This is another quick and budget-friendly meal from the collections Food & Wine assembled recently. It’s quite good and certainly nutritious. I halved the recipe with no problems and unused tortillas went into the freezer, where they will keep for a month or two, well-wrapped, so I can make this again.
I streamlined the method, cooking the breasts in a skillet instead of outdoors or under the broiler, and I cooked them until just done, using the oven time for the assembled burritos to merely warm them and melt the cheese. Chicken thighs could also be used; they’re moister, more flavorful and less expensive. My only concern about this recipe was the large amount of cheese — 2 ounces per serving — and its cholesterol, so I grated it with a rasp grater, enabling me to use only half that amount and get fluffy, quick-melting cheese.
Chicken, black bean and pepper jack burritos
Adapted from Food & Wine
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 scallions including green tops, chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, grated
4 large flour tortillas (9-inch), warmed enough to be pliable
In a small bowl, mix together the beans, scallions, lime juice, cumin and half the salt. Set aside.
Rub the chicken with the chili powder, pepper and the remaining salt. In a 10″ or larger non-stick skillet, cook the breasts over medium heat until just done, turning once, about 20 minutes in all, depending on their thickness. Transfer to a cutting board.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F/180C/Gas 4.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice it into narrow strips.
Assemble the burritos by putting cheese near one edge of the tortilla, then top with the reserved black bean mixture and then the chicken.
Roll up each burrito, folding in the sides, and wrap each one in foil. Bake until warm and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
Serves 4
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks delish! I too use that fine (rasp) grater when I want to reduce the amount of cheese…and it works very well.
The only thing I don’t like to do is cook in aluminum (studies have shown that it settles in brain tissue and has been found in great quantities in Alzheimer’s patients. Because it’s a soft metal, heating it allows for the release of the toxins within it that are harmful to humans.) Sorry, I don’t want to bum people out…. that’s just my practice.
Ella, do you have any suggestions? Perhaps if I put them in a glass baking dish with a cover to heat them up? Do you see any drawbacks in doing that?
Thanks.
Hi, hi! You know, you are absolutely right about aluminum. I use baking powder that’s aluminum-free (Rumford) because I don’t want to ingest it but I’ve never given foil a second thought. I’ll have to look into that.
You shouldn’t have any problems heating them up in a baking dish. If you like the no-cleanup (not that there’s much) or individual presentation aspect of wrapping them, you could always use parchment. But they’ll be fine in a dish, covered.
I noticed one of our markets has chicken tenders on sale for something like $1.79 per pound – they’d be perfect for something like this and would cook even faster while saving a little $.
I always feel like such a party pooper when I ask people for alternatives to cooking in plastic or aluminum. I TOO use Rumford. My husband’s grandmother and grandfather both had Alzheimers, so if he is susceptible to this disease, I just want to make sure I somehow even out the playing field for him if heavy metals are, in fact, the culprit for the recent rise of this terrible disease.
I am making these for my hubby on Sunday – it’s his football day and I always make him something special.
Bought some chicken thighs – less dry and more flavorful as you say – and am going to make fresh guacamole with purple corn tortilla chips for snacks, and these lovelies for dinner with a side of sweet potato fries…. the most nutritious vegetable out there. Hey, if you’re gonna eat bad, why not make is HALF as bad. ;o) Actually, I toss them in oil and bake them. They come out absolutely fantastic.
I can’t wait, and thanks for this delicious, fast and easy recipe.
You’re like an epicurean angel!
Your snacks sound perfect and delicious, Violet, and so does your side dish. I love roasted fingerlings in place of fries. Trust me to prefer the most expensive spud in the produce department. Sigh…
Let me know how you like them! Good for you for using thighs. I think ever since Americans found out there’s a 20 or 30 calorie difference between thighs and breasts, they became white meat devotees. Sometimes washing it down with Mountain Dew!
Ella,
I’m a firm believer in “you are what you eat,” so liking the good stuff ‘aint so bad.
Think of it as an investment in good health, not the insurance, medical or pharmaceutical industry.
That’s why I got into cooking. I began reading food labels in my mid-twenties and was appalled at the ingredients. Having had many science “geek” friends, I would always ask what’s “mono-poly-dihydro-ehanol-blah,blah, blah” and would always get an alarming answer. What’s best is that I was also told HOW the chemical affects the body. Very scary.
So, I took up cooking…. which, much to my surprise, came naturally. I’m so glad, because now I can cook all of my son’s food, therfore, ensuring his better healthy in the future.
Just a short review of the burritos: Excellent!
I used a baking dish to heat them, so I just kept them warm in the oven until we were ready for more.
Next time, I will serve them with a bit of pico de gallo… as although they’re juicy and warm….. they would most definitely benefit from a bit of a tomato kick.
Thanks for sharing. We loved them.
Thanks for letting me know, Violet! I’m so glad you liked them. Pico de gallo’s a great idea — I posted my recipe for Cinco de Mayo, if you need one — and the guacamole you had for game time would be super too.
And we’re on the same page about food. You’ve probably noticed I don’t use recipes with processed foods and their trans fats, HFCS, high sodium and chemicals. I have enough bad habits without making mealtimes Russian roulette.