You Shouldn't Order Chimichangas At A Mexican Restaurant. Here's Why

There's no denying the deep-fried deliciousness inside a chimichanga. If you need a refresher on the term, the Virginia-based chain El Paso Mexican Restaurant lays out the differences between common Mexican dishes, and calls a chimichanga a "cousin" to the burrito. What makes them variant, says the restaurant, is that burritos are usually full of beans, rice, and meat and wrapped au natural, whereas chimichangas are heavy on the meat and then deep-fried and typically served with a hearty amount of sour cream and melted cheese. We get hungry just thinking about it!

To the naked eye, and anyone with a sense of smell and working taste buds, this all seems like a match of mix-ins made in heaven. But, in the case of chimichangas at least, anything deep-fried comes with a price — and despite the tasty offering, this dish may leave you with some not-so-easy-to-swallow health effects. Here's why you might want to re-think your next Mexican food order.

Chimichangas are one of the items you probably should never order from a Mexican restaurant, according to many nutritionists. Taste of Home calls it the unhealthiest dish on the menu, while WebMD brandishes chimichangas as one of the worst choices when dining out and recommends opting for something like fajitas instead.

As these sources claim, this is largely due to a combination of unhealthy elements including a high calorie count, large amounts of saturated fats (up to 93 grams of fat, according to WebMD), and an overloading of carbs and sodium — and that's just the chimichanga itself. Add the usual suspects like guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and cheese on top and you'll see why this dish makes nutritionists cringe.

Instead, it's recommended to save chimichangas for an occcassional meal rather than your go-to dish when dining at a Mexican restaurant. If you really have a craving, though, there are great healthified chimichanga recipes that exist, with many chefs opting to use an air fryer (via AllRecipes).