Andrew told me on Wednesday that he was really tempted to go to Gringos Locos for a chimichanga. It probably didn’t help that his co-workers were teasing him about going all day, but I digress. I told him that I’ll do my best to fulfill his craving! To Google I go. I mixed and matched a few recipes, and came up with this!

Gluten Free Chimichangas! And some nachos, cuz hubs loves um.

For the filling, I adapted the crockpot recipe from @cookingglutenfree.blogspot.com. I didn’t have Taco Bell sauce, like she lists, so I made my own. I made different GF tortillas, and omitted the beans because of Bean Hater Hubby.

Start by making the Taco Sauce, adapted from @Food.com’s Taco Bell sauce…Changed for this purpose.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. can non-salted tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1.5 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp sugar/agave nectar
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix!

After that’s all mixed up, it’s easy! All you need now is…

• 2# beef, for stew
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tbsp shortening
• 1 cup water
• 4 oz. green chilis
• Gluten free tortillas!
• Oil to fry
• 14oz can refried beans (optional)
• Any additional topping you like: lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, olives, cheese, scallion

Directions:

1. Add the meat, onions, shortening, and pre-made taco sauce to crockpot. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
2. Stir in the water, reduce to low if on high, cook for 1.5 more hours.
3. Shred the meat, then stir in green chilis. Continue cooking about 5 minutes.
4. Turn to warm until ready to assemble chimichangas.
5. Using the Gluten Free Tortillas, the amount filled depends on the size you made the tortillas, in my case, they were small. I used about 3 tbsp of filling in each.
6. Fry, in a shallow amount of oil, the chimichanga’s until lightly brown, seam side down first. (I had to hold some of mine closed with tongs, their insides wanted to escape!)
7. *Optional* While frying those, I took some of the sauce from the crockpot and reduced over medium heat on the stove. If yours is already thick, it will be fine.. Mine was thin so I wanted to reduce it for the sauce.
8. Top with your choice of toppings and enjoy!

Hubs was very happy with this meal (as was I). I was nervous about it, I have never made tortillas or Chimichangas, but I really wanted to show my support by making the food he’s craving! I don’t want him to feel the need to give in to the pressures of the local taco joint when I can do it at home!

A little bit of the tortilla making process. There are a lot of Gluten-Free Tortilla recipes out there, this is only the first I’ve tried. I was pleased though.

Roux watches my every move, in hopes to some day become a chef himself.

Or he’s just staring intently in case I drop something…

We need to teach him to sit up straight, he looks like a slob.

Find It,

Rachel