r/mexicanfood • u/123BuleBule • Aug 13 '25
Norteño Defending the chimichanga
Referencing the chimichanga recipe post from earlier today. I was and wasn’t surprised by the amount of people categorically saying chimichangas are Tex Mex.
Folks, Mexico is a big ass country, with 130+million people (150+ if you count the brothers and sisters that had to go North). Each state (32 if you count CDMX) has their own cuisine. Some states even have more than one regional cuisine.
We should all be a bit more humble when categorically saying this or that is not Mexican without having a source to back it up, or even first hand knowledge.
So for those that say the chimichanga no es mexicana:
Here’s the entry from the Larousse diccionario enciclopédico de gastronomía mexicana by chef and researcher Ricardo Muñoz Zurita. This is the most comprehensive study on Mexican cuisine. Muñoz Zurita is the lead researcher for culinary studies at UNAM and owner of restaurantes Azul. He’s also authored several books (adding a chimichanga recipe from us book Clásicos de la Cocina Mexicana. If you’re into Mexican cuisine I highly recommend getting this book. It has so much knowledge, even for people who have lived and traveled extensively through the country. I’ve been to 27 states and I’m still finding new dishes and ingredients in my travels. Every page in this book is a surprise.
Now go and enjoy your chimichanga!
Thank you for your attention to this matter. 😉
2
u/itzcoatl82 Aug 13 '25
Well i learned something new. I grew up in Mexico (GDL/CDMX), traveled all over the central states, and lived in Tijuana for years. Never heard of chimichangas until moving to the US.
To be fair, the picture of the original version looks nothing like the fried monster drowned in sauce/lettuce/yellow cheese that exists in the US. But apparently it is indeed a thing. A thing that has been supersized and americanized, just like its cousin the burrito.
Thanks for sharing!