Chicken Burrito

Don’t you hate it when the filling of your Chicken Burrito falls out and you end up with a chaotic mess on your hands? This one won’t! Juicy, cheesy, flavor loaded chicken burrito filling keeps everything together as you munch your way through. One of my biggest gripes about Burritos (other than how ridiculously gigantic they can be, far wider than any normal human mouth) is that by the time you get halfway through, you’ve got burrito explosion on your hands.

Rolling technique comes into play – the firmer it’s rolled, the better it holds together. The filling you choose also has an effect – Shredded Beef and Shredded Chicken holds together pretty well. But chopped chicken more often than not comes tumbling out a few bites in. As for the last few bites – forget about it. It’s just one big diabolical mess (albeit a delicious one). Which is why I make my chicken burrito filling using refried beans which not only holds everything together, it makes the filling juicy and adds extra flavor! Burritos are perfect for freezing, making them the ideal standby homemade convenience meal! To freeze, just wrap in paper then foil, place in an airtight container or ziplock bags then freeze. To reheat: thaw then oven for 15 minutes; or reheat from frozen for 40 minutes.You’ll find the filling for these Chicken Burritos is juicier than most, thanks to the refried beans. So you don’t even need a sauce.

Ingredients:

• 5 tortillas , flour (approx 20cm/8" wide)

BURRITO SEASONING:

• 1 tsp each onion powder, dried oregano, salt
• 2 tsp each dried cumin powder, paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)

CHICKEN FILLING:

• 600g / 1.2 lb chicken breast , sliced in half horizontally (Note 1)
• 2 tbsp olive oil , separated
• 1/2 onion , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1 red capsicum/bell pepper , diced
• 400g/14oz refried beans , canned (Note 2)
• 1/4 cup water

RICE - CHOOSE ONE:

• 2.5 cups white rice , plain (cooked, Note 3)
• 2.5 cups Mexican Red Rice (the best for Burritos!)

OTHER STUFFINGS:

• 400g/14oz canned corn , drained (or 280g/9oz frozen thawed)
• 1.5 cups (150g) cheese , shredded (Mexican blend, cheddar, tasty, Montery Jack)
• 1/4 cup coriander/cilantro , finely chopped

SAUCE FOR DUNKING - CHOOSE:

• Avocado sauce
• Sour cream
• Salsa (restaurant style, smooth)