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Stacked chicken burritos on a wooden board with chips and salsa in the background.
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Chicken Burrito

The easiest chicken burrito recipe comes together quickly, is full of flavor, and is freezer-friendly!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chicken burrito recipe, chicken burritos, chicken burritos recipe, shredded chicken burrito recipe, simple chicken burrito recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 burritos
Calories 460kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (such as the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
  • 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix, plus water called for on the packet
  • 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans (or 1 ½ cups drained and rinsed black beans or pinto beans)
  • ¾ cup corn kernels (canned and drained, frozen and thawed, or fresh are all fine)
  • 3 cups cooked rice (try Uncle Ben's microwaveable Ready Rice for a quick option)
  • 6 large 10-inch flour tortillas (I use Mission brand "burrito size" tortillas)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
  • Optional garnish: finely diced red onion; lettuce; diced tomato or salsa; sour cream; fresh cilantro; avocado or guacamole

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
    A greased 9 x 13 baking dish for a simple chicken burrito recipe.

PREPARE THE CHICKEN

  • Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the taco seasoning and water, whisking to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue whisking until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the chicken until it’s coated in the sauce. Set aside.
    Seasoned shredded chicken in a cast iron skillet.

ASSEMBLE THE BURRITOS

  • To prepare 1 burrito: spread about ¼ cup beans down the center of a tortilla; top with ½ cup rice, ⅓ cup seasoned chicken, 2 tablespoons corn, and ¼ cup cheese.
    Process shot showing how to make chicken burritos.
  • Fold in opposite sides of the tortilla, then roll up, burrito style. Place the burrito seam-side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to prepare 6 total burritos.
    Process shot showing how to roll burritos.

BAKE THE BURRITOS

  • Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes (until heated through). If you assembled the burritos in advance and kept them in the fridge, the burritos will likely be cold when they go in the oven and will require about 30-35 minutes to heat through.
    Side shot of chicken burritos on a table with beer, chips, and salsa.

Notes

    • How to Freeze: Freeze the burritos in individual servings by wrapping each burrito in aluminum foil before baking. Place the foil-wrapped burritos in a large Ziploc freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then just remove one (or more) burritos from the freezer when you’re ready to eat.
    • How to Bake Individual Foil-Wrapped Burritos Straight from the Freezer: Place a foil-wrapped frozen burrito on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes.
    • Canned, fresh, and frozen corn will all work here. If you're using frozen corn, make sure that it's thawed and patted dry. If starting with fresh corn, you might want to saute, steam, or boil it so that it's tender before adding it to the burritos.
      Use large “burrito size” 10-inch flour tortillas (I like Mission brand because they’re extra soft and easy to fold without tearing).
    • Warm the tortillas before filling and rolling to prevent them from ripping. To do so, wrap them in damp paper towels or a cloth and microwave for a few seconds, until heated through.
    • To make sure that these are freezer-friendly, skip any watery fillings like tomatoes, salsa, or lettuce, which just result in a soggy tortilla.
    • Don’t forget the toppings! These burritos are best served with avocado or guacamole, salsa and sour cream for dipping, fresh sliced tomatoes, red onions, etc. Don’t be shy!
    • Use a packet of microwaveable rice for a nice shortcut. I've shown white rice here, but you can try brown rice, a seasoned Spanish rice, or cilantro lime rice, too!

Nutrition

Serving: 1burrito | Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 1299mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 808IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 284mg | Iron: 3mg