Description
Smothered baked chicken burritos bring comfort straight to your dinner table with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Wrapped tortillas filled with tender chicken and melted cheese create a satisfying meal your family will devour in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
- 1 cup chicken broth
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- ½ cup salsa or picante sauce
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Jalapeno slices
Seasonings and Additional Components:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon additional chili powder
- ½ teaspoon additional cumin powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 10–12 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Create a zesty seasoning blend by mixing 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Massage 2 pounds chicken breasts with olive oil, thoroughly coating every surface with the prepared seasoning mixture.
- Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange seasoned chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roast chicken for 25-30 minutes until an instant-read thermometer shows an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Rest the chicken for 10 minutes, then pull apart into tender, bite-sized shreds using two forks.
- Rinse 1 can of black beans and combine with 1 cup frozen corn, ½ cup chopped red onion, and ½ cup fresh cilantro in a mixing bowl.
- Fold shredded chicken into the bean mixture, adding ½ cup salsa, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and ½ teaspoon cumin.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in 2 tablespoons flour to form a smooth roux.
- Stream 2 cups chicken broth into the roux, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming.
- Incorporate 1 can tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Reduce sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until it reaches a slightly thickened consistency.
- Microwave tortillas for 30 seconds to make them flexible and easy to handle.
- Spread ¼ cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, and roll into compact burritos.
- Arrange burritos seam-side down in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Drench burritos with prepared sauce and scatter 1 cup of cheese across the top.
- Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until cheese bubbles and edges turn golden brown.
- Finish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and serve alongside sour cream and sliced avocado.
Notes
- Toast spices briefly before mixing to enhance their flavor and release deeper, more complex aromatics.
- Select large flour tortillas to ensure easy wrapping and prevent filling from spilling out during baking.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour tortillas for corn tortillas and use cornstarch instead of flour when making the sauce roux.
- Prep chicken and bean mixture ahead of time to streamline weeknight dinner assembly and reduce overall cooking stress.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 404 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 630 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg