Enchilada-Style Chicken Burritos
Lynley Jones
Shredded chicken, chiles and beans wrapped in a flour tortilla, then smothered with enchilada sauce.
This recipe first appeared in our #Cook90 Series.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Enchilada-Style Chicken Burritos made in the Adventure Kitchen.
2 medium yellow onions
6 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, skins removed and smashed
8-10 sprigs of parsley
Coarse salt
6-8 black pepppercorns
2 Tablespoons flavorless oil (eg canola)
1 serrano (or jalapeno) chile, minced
1 1/2 cups refried beans (or canned is fine), warm
1 bunch cilantro
6 flour tortillas, about 11 inches in diameter
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons enchilada sauce (or canned is fine), warm
4 ounces mild melting cheese such as Colby or Monterrey jack, shredded
Instructions
1. Peel the onions. Dice one into medium-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Cut the second onion into rough chunks and add to a large pot along with the chicken, carrots, celery, cloves, parsley, peppercorns and 1 Tablespoon coarse salt (or half this much if using table salt). Add 6 cups cold water, put the lid on and bring just to a boil. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove the chicken thighs, strain out the rest of the solids and reserve the broth. When the thighs have cooled enough to handle, shred the meat (discard the skin and bones, or save for another purpose).
4. In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and chile and saute until very soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Add the meat along with 1/2 cup of the broth and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt). Stir and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until the broth is reduced.
5. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Spread 1/4 cup of the beans in the center of each tortilla. Add an equal portion of the chicken mixture and 10-12 cilantro leaves (discard the stems or save for another purpose). Roll the fillings into each tortilla to make a burrito, then place all the burritos in a baking dish. Slide the baking dish into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Remove the burritos and pour the enchilada sauce over them. Spread the cheese evenly over all the burritos, then return the baking dish to the oven for 5-8 minutes more, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted.
7. Serve hot with additional cilantro leaves strewn over the top.
Spices and Ingredients Used to Make This Dish:
These mildly spicy dried chiles are a classic ingredient in Mexican and other Latin cuisines. Guajillo chiles add a brighter chile flavor than their ancho cousins. They’re mildly spicy and contribute a ruddy red color when ground. Toast them first, or use them as-is. Drop them whole into a soup or stew pot, grind or blend them into enchilada sauce, add them to chocolate and more.
About 6 chiles/bag.
See recipes below…
Organic and fair-trade. We get our flavorful organic peppercorns from India. They’re bright and aromatic, with a nicely balanced flavor. A great stealth ingredient to take your everyday cooking up a notch. 1/2 cup-sized jar.
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