Description
Smothered baked chicken burritos bring comfort to your dinner table with tender chicken, creamy sauce, and melted cheese wrapped inside soft tortillas. These burritos bake together in one dish, making cleanup easy while your family enjoys warm, satisfying flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and dairy:
- 2 lbs chicken breast
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
Base ingredients:
- 8 flour tortillas
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 can black beans
Aromatics and vegetables:
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño
- 0.5 cup cilantro
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 0.5 cup sliced green onions
Liquids and sauces:
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 can enchilada sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then season your 2 lbs chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon salt and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper on both sides.
- Cook the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side at medium-high heat until golden brown, then set it aside to cool slightly.
- Once your chicken has cooled enough to handle, shred it with two forks into bite-sized pieces.
- In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sauté your diced onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds at medium heat until fragrant.
- Stir in 1 cup long grain white rice and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to lightly toast it.
- Pour in 2 cups chicken broth, bring your mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low heat and cover for 15 to 18 minutes until the rice is tender and absorbs the liquid.
- Fluff your rice with a fork and stir in the shredded chicken, 1 can black beans, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon chili powder, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Warm each of your 8 flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 20 seconds per side to make them pliable.
- Lay a tortilla flat and spoon about 0.75 cup of the chicken and rice mixture down the center for your filling.
- Top the filling with 2 to 3 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese from your 2 cups total and add a pinch of diced jalapeño.
- Fold in the sides of your tortilla and roll it tightly away from you, keeping the filling tucked in as you go.
- Place each burrito seam-side down in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish and repeat with your remaining tortillas and filling.
- Whisk together 1 cup sour cream and 1 can enchilada sauce in a small bowl until smooth.
- Pour the sauce evenly over all your burritos and sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges.
- Remove your burritos from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, 1 cup diced tomatoes, and 0.5 cup sliced green onions before serving.
Notes
- Warming your tortillas in a dry skillet makes them soft and flexible, which prevents them from tearing when you roll them.
- Rolling each burrito tightly with the seam facing down keeps the filling secure during baking so nothing leaks out.
- For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with seasoned black beans or cooked lentils mixed with the rice and keep the same spice amounts.
- If your family prefers milder heat, reduce the chili powder to half and skip the jalapeños, or add them only to individual burritos for those who enjoy spice.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg