On the rare week we don’t have burgers or pizza, I’ll make copycat Chipotle chicken burritos, and they have become a family fav! They are so easy to make and are packed with flavor!
The heart of the burritos is the spicy chicken breast. I generally only marinate them for an hour but you can definitely throw it all in a bowl and marinate them overnight. Chipotle in adobo can be VERY spicy. I find one chipotle plus a tablespoon of adobo sauce to be the perfect amount of heat once added with the chili powder and other seasonings. Warning though! When you cook it, turn your stove fan on high! The chipotle cooking lets off a very spicy aroma and can start up a nice coughing fit! Don’t let that scare you, though… it’s not that spicy. Just the aroma it gives off while cooking!
I made homemade guac and pico de gallo, and I included the recipes here. BUT, if you’re making this on a weekday and just don’t have the energy to make everything from scratch, no worries! Just buy guac and pico from the store! Fun tidbit, if you don’t already know! Squirting avocado or guacamole with citrus juice prevents it from turning brown!
Rice normally takes about 30 minutes to cook, so I always start that first. While its steaming away on the stove top (or rice cooker!), I’ll prep everything else. The pico de gallo, the guac, pull out the shredded cheese and sour cream. If you’re wanting to add black beans or refried beans, get those out and cooking.
Then, when the rice is halfway done, get the chicken cooking! I cook the chicken five minutes a side. This does NOT cook it through, but don’t worry! I transfer the chicken to a cutting board and quickly slice it then cut it into bite size cubes. Some pieces are almost fully cooked and other pieces are almost entirely raw. Now, I return the chicken to the pan and pour over any remaining marinade. After another couple of minutes, all of the chicken is cooked through, yet it is still sooo moist and coated all over in yummy flavor!
Careful when assembling the burritos! I always end up overfilling them and have to shamefully scoop some back out. I’ve had luck finding flour tortillas similar to Chipotle by going to some Mexican markets nearby and occasionally Amazon. Although the Amazon market seems to be mostly selling things in bulk during the pandemic, and I just don’t need that many tortillas! If you can’t find the massive tortillas Chipotle uses, then just get the largest size your grocery store offers. It will still be delicious!
And that’s it! Easy peasy dinner in 30 minutes!
Enjoy!
Copycat Chipotle Chicken & Cilantro White Rice Burritos
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: South-of-th-Border, Mexican
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
Chicken
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
6 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup olive oil (for the marinade)
1 chipotle in adobo sauce + 1 TB of sauce
2 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
½ TB dried oregano
1 tsp onion powder
pinch of salt and pepper
2 TBs olive oil (for cooking)
Cilantro Lime Rice
1 to 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
To Assemble
4 large flour tortillas
1 to 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
Pico de Gallo, store bought or recipe below
Guacamole, store bought or recipe below
Sour cream
Additional options: salsa, hot sauce, lettuce, black beans, refried beans
Pico de Gallo
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
½ cup yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, deseed and finely chopped (optional)
2 TB cilantro, roughly chopped
1 TB fresh lime juice
pinch of salt and pepper
Guacamole
2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1 small jalapeño, deseeded and finely diced
1 TB white onion, finely diced
2 TB fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 Roma tomato, finely diced
1 TB fresh lime juice
½ tsp salt
Instructions
Add the garlic, chipotle in adobo, adobo sauce, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a small food processor. Process until smooth. Place the chicken in a large bowl or gallon ziplock bag and pour the marinade over it. Massage the marinade all over the chicken. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinade 1 hour or overnight.
Cook the rice according to the package (usually about 30 minutes). When done, fluff the rice with cilantro and the lime juice. Cover and set aside.
If making homemade pico de gallo, toss together the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro in a small bowl. Pour the lime juice over and toss with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
If making homemade guacamole, mash together the onions, cilantro, jalapeño and salt with the back of a fork in a medium bowl. Add the avocados and mash to your desired texture, leaving some good chunks of avocado. Add the tomato and lime juice and gently stir to combine. Set aside.
When the chicken has finished marinating, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large cast iron pan. When hot, add the chicken and cook 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and slice the chicken and then cut into bite size cubes. Return the chicken to the pan and pour any additional marinade on top. Cook an additional 2 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat.
Microwave the tortillas according to the package. Then assemble them by layering the rice, meat, pico de gallo, guacamole, cheese, sour cream and any additional accoutrements you desire. Fold the ends in and tuck one side of the burrito over and tightly roll over.
Eat!
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