Everyone loves chicken burritos, but we don't all love the mess that can happen when your burrito falls apart mid-bite, and you end up wearing half of your lunch! Our shredded chicken burrito recipe solves that problem for you, with a juicy filling made of refried beans, cheese, and Mexican red rice, which holds all the ingredients together, so your chicken burritos remain intact from the first bite to the last.
This chicken burritos recipe is ideal for preparing a family picnic, office lunch, or even a quick snack on the go. They're perfect for freezing, so you can make a large batch and save some for later. You can cook them from frozen in just 40 minutes in a medium oven. For authentic Mexican chicken burritos, you should make your own tortillas - all you need is a tortilla press like this and our handy guide on how to make flour tortillas!
Follow this quick and easy recipe and you will be serving up chicken burritos right out of your cast iron skillet in no time at all!
Chicken Burrito With Refried Beans And Mexican Red Rice
Start by preparing the seasoning. Mix the ingredients listed above thoroughly in a small bowl until evenly distributed.
In another bowl, add the chopped chicken and 1 tbsp of olive oil, mixing until all of the meat is coated with a thin layer of oil. Sprinkle your seasoning mix over the chicken, tossing it as you go to make sure you get an even coating. (You can optionally leave the coated chicken in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, which will allow the meat to marinate in the spices.)
When you're ready to cook your chicken, take a large cast iron skillet and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Bring it up to temperature over high heat until the oil is hot but not smoking. Cook the pieces of chicken breast for 2 min on one side, then turn them over and cook for a further 1 1/2 min. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet and set aside to rest for 2-3 min before chopping into medium-sized chunks.
Using the same skillet, cook your onions and garlic together until translucent, but don't allow them to brown. Then, add the diced red bell pepper and continue cooking until soft. When the pepper is ready, add your chopped chicken back to the mixture, along with the refried beans and water. Allow the mixture to reduce, stirring occasionally. Once it has thickened up, allow it to cool for 5 min.
While this is cooking, prepare your rice according to the packet instructions, and once you've drained it, use a fork to separate the grains gently.
Now, the most crucial part of any chicken burrito recipe - the construction! Take your freshly cooked tortillas (if using store-bought tortillas, you may wish to warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds first) and lay them out on the counter or work surface. Add the rice to each one first, then top with the chicken burrito filling, add some of the canned corn, top with shredded cheese, and finally add the chopped cilantro leaves as a garnish. Fold them tightly, remembering to tuck in the ends to make a sealed package.
To warm before serving, you can either wrap the chicken burritos in aluminum foil and cook them in a medium-hot oven (350°F) for 10 min (for baked burritos) or for a toasted chicken burrito, skillet or pan-fry them without oil over medium heat for a couple of minutes each side.
Serve them up with a choice of dipping sauces. Some of our favorite ones to serve with chicken burritos are avocado dip or guacamole, tomato salsa, queso, nacho cheese, or ranch dressing.
Don't forget to add your favorite brand of hot sauce to give the chicken burritos that extra spicy kick!
For a vegetarian version of this burrito recipe, chicken can be switched out and replaced with firm tofu pieces, or even falafel.
