Updated Chimichungas

Mexican is one of many favorite cuisines in this house. This is a fun recipe that always brings a smile in this family!

• 1 pound stew meat (If you're in a hurry use a higher quality of beef.)
• 1 1/2 cup water
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2-4 small tomatoes, sliced in strips
• 1-2 medium green pepper, sliced in strips
• wheat tortillas

Combine beef, water and salt in a skillet. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, cover skillet and cook slowly for a couple hours until beef is tender and shreds easily.(You can do this ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.) Cool meat in the broth. Remove meat from water reserving the water. Shred meat with two forks.
Heat oil in a skillet. Add onions and garlic saute until tender but not browned. Add tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes. Add green peppers, meat, 1/2 cup of the reserved broth, a pinch of both salt and pepper simmer 15 minutes. (If you like you can also add a minced hot chili pepper at this time too.)
Place mixture on a wheat tortilla and roll up tortilla tucking in ends. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet and brown stuffed tortillas on both sides.
Serve with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc. as condiments.


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Update!!!

Maybe it has been too long since I made this favorite recipe of Rich's or maybe the update changed it enough that it threw him, but Rich thought it was a new recipe. I had chicken left over and adapted it to a chicken chimichunga.

• 1 pound of cooked chicken 
• fresh diced onion, pepper, tomato mix
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• wheat tortillas

In a skillet cook the onion. pepper, tomato mix and garlic until the onions are tender. (The veggie mix makes it easy since it is
available in the produce section and saves time but you could easily chop your own). Add chicken and continue to cook until the chicken is warm. Stuff you tortillas with the chicken mixture and brown in the oil. (A hint that makes this easier is to place the chimichunga in the skillet seam side down and it will seal as it browns and make it easier to flip to brown the other side!)

Serve with your favorite toppings (grated cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, etc.)!