Delicious Chicken Burrito Recipe You’ll Crave Again and Again
Ever find yourself wishing you just knew a foolproof chicken burrito recipe that doesn’t make you want to flip your whole kitchen? Same. I mean, you’re hungry, you don’t want some “elevated” nonsense with forty complicated steps, and you want the burrito to taste basically like a victory lap in your mouth. If you’re poking around for exactly that, you’re in the right place. I’ll walk you right through my favorite chicken burrito recipe (the one I go nuts for), with all the little tricks I’ve learned. Quick shout, too: if you want more chicken ideas, peek at this page or learn more about my kitchen flops and faves here. Anyway, let’s get to the good stuff. 
What You Need for Chicken Burritos
Okay, let’s not get too cute here. You only need a handful of honest-to-goodness basics. No one has patience for a grocery list longer than their arm. Here’s what I grab:
- 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken (leftovers? even better)
- 1 can of black beans, drained. If you hate beans, skip em, nobody’s watching.
- 1 cup cooked rice (white or brown, whichever you fumbled into your cart)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, whatever’s in your fridge)
- A little salsa or hot sauce, if you like a party
- Large soft flour tortillas
- Pinch of cumin, salt, pepper (or your “mystery” taco seasoning packet)
- Extras: sour cream, guac, lettuce, diced tomatoes, basically whatever you dream about in a burrito
I’ll tell you, I don’t measure half the time. Mostly I’m throwing things in, tasting a bit. It’s very much a “use what you’ve got” kind of magic. Here’s a user shout from my inbox:
“Made these with leftover rotisserie chicken and whatever cheese I found in the back of my fridge. Family gobbled em up. Told me to make again next week. Seriously good.” – Jordan D.
How to Make Chicken Burritos
Let me level with you, the beauty of this chicken burrito recipe is that it isn’t fussy. I love a meal that lets me wing it, especially midweek.
First, throw your shredded chicken in a skillet with a few splashes of salsa, the beans, and some spices. Warm it all until it smells good and steamy. I try not to let it go dry, so I’ll splash in a touch of water or extra salsa if it looks sad.
Next, warm up your tortillas a little so they don’t tear. Just a quick ten seconds in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel will do the trick.
Now, grab a tortilla, sling on some rice, slap a scoop of the warm chicken-bean mix, then sprinkle over a generous dose of cheese. Add any extras (I’m a sour cream fanatic), then fold the sides in, roll it up tight. If you want that toasty finish, pop it seam-side down in a dry skillet for a minute or two. Makes a world of difference.
Then it’s basically time to dig in. That’s it. Nothing wild. Just a killer burrito every time.
Recipe Tips
Burritos are a lawless land, and that’s the fun of em.
If you need to make this ahead, everything will keep in the fridge. Wrap em up in foil, stash in the fridge for a couple days and warm up as needed. Leftover cooked chicken works wonders (can you tell I love shortcuts?).
Not a fan of black beans? Throw in pintos or just double up on rice. No judgement zone here.
Craving more veg? Dice up bell peppers or onions, sauté super quick, mix in. Don’t forget your favorite salsa or hot sauce for a kick (that’s the real flavor bomb).
If you want to get all wild, toss in leftover corn, pickled jalapeños, crushed tortilla chips for crunch. Burritos are forgiving. Just don’t overstuff or you’ll end up with a burrito explosion (ask me how I know… oof).
If you want to see what else I whip up for chicken nights, browse my favorites here.
How to Freeze Burritos
Life hack: make extra burritos and freeze em. Saves your tail on busy nights, trust me.
Wait for your burritos to cool off totally before even thinking about the freezer. Then wrap each burrito tightly in foil. I do an extra layer of plastic wrap, honestly, for ninja-level freshness.
Label with the date (even if you have to scribble with a school marker), and stack in a freezer bag. When you want one, just pull from freezer, unwrap, and reheat. Either microwave for a couple minutes or stick in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. If you want the outside crispy, finish em in a frying pan after heating.
Don’t freeze ones loaded with lettuce or sour cream—they get… funky. Add those after reheating if you’re feeling fancy.
Make Ahead and Storing
You know those days when you just don’t want to cook? Enter: pre-made chicken burritos. This chicken burrito recipe keeps really well in the fridge, which is basically a miracle on hectic weeknights. Assemble your burritos (do NOT overstuff, unless you really want a tortilla disaster), lay em on a tray, cover in foil, and they’ll chill for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to eat, just toss in the microwave for a couple minutes or pop into a hot oven until steamy. They’ll taste fresh—almost like you just cooked em. If I’m honest, they’re even better after a night in the fridge, all the flavors just snuggled together.
Honestly, the only mistake you can make is not making enough. My family has clear favorites and this one goes fast. If you get wild and make a big batch, they’re lunch or even a midnight snack. Yes, that’s me… sneaking to the fridge at midnight for a burrito.
Serving Suggestions
Here’s how I like to serve my chicken burrito recipe, but, let’s keep it simple, yeah?
- Slice in half and serve with guac and salsa for dipping (I could drink salsa, let’s be real)
- Pair with tortilla chips and maybe a little extra cheese on top (never too much cheese)
- Add a scoop of coleslaw or pickled jalapeños on the side for crunch and kick
- Cold soda or lemonade, obviously, or you know, whatever’s in your fridge
Common Questions
Q: Can I use rotisserie chicken for this chicken burrito recipe?
A: Oh, for sure. Cuts down on even more work. Just shred it up and heat with your salsa and seasonings.
Q: Are these spicy?
A: Only if you want em to be. Use mild salsa if you hate a fiery mouth, or pile on hot sauce if you dare.
Q: Can I use corn tortillas?
A: You can, but they’re trickier to roll and sometimes break. Flour tortillas work best for big burritos.
Q: What else goes in the freezer with these burritos?
A: I stack em with breakfast burritos, honestly. Having a pile of options makes my freezer the happiest on the block.
Q: How do I reheat if I forgot to thaw?
A: Just take burrito straight from freezer, unwrap, and microwaving a few minutes does the trick!
The Only Burrito You’ll Ever Need
There it is. No wizardry, just lots of flavor and plenty of options. If you try this chicken burrito recipe, I just know it’ll become a regular (like the five-star restaurant that came to your kitchen). Feel free to experiment and swap in your favorite toppings. Trust me, this is one recipe you’ll come back to again and again. If you want to compare or change it up, check out Chicken Burrito – RecipeTin Eats, or this Easy Chicken Burrito Recipe – The Girl on Bloor, and don’t miss Chicken Burrito with Pico de Gallo — Too Easy and Too Good … for even more tasty twists. Now — go crush that burrito game. You got this. 
Chicken Burritos
Ingredients
Method
- In a skillet, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, salsa, and spices. Warm until heated through.
- If needed, add a splash of water or extra salsa to keep the mixture moist.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 10 seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel.
- Lay a tortilla flat, add rice, then a scoop of the warm chicken-bean mix, and sprinkle with cheese.
- Add any optional extras such as sour cream or diced tomatoes.
- Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll tightly to seal the burrito.
- For a toasted finish, place the burrito seam-side down in a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes.
