Todos Los Tacos: The Chimichanga

While no one can agree on who exactly invented the chimichanga, many of the myths surrounding this iconic Mexican-American staple follow the same storyline: An Arizona chef accidentally dropped a burrito into a fryer, and the rest is history. 

Whether this deep-fried delicacy came about by accident or is just an Arizona take on the classic Mexican chivichanga is still up for debate. Either way, the dish has strong Arizona roots.

Arizona was part of the state of Sonora, Mexico until the mid-1800s, when it became a part of the U.S. Since then, many Mexicans have immigrated to the state, creating a growing Mexican-American community and space for Mexican restaurants (and chimichangas) to thrive. 

Join us as we explore the origins of the chimichanga and the restaurants that have perfected them with taco connoisseur and former Arizona Cardinals star Rolando Cantu. 

We’ll start with a great example: Que Pasa, a new, multi-generational family restaurant known for their head chef’s fresh take on chimichangas.

Then, we’ll visit Jeremy Armstrong’s taco stand, Afro Taqueria, where he experiments with dishes that combine his southern background and Mexican heritage.

To get the full scoop, check out the second episode of our Todos Los Tacos reboot.