There’s just something magical about a warm, hearty burrito packed with juicy pulled chicken and all your favorite fillings. This Easy Chicken Burrito is my go-to recipe when I want something comforting, flavorful, and easy to prep ahead. It’s perfect for meal prepping, freezer-friendly, and totally customizable to your taste buds.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Burrito
Make it your own
Think of this burrito as your personal flavor canvas — toss in whatever you love! Whether you’re craving extra cheese, heaps of guac, or want to go spicy with jalapeños, it’s all fair game.
Weeknight-friendly
The beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to pull together, especially on busy nights. Cook the chicken and prep your fillings ahead of time — when dinner rolls around, all you’ve got to do is assemble and enjoy.
Freezer meal win
Make a bunch, freeze them, and enjoy a quick meal any time without sacrificing flavor. They reheat beautifully, and honestly, they might even taste better the next day.
Ingredients And Substitutions
Pulled Chicken
- Chicken breasts – These are perfect for shredding, but chicken thighs work too if that’s what you have.
- Olive oil – Or any neutral oil like canola or avocado oil.
- Yellow onion – White onions or shallots are also great here.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic gives the best flavor, but jarred will do in a pinch.
- Chicken broth – You can sub in vegetable broth.
- Salsa – Go with your favorite jarred or homemade salsa.
- Taco seasoning – Use store-bought or make your own.
- Lime juice – Fresh is best, but bottled or even lemon juice works.
Guacamole
- Avocados – Or grab some store-bought guac to save time.
- Red onion – Swap with white onion if you prefer something milder.
- Lime juice – Or lemon juice if that’s what you’ve got.
- Garlic – Fresh minced or garlic powder.
Sautéed Veggies
- Olive oil – Or any other neutral oil.
- Red & green bell peppers – Feel free to switch it up with corn or mushrooms.
- Red onion – White or yellow onion works too.
Burrito Assembly
- Flour tortillas – Try whole-wheat or even lettuce wraps if you’re keeping things lighter.
- Pinto beans – Black beans are a solid alternative.
- Shredded cheese – Cheddar, Tex Mex, Monterey Jack — pick your favorite.
- Pico de gallo – You can just use more salsa if you’d rather.
- Cilantro – Optional, especially if you’re not a fan.
- Sour cream – Use low-fat to cut down on calories.
How To Make Chicken Burritos
Step 1: Sauté The Veggies
Start by heating some oil in a skillet and toss in your sliced bell peppers and onion. Cook until they’re softened and slightly caramelized — this brings out their natural sweetness.
Step 2: Cook And Shred The Chicken
Boil the chicken breasts until fully cooked. Then shred them using two forks (or a hand mixer if you want to get fancy). Toss the shredded chicken in a skillet with broth, salsa, taco seasoning, and lime juice. Let everything simmer until it’s rich and flavorful.
Step 3: Prep The Fillings
While the chicken is simmering, get your other toppings ready. Heat up the beans, mash the guacamole ingredients together, grate your cheese, and chop the cilantro.
Step 4: Assemble Your Burritos
Lay a warm tortilla flat, then layer on the pulled chicken, beans, veggies, guac, cheese, pico, cilantro, and sour cream. Don’t be shy — pack it full.
Step 5: Roll It Up
Fold in the sides and roll the tortilla up tightly into a burrito. A snug wrap helps keep all that goodness inside.
Step 6: Toast Your Burrito
Give your burrito a quick toast in a skillet. This step is key — it crisps up the outside and keeps the whole thing from getting soggy.
Tips For The Best Burritos
- Warm your tortillas – A warm tortilla is more flexible and easier to wrap. Microwave for a few seconds or toast briefly in the oven.
- Batch cook the chicken – You can cook the chicken in advance using the stove, slow cooker, or pressure cooker.
- Freeze smart – Skip guac, sour cream, and pico if you’re freezing. They don’t thaw well.
- Mix up the toppings – Don’t be afraid to get creative. Try shredded lettuce, jalapeños, corn, or hot sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I put in a burrito?
Traditionally, a burrito is filled with meat, beans, rice, cheese, veggies, and sauce or guac. I’ve skipped rice in this recipe to keep things lighter, but feel free to add some if you want that extra bite.
Can I swap the protein?
Definitely. This recipe is great with shredded beef, ground turkey, or even grilled tofu. If you’re going vegetarian, load up on beans and veggies.
What’s the easiest way to shred chicken?
I usually go old-school with two forks, but if you’re short on time, use a hand mixer on low speed. It works like a charm.
How should I serve these?
These burritos are fantastic with a side of tortilla chips and salsa, or a little bowl of extra guac or sour cream for dipping.
Make Ahead And Storage Tips
Prep ahead
You can cook the chicken, sauté the veggies, and prep toppings up to 5 days in advance. This makes assembly a breeze when you’re ready to eat.
Storing leftovers
If you’re storing assembled burritos, skip the guac, pico, and sour cream. Wrap them tightly in foil and keep them in the fridge for 2–3 days.
Reheating
Microwave the chicken and veggies separately for 1–2 minutes with a sprinkle of water to keep them from drying out. For whole burritos, toast in a skillet for 1–2 minutes per side until warmed through.
Shredded Chicken Burritos
Ingredients
Pulled Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup salsa
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Guacamole (mash avocado & mix all ingredients together)
- 2 avocados, mashed
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Sautéed Veggies
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Burritos
- 6 flour tortillas
- 1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup shredded cheese of choice
- Pico de gallo or salsa
- Cilantro, chopped
- Sour cream
Instructions
Pulled Chicken
- Boil chicken in hot water for 15 minutes or until almost fully cooked and easily shreddable. Shred chicken once slightly cooled.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add shredded chicken, broth, and remaining pulled chicken ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes until most liquid is absorbed.
Sautéed Veggies
- Heat oil in a large pan on high heat until it starts to smoke.
- Add peppers and onion, season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring often, then remove from heat.
Assembling the Burritos
- Heat pinto beans in a saucepan (or add cold).
- Mix all ingredients for guacamole.
- Set up a burrito assembly station. Add chicken, veggies, beans, cheese, and any other toppings to each tortilla, placing them in the center.
- Fold in each side of the tortilla and roll to form a wrap.
- (Optional) Toast burritos in a pan over medium-high heat to avoid sogginess. Cut in half and enjoy!
Freezing and Reheating Instructions
- Make the burritos without guacamole, pico de gallo, or sour cream.
- Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and store in a large freezer bag for up to 4 months.
- To reheat, wrap frozen burrito in a damp paper towel and microwave for 5–7 minutes.
- Optionally toast in a skillet with cooking spray for 2 minutes per side.
Notes
- Use light sour cream, low-fat cheese, less guacamole, and homemade salsa to reduce calories.
- The chicken filling can be made in an Instant Pot or slow cooker.
- Store individual components in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat as needed.
- To freeze, skip fresh toppings like guac and salsa, wrap in foil/plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 624Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1351mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 12gSugar: 6gProtein: 39g
Chickenrecipes.blog, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
How To Freeze Chicken Burritos
Assemble
Make your burrito as usual, but leave out any wet ingredients like guac, pico de gallo, or sour cream.
Wrap
Roll it up tightly in foil or plastic wrap.
Freeze
Place the wrapped burritos in a large freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
Reheat
Microwave from frozen by wrapping in a damp paper towel for 5–7 minutes, or thaw in the fridge overnight and then crisp in a skillet.
This chicken burrito is the kind of meal that hits the spot every time — whether it’s dinner tonight or lunch two weeks from now from the freezer. Try it out, mix in your favorite flavors, and make it yours. Let me know how it goes!
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