Not Quite Texas Or Mexico: Here's Where Chimichangas Were Supposedly Invented
By Scheenagh Harrington
Published on March 16, 2026.
Chimichangas, a deep-fried burritos popular at Mexican-American restaurants, are often mistaken for a Tex-Mex invention. The most widely circulated claim dates back to 1922 and the El Charro Cafe in Tucson, Arizona. However, iconic Phoenix eatery Macayo's claims it was responsible for bringing the chimichanga into the world in 1946. The Sonoma region of Mexico also claims its own claim. Some believe that Chinese workers in the Sonora region may have invented the chimichanga. In 2011, the restaurant's owners successfully petitioned the Arizona State Legislature to adopt it as a state food.
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