté in olive oil, then throw in the meat, spices, corn, salsa, and lime juice. Drizzling with hot sauce and sprinkling with chopped cilantro makes a pretty garnish, but tossing some extra shredded cheese on top and calling it good works, too.
You’ll notice this recipe calls for 1 1/2 lbs. of ground meat. When processing our meat, we now skip the typical one-pound bags and go with the bigger size because our kids have gotten bigger and seem to be eating a lot more these days!
If you prefer to use one pound of burger, simply reduce the amount of salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Keeping the amounts of the remaining ingredients the same won’t make a huge difference. Obviously you’ll have some leftover cheese and tortillas, but you can always make quesadillas out of them : )
What to Serve with Venison Chimichangas
Chimichangas go well with all the typical Mexican sides—black beans, Spanish rice, tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole. For something a little different, serve with roasted zucchini or venison jalapeño poppers.
Elk or Venison Chimichangas
Chimichangas are such a fun and delicious way to enjoy ground game meat. These elk or venison chimichangas can be crisped in the oven, air fryer, or frying pan.
Ingredients
- 12 8" tortillas
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground venison, elk, or antelope
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. chile powder
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 1/2 cup chopped jalapeños (optional)
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 3/4 cup salsa or picante Use your favorite red or green salsa or picante. I used homemade mild red salsa.
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar (or mix of cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese)
- Optional: cilantro and hot sauce, for garnish
Instructions
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In large pan, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for two minutes.
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Add ground elk or venison to pan. Break up meat, add spices, and cook until meat is no longer pink (about 6 minutes).
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Add corn and jalapeños, if using. Cook for two more minutes.
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Remove pan from heat. Mix in lime juice and salsa.
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Taking one tortilla at a time, place 1/2 cup of meat mixture in the center of tortilla. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons shredded cheese on top.
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Fold each side into the center, then fold over the ends. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
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To Crisp in Air Fryer: Place chimichangas in tray or basket, folded side down. Set temperature to 375° and timer to 4 minutes. Press Start. Carefully flip chimichangas and air-fry for 4-5 minutes more. Adjust time to desired crispness (some tortillas will crisp faster than others). Remove from air fryer with caution. They will be very hot! Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.
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To Crisp in Oven: Preheat oven 375°. Place chimichangas on cookie sheet and bake on middle rack for 15-16 minutes.
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To Crisp in Frying Pan: Fill pan with 1/4 inch vegetable and heat until starting to sputter. Carefully add chimichangas, three or four at a time, and fry until lightly browned and crisp (about 3-4 minutes per side).
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Garnish with cilantro and hot sauce, if desired, and serve with your favorite Mexican condiments.
You may also like Instant Pot Venison Fajitas!
Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome! Hope it turned out well 🙂