America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

California Chicken Burritos

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 19, 2012

Yield

Serves 4

California Chicken Burritos

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained½ cup water 1 cup prepared chunky salsa, drained and juices reserved1 small canned chipotle chile, minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce3 cloves garlic, mincedSalt and pepper 2 cups cooked white rice (see note)1 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Before You Begin

Garnish with sliced avocado, chopped romaine lettuce, and sour cream. If you don't have cooked rice on hand, you can use Uncle Ben's Ready Rice.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add black beans, water, reserved salsa juices, chile, and adobo sauce and cook until liquid has evaporated and beans are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Using potato masher, mash beans lightly. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Place rice in medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, poke holes in plastic, and microwave on high power until hot, about 90 seconds. Stir in salsa, chicken, and 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Spread one-quarter of black bean mixture down center of each tortilla, leaving 2-inch border at ends. Mound rice mixture on beans and fold tortillas to form burritos. Transfer to baking sheet, sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar, and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve.
California Chicken Burritos

California Chicken Burritos

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
Save

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained
½ cup water
1 cup prepared chunky salsa, drained and juices reserved
1 small canned chipotle chile, minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
2 cups cooked white rice (see note)
1 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained
½ cup water
1 cup prepared chunky salsa, drained and juices reserved
1 small canned chipotle chile, minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
2 cups cooked white rice (see note)
1 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained
½ cup water
1 cup prepared chunky salsa, drained and juices reserved
1 small canned chipotle chile, minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
2 cups cooked white rice (see note)
1 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Why This Recipe Works

We knew that when combined with hearty flavors like salsa, chiles, and cheddar cheese, rotisserie chicken from the supermarket could be used to create a quick and easy chicken burritos recipe. A few details made a big difference in our chicken burritos recipe, like shredding the chicken instead of cutting it. We also found that it was best to avoid doughy wrappings if putting the chicken in wraps or rollups, and, when using tortillas, we preferred the thinnest we could find.

Before You Begin

Garnish with sliced avocado, chopped romaine lettuce, and sour cream. If you don't have cooked rice on hand, you can use Uncle Ben's Ready Rice.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add black beans, water, reserved salsa juices, chile, and adobo sauce and cook until liquid has evaporated and beans are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Using potato masher, mash beans lightly. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Place rice in medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, poke holes in plastic, and microwave on high power until hot, about 90 seconds. Stir in salsa, chicken, and 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Spread one-quarter of black bean mixture down center of each tortilla, leaving 2-inch border at ends. Mound rice mixture on beans and fold tortillas to form burritos. Transfer to baking sheet, sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar, and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.