All lovers of Mexican chimichangas and burritos will go crazy for this easy Pollo Fundido recipe consisting of shredded chicken filling inside a crispy flour tortilla, topped with melted fundido jalapeño cream cheese sauce.
Serve Pollo Fundido with a side of Mexican Rice, Refried Beans, and Horchata or Tres Leches Cake for a killer authentic Mexican meal!
This Pollo Fundido burrito is a copycat of burritos (also called burros) found at local Mexican restaurants here in Arizona. I like to serve the jalapeño cream sauce over burritos or chimichangas, but you could serve it as a dipping sauce for taquitos, quesadillas, or even on tacos and nachos.
What is Pollo Fundido?
Directly translated, Pollo fundido means “melted chicken” and it’s a popular Mexican dish that consists of a chimichanga or burrito (baked or fried) filled with shredded chicken and a jalapeño cream cheese sauce melted on top. You could also serve fundido sauce directly over chicken, with a side of Mexican rice and beans.
How to make Pollo Fundido:
1. Prepare fundido sauce by adding sauce ingredients to food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Set aside (or make in advance and refrigerate).
2. Mix chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano and 1 cup of cheese. Place a heaping ½ cup or so of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.
3. Fold the sides of the tortilla in and roll up tightly like a burrito. Add enough oil to a skillet to just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat to medium.
4. Once the oil is hot, pan fry the burritos, turning every 30 seconds or so, until golden on all sides. Place on a paper towel lined baking sheet.
5. Once all burritos are crispy, turn oven to high broil. Remove paper towel from under the burritos and spoon some fundido sauce over each burrito. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes until warm and melty.
Serve garnished with green onion.
To bake instead of pan fry, line burritos on a baking sheet, seem side down, and brush the tops lightly with olive oil or cooking spray. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To make ahead: The sauce can be made a week in advance, stored in the fridge. The chicken filling or the assembled burritos can be stored (before cooking) in the fridge for 2-3 days, depending on the freshness of ingredients. Remove from fridge and continue with the pan-frying or baking steps of the recipe.
To freeze: Assemble the burritos and before pan-frying or baking, place them in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for 3-6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with the pan-frying or baking steps of the recipe. For best results in flavor and texture I don’t suggest freezing the sauce.
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Recipe
Pollo Fundido
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 3/4 cup salsa , of your favorite kind
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves , crushed
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese , divided
- 6 burrito size flour tortillas
- olive oil
Fundido Sauce:
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2-3 Tablespoons canned diced jalapenos , to taste
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare fundido sauce by adding all sauce ingredients to food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Set aside (or make in advance and refrigerate).
- Mix chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano and 1 cup of cheese. Place a heaping ½ cup or so of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Fold the sides of the tortilla in and roll up tightly like a burrito.
- Add enough oil to a skillet to just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat to medium. Once the oil is hot, pan fry the burritos, turning every 30 seconds or so, until golden on all sides. Place on a paper towel lined baking sheet.
- Once all burritos are crispy, turn oven to high broil. Remove paper towel from under the burritos and spoon some fundido sauce over each burrito. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
- Broil for 2-3 minutes until warm and melty. Serve garnished with green onion.
- To bake instead of pan fry, line burritos on a baking sheet, seem side down, and brush the tops lightly with olive oil or cooking spray. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Notes
Nutrition
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It’s a great and easy meal. The sauce is really creamy and thickens in the oven. The only thing I did differently was to brown the stuffed tortillas in the air fryer( less mess and oil). Even my picky 13 yo loved it.
Just curious… what temp and how long did you cook in the air fryer? Want to try it this way! Thanks!
Loved it. I did cut back on the 1/2 & 1/2 to make it less watery. My guests loved it as well. Next time I might add some chopped poblano pepper. Just to try it but the recipe is perfect as it is written. Thank you.
I like the fundido sauce inside my burrito as well as on top of it. If I put the sauce inside, can I still freeze it for later?
Yes, sure! I’d rewarm it in a hot greased skillet, to crisp up the tortilla in case it gets soft/soggy at all.
Hi, I am allergic to jalapenos. Do you think this would work with poblanos instead? It sounds delicious. Thanks
Poblanos would be a great substitute! Enjoy!
Delicious recipe. Every time I make it for my family , they love it!
So delicious and fairly easy. I could eat way too many of these!
Hi. I was wondering if this would/could qualify as a Keto recipe?