Okay, Here’s the Deal With These Burritos
Honestly, I’m not totally sure when this started, but there’s something about green chile chicken burritos that just screams weeknight comfort. I think the first time I made these I was trying to clear out the freezer (because, let’s face it, I tend to hoard sale chicken) and wound up smothering everything in green chiles on a whim—true story. Now my kids, my partner, even the neighbor who likes to “drop by” at dinnertime, always ask if I have a stash of these in the freezer. Maybe it’s the chiles, maybe it’s the cheese? Or maybe it’s just that a hot, cheesy burrito is always going to get the job done.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe (Seriously)
I make this whenever I need to get ahead on dinners, like on the days when I know I’ll be stuck in traffic or, okay, just don’t want to cook two nights in a row. My family goes crazy for it (no joke, they’ve tried to sneak the last one more than once), and if I’m being honest, I like how forgiving they are. Forgot to thaw the chicken perfectly? Eh, it’ll work out. And if you like things spicy, just add extra chiles—my brother tried to do this once and only managed to eat half, but A for effort. Plus, they’re real easy to customize if you’re low on energy or ingredients. Oh, and rolling burritos is oddly fun when you don’t stress about the mess.
Your Not-So-Strict Ingredients List
- 2 large cooked chicken breasts, shredded (rotisserie is real handy, or leftover roast chicken—heck, I’ve even used grilled chicken “just because”)
- 1 can (about 4oz) diced green chiles (any brand, though my grandmother swore by Hatch, but is she watching me shop? Doubtful.)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or whatever is lurking in your cheese drawer; I’ve mixed mozzarella and it’s fine, I swear)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt if you wanna get fancy or just run out of sour cream)
- 1 teaspoon cumin (sometimes I skip this because I forgot, still great)
- A handful of fresh chopped cilantro (unless it tastes like soap to you, then feel free to ignore)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6-8 large flour tortillas, burrito-size (I’ve made tiny ones too, just… more rolling)
- Optional: cooked rice or black beans (adds bulk, but I skip if I’m in a hurry)
So, How Do You Actually Make These?
- First things first: Grab a big bowl and toss in your shredded chicken. Add green chiles (liquid and all), cheese, sour cream, cumin, cilantro, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. I use my hands sometimes—don’t judge—just easier to mix. This is where I usually sneak a taste, because, well, perks of being the cook.
- If you’re adding beans or rice, now’s the time (about 1/2 cup cooked rice or a small can of drained beans goes a long way, but honestly sometimes I skip this step if I’m feeling lazy or the rice pot is dirty).
- Lay out a tortilla—pro tip: zap it in the microwave for 15 seconds for easy rolling. Spoon a hefty scoop of filling near one end. Don’t overstuff unless you’re aiming for a green chile chicken explosion in the oven (been there, cleaned that).
- Fold in the sides, roll it up tight, and repeat until you run out of filling or tortillas. Sometimes I get the ratios wrong…it happens. Whatever, extra filling is great in quesadillas!
- To freeze, wrap each burrito tightly in foil. I stick them all in a big freezer bag and call it a day.
- Ready to eat? Take out however many you want, unwrap, then microwave for 2-3 minutes (or bake at 375F for 20ish minutes if you like the outsides crisp). Don’t worry if they look a bit weird before baking, they always turn out golden once the cheese melts.
A Few Unfiltered Notes (Chicken Mishaps & All)
- If you accidentally overcook the chicken, more sour cream covers a multitude of sins. Trust me, don’t toss it.
- The filling can look kinda gloopy, but that’s actually ideal. Dry burritos are sad burritos.
- I tried “stacking” these burritos in a casserole dish and covering with sauce—too soggy for my taste. Live and learn.
- Sometimes the cheese melts weirdly in the freezer. Doesn’t matter once it’s hot again, just stir the filling a bit.
Variations I’ve Actually Made (Some Were Weird…)
- Swapped the chicken for leftover pulled pork—tasted pretty dang good.
- No chiles? Used salsa verde. It worked, but a little runnier. Still ate ’em all.
- Tried adding frozen corn in the mix once—eh, I liked it, but no one else did. Your mileage may vary.
- Made a “breakfast” version with scrambled eggs and pepper jack. Strong start to the morning if you want to try it.
What If You Don’t Have That Fancy Equipment?
You really just need a bowl and an oven (or even just a microwave if that’s what you’ve got). I mean, I always say foil is essential but I have honestly ziplocked these before without any foil and it was fine; just a bit more wrinkly in the end. If you don’t have a large bowl, use a pot, just make sure it’s clean (unlike that time I mixed in the soup pot…not my best idea, flavors lingered).
Real Talk: Storage
Officially, they freeze beautifully for up to three months—but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day or two, tops. They might stick together a bit if you stack them; just whack the bag on the counter to separate (that’s my professional technique).
How We Serve ‘Em (Or, What We End Up Doing)
We usually just bake them straight from the freezer, then serve with a big scoop of guacamole and a drizzle of hot sauce. If I’m feeling extra, I’ll scatter chopped avocado and a little shredded lettuce on the side. The kids dunk theirs in ranch—no accounting for taste, right?
Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way)
- I once tried rushing the rolling step—don’t. If you don’t wrap them tight, the filling tries to make a jailbreak in the oven. Worth taking a minute here.
- Letting them rest for a few minutes after baking makes everything less molten-lava-like. Seriously, tried to eat too soon and burned my tongue. Twice.
- Mixing the filling warm helps cheese melt and binds it a bit, but if you’re using leftovers straight form the fridge—totally fine, maybe just expect a little less ooze.
FAQ (You Asked, I Answered…Mostly)
- Can I use corn tortillas?
- Eh, technically, yes, but they tend to fall apart and get a little soggy. I tried once because that’s all I had—wasn’t my favorite, but you do you!
- How spicy are these?
- Not super spicy, unless you dump in extra green chiles or, for the bold among us, a splash of hot sauce in the filling. My mother-in-law tried her own version and thought it was mild, which says a lot.
- Do they get weird or dry out in the freezer?
- Only if you skimp on the sour cream or cheese. Also, wrapping tight in foil helps, though I once just stacked them in Tupperware, and they were fine too, maybe a tad more frosty looking.
- Can I double the recipe?
- Definitely! I’ve made a triple batch before a big family road trip, and we had leftovers for like, half a day (my clan can eat, y’all).
- What if I want to make these vegetarian?
- Easy swap: cooked black beans or sautéed mushrooms in place of chicken. Actually tastes pretty decent—just bulk it up with more beans or maybe some cooked sweet potato (tried it; was good, kind of sweet though).
P.S. If you get bored of these, just slice ’em up and make little burrito “coins” for snacks. Or, dare I say, breakfast nachos? That’s another story, maybe next time…
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup canned green chiles, drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 large flour tortillas
Instructions
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1In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, green chiles, shredded cheddar cheese, cooked rice, black beans, sour cream, and ground cumin. Mix until evenly combined.
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2Spoon about 3/4 cup of filling onto the center of each flour tortilla, spreading it evenly.
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3Fold in the sides of each tortilla and roll up tightly to form burritos.
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4Wrap each burrito tightly in foil and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze up to 3 months.
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5To serve, unwrap the foil and heat burritos in a microwave or oven until heated through.
CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO
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Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size:
1 serving
Calories:
420cal
Protein:
23 gg
Fat:
18 gg
Saturated Fat:
0g
Trans Fat:
0g
Cholesterol:
0mg
Sodium:
0mg
Potassium:
0mg
Total Carbs:
43 gg
Fiber:
0g
Sugar:
0g
Net Carbs:
0g
Vitamin A:
0
Vitamin C:
0mg
Calcium:
0mg
Iron:
0mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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