Name: Easy Chicken Burritos
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/4 small red onion; 1/4 bunch cilantro; 1 cup white rice; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (divided); 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste); 1 tablespoon olive oil (divided); 1 pound chicken breasts (or thighs); 1 cup black beans (about 7 ½ ounces, rinsed and drained); 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 8 10-inch flour tortillas (or gluten-free tortillas); 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (or shredded cheddar; use plant-based cheese for dairy-free); 1 cup salsa (plus more to garnish); 1 cup sour cream (to garnish, or use plant-based sour cream for dairy-free)

5 from 1 rating

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Craving something nutritious but comforting for lunch? These delicious (and easy!) chicken burritos with black beans and all the toppings should definitely do the trick. 😉

Chicken burrito with salsa and sour cream on a white plate with a blue and tan checkered napkin.

Well, I couldn't help myself. I made some citrus chicken burrito bowls the other day and now I have chicken burritos on the brain. Please, someone stop me!

This burrito recipe is also a little easier and less hands-on than the citrus bowls; not as much chopping and prepping, but still every bit as delicious. Bonus points if you want to make your own salsa fresca for your burritos.

And if you're looking for more easy comfort food meals, try these delicious egg salad sandwich, this tuna melt, this Reuben sandwich or these shrimp tacos. 🙂

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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
🌿 Ingredients
📝 Instructions
📋 Substitutions
📖 Variations
🔪 Equipment
🍱 Storage
🎉 Top tip
🍳 Recipe
🌡️ Food safety tips

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

Minimal prep time; only a couple veggies to chop ahead of time
Use prepared fresh salsa and shredded cheese to save more time
Very kid-friendly
Customizable to different diets and preferences
So much tastier and fresher than fast-food alternatives

🌿 Ingredients

The only veggies you'll need to prep for this recipe are some chopped red onion and fresh cilantro. Feel free to use either chicken breasts or thighs, and any kind of chicken broth (I like low-sodium broth.)

See recipe card below for exact quantities.

📝 Instructions

First, dice some red onion, chop a little cilantro and cube the chicken into small, bite-size pieces. Set everything aside in separate dishes.

Then, place the rice, some chicken broth and a bit of salt in a medium pot and heat uncovered on high until the broth starts to boil. Stir once, cover the pot and then turn the heat down to low to let the rice simmer for 15 minutes. Move the covered pot onto a cool burner and let it sit for 10 more minutes.

Meanwhile while the rice is cooking, heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the chicken once the oil starts to shimmer. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, turning often, until the chicken is cooked through. Drain off any liquid and return the pan to the stove. Move the chicken to one side of the pan, add the rest of the oil and sauté the onions for a couple minutes until they're translucent.

Sautéing red onions and chicken in a stainless steel pan.

Next, add the remaining broth, beans and spices and give everything a good mix with the chicken. Cook for about five minutes or until the broth starts to get absorbed.

Cooking chicken, black beans, onions, chicken broth and spices in a stainless steel pan.

Finally, mix in the rice and cook for a couple minutes until everything is heated through.

Close up of chicken burrito filling with rice and black beans in stainless steel pot.

How to assemble burritos

First, warm the oven to 200°F. Lay a tortilla on a square sheet of aluminum foil and add a large spoonful of the filling mixture closer to one side of the burrito (but not too close to the edge). Top with some shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream and cilantro. Start by rolling the edge nearest to the filling up first, then roll the two sides closed, and continue to roll up the original edge into a burrito.

Topping chicken burritos with shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream just before rolling up.

Then, place the burrito on one end of the foil, roll up and crimp the sides closed. Repeat with the remaining burritos and then place all in a large oven-safe pan and warm in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove the burritos from the oven, plate with extra salsa and some sour cream if desired, and serve immediately!

📋 Substitutions

These burritos are extremely flexible! Feel free to make any of the substitutions below, or experiment with your own.

White rice - substitute brown rice, making sure to increase the cooking time per package instructions
Chicken - substitute steak, pork or fish
Black beans - substitute pinto beans, re-fried beans or no beans at all!
Vegetarian/Vegan - use vegetable broth instead of chicken, use tofu, tempeh or grilled veggies instead of chicken, and use plant-based cheese and sour cream to make vegan
Gluten free - use corn, almond flour or other gluten free tortillas, or make burrito bowls instead

📖 Variations

Spicy - add extra chili powder and cumin, or use spicy salsa
Kid friendly - leave out the beans or cilantro if your kiddos aren't ready for those, and make sure to use mild salsa

🔪 Equipment

Here is the equipment I used:

cutting board
chef's knife
medium pot
large skillet
aluminum foil
3-quart baking dish

🍱 Storage

Burritos wrapped in foil can be stored in the fridge for 2 days, or stored for up to 2 months in the freezer.

🎉 Top tip

Burrito making can be fun for the whole family! Just get everything prepped and then set out a plate of tortillas and separate bowls with spoons containing the filling mixture and toppings so that everyone can make their own (little ones may need help rolling up the burrito.) Then wrap them in foil, warm in the oven, and serve everyone's creations.

Enjoy!

🍳 Recipe