A burro filled with shredded meat, beans and cheese, folded into a package and deep-fried until the flour tortilla shatters. Arizona claims it, and Tucson and Phoenix still argue about who fried the first one.

Nobody can prove who first fried a burro. Tucson's El Charro Cafe, opened by Monica Flin in 1922, tells of a burro dropped into the fryer, an accident Wikipedia places in the early 1950s. Macayo's founder Woody Johnson said he fried burritos as an experiment in Phoenix in 1946. Folklorist Jim Griffith recalls chimichangas at Tucson's Old Pascua Village in the mid-1950s, and a Mexican diplomat in Tucson told a Zocalo writer the first likely came from northern Mexico.

Where to eat Chimichanga in Scottsdale

3 editor picks for Chimichanga in Scottsdale, ranked by editorial score. All Scottsdale signature dishes · Chimichanga across every city.

  • Los Olivos Mexican Patio

    Order A cheese crisp to start, then the Mexican Flag Enchiladas with both red and green sauce.

    Los Olivos Mexican Patio in Old Town Scottsdale is a four-generation Sonoran restaurant open since 1947, known for cheese crisps and Mexican Flag Enchiladas.

    DetailsDirections

  • Ajo Al's Agua Caliente Plaza

    Order The smoked street tacos and a Mexican pizza, with a frozen margarita.

    Ajo Al's Agua Caliente Plaza is the Scottsdale branch of a family-run Sonoran-style Mexican cafe with smoked street tacos and Mexican pizzas since 1986.

    DetailsDirections

  • Jalapeno Inferno

    Order The Tuesday three-taco plate with shredded machaca beef, in a soft or hard shell.

    Jalapeno Inferno on Scottsdale Road in north Scottsdale serves Sonoran Mexican food, with a take-out cantina nearby, and three tacos for $11.99 every Tuesday.

    DetailsDirections

Book food experiences in Scottsdale

Scottsdale's Original Food Tour★ 5.0 (373)

Viator · 2 to 3 h

Scottsdale's Original Food Tour

A food tour is the perfect way to explore the history and culinary scene of any city. Let Arizona Food Tours show you the way with our famous "Scottsdale's Original Fo...

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Make it at home

Serves Serves 450 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 4 large flour tortillas, 10 to 12 inches
  • 2 cups cooked shredded beef or chicken, seasoned with salt and cumin
  • 1 cup refried beans
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar
  • 2 roasted green chiles, peeled and chopped
  • Neutral oil for frying, about 2 inches deep
  • Guacamole, sour cream and salsa, to serve

Method

  1. Warm each tortilla for 15 seconds in a dry skillet so it folds without cracking.
  2. Spread a quarter of the beans across the center, top with meat, cheese and chile, leaving a 2-inch border.
  3. Fold in the sides, then roll from the bottom into a tight rectangular package, seam side down.
  4. Heat oil to 350F in a deep, heavy pot and fry 2 chimichangas at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep gold.
  5. Drain on a rack, then serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

Editor tip. Ask for yours enchilada style, as Arizona menus do, by smothering it in red or green chile sauce and melted cheese.

Common allergens: Gluten, Milk.