Bigly Chicken Burritos
Prep
15m
Cook
20m
Total
35m
Bigly says
Look. Chicken burritos. Bigly chicken burritos. The greatest chicken burritos ever rolled, folded, or wrapped in the entire history of CARRYING FOOD AROUND IN BREAD — and that history goes deep, pre-pyramid technology, older than the wheel some historians say, the Romans had a version, the Greeks had a version with a different name but same energy, and they have been making something like this since before the printing press. The burrito is an ancient and noble vessel and most people are RUINING IT.
Most so-called chefs will tell you to throw cold chicken in a cold tortilla and call it a burrito. That is NOT a burrito. That is a sad sandwich with delusions of grandeur. A disgrace. An insult. Cookbook authors HATE this trick I'm about to teach you, restaurant kitchens cut this corner because they're in a hurry and they think you won't notice — you NOTICE, you've always noticed, you just didn't have a word for it until now. A burrito needs HEAT. A burrito needs SEAR. A burrito needs to come off the pan with grill marks like little badges of honor. If your chef tells you otherwise, find a new chef. Plain and simple.
We're going to do it right. Seasoned chicken, hot and juicy. Rice. Beans. Cheese that MELTS because the burrito hits the pan AGAIN at the end — that's the move, that's the secret nobody talks about, you crisp the OUTSIDE of the burrito after it's rolled, the tortilla goes golden, the cheese inside goes lava, and suddenly you've got a burrito that other burritos are SCARED of. Tremendous. Bigly. Huge. All three. Game over.
Ingredients
- 1.25 lbboneless skinless chicken thighs(thighs not breasts, thighs always win, end of discussion)
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspchili powder
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
- 1 tspgarlic powder
- 1/2 tsponion powder
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1/2 tspblack pepper
- 1 tbsplime juice, fresh
- 2 cupscooked Mexican or white rice, warm(yesterday's Huge Mexican Rice works perfectly)
- 1 (15 oz) canblack beans, rinsed and drained
- 1.5 cupsshredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack
- 1/2 cupsalsa or pico de gallo
- 1/2 cupsour cream
- 4large flour tortillas(burrito-size, 10-inch or bigger)
- 1/4 cupfresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- 1
Pat the chicken thighs dry. In a bowl, toss them with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice until fully coated.
- 2
Heat a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook 5-6 minutes per side until well-browned and the internal temperature hits 165°F.
- 3
Transfer chicken to a cutting board, rest 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Keep any pan juices.
- 4
Warm the tortillas one at a time directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet for about 10 seconds per side until pliable.
- 5
Build each burrito on a flat surface: down the center, layer 1/2 cup rice, a scoop of black beans, a quarter of the chopped chicken, a generous handful of cheese, salsa, sour cream, and cilantro.
- 6
Fold the sides in over the filling, then roll tightly from the bottom up into a sealed cylinder. Don't overfill — a burrito that won't close is a burrito that has lost the war.
- 7
Wipe the skillet clean and return to medium heat. Place each burrito seam-side down and toast 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp on the outside. The cheese inside should be fully melted.
- 8
Cut on the bias and serve immediately with extra salsa and sour cream.
One more thing
This is dinner. This is lunch tomorrow. This is the burrito you make on a Sunday and wrap individually in foil and stash in the freezer for those nights when you come home tired and the world has been UNKIND to you and you need a hot burrito and you need it in eight minutes. Microwave wrapped in a paper towel. Done. The greatest emergency dinner technology ever invented. Better than any drive-through. Cheaper too. Don't say I never gave you anything.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about Bigly Chicken Burritos.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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