Smothered Enchilada-Style Burritos

Name: Smothered Enchilada-Style Burritos
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; 2 teaspoons (5 g) chili powder; 3 cups (400 g) cooked chicken, shredded into bite-size pieces; 3 cups (480 g) cooked long-grain white rice, cooked, cool or warm; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt; ½ cup (120 ml) red enchilada sauce, from the can or jar; 1½ cups (170 g) Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded; 6 10-inch tortillas (400 g) burrito-size flour tortillas, warmed until pliable; 2½ cups (600 ml) red enchilada sauce, divided: ½ cup for the dish, 2 cups for the top; 2 cups (225 g) Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped; ½ cup (120 g) sour cream (optional); 2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Large flour tortillas are stuffed with saucy shredded chicken, cumin-scented rice, black beans and Monterey Jack, then blanketed in red enchilada sauce and cheese and baked until bubbling. A knife-and-fork Tex-Mex dinner that feeds a crowd from a single baking dish.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 6 smothered burritos

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the filling
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (5 g) chili powder
3 cups (400 g) cooked chicken, shredded into bite-size pieces
3 cups (480 g) cooked long-grain white rice, cooked, cool or warm
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
½ cup (120 ml) red enchilada sauce, from the can or jar
1½ cups (170 g) Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded
To assemble and smother
6 10-inch tortillas (400 g) burrito-size flour tortillas, warmed until pliable
2½ cups (600 ml) red enchilada sauce, divided: ½ cup for the dish, 2 cups for the top
2 cups (225 g) Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded
To serve
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
½ cup (120 g) sour cream (optional)
2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment (7)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
Large skillet (12-inch / 30 cm)
Medium bowl
Box grater
Aluminum foil
Microwave-safe plate (for warming tortillas)
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Use about 3 cups (400 g) of cooked shredded chicken: a store-bought rotisserie chicken (meat from about one bird) works perfectly.
Shred your own Monterey Jack from a block if you can; it melts smoother than pre-shredded cheese, which is coated to resist clumping.
Have leftover or cooked rice ready, or cook 1 cup (185 g) uncooked long-grain rice first to yield about 3 cups (480 g) cooked. Cold rice is fine.
Use 10-inch (25 cm) burrito-size tortillas; smaller ones will not hold the filling.

1
Preheat and prepOven 375°F / 190°C
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center.
- Shred the Monterey Jack for the filling and the topping, keeping the two amounts in separate bowls.
- Spread ½ cup (120 ml) of the enchilada sauce for the dish across the bottom of the 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.
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Ready when: Oven is at temperature and the dish bottom is thinly coated with sauce.
Tip: Shredding cheese from a block gives a smoother melt.
2
Soften the onion
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with only light golden edges.
3
Toast the spices
- Stir in the garlic, cumin and chili powder.
- Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, so the spices bloom in the oil.
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Ready when: The mixture smells fragrant and toasty; garlic is not browned.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat so it doesn't turn bitter.
4
Build the filling
- Add the shredded chicken, rice, black beans and the ½ cup (120 ml) filling enchilada sauce to the skillet.
- Stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until everything is hot and the sauce is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the 1½ cups (170 g) filling cheese.
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Ready when: Filling is steaming hot, moist but not soupy, and holds together when pressed with a spoon.
Tip: If the filling looks dry, add 2 tablespoons more sauce.
5
Warm the tortillas
- Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds until warm and soft.
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Ready when: Tortillas bend without cracking.
Tip: Cold tortillas crack when rolled; warm them just before filling.
6
Fill and roll
- Place a tortilla on the counter.
- Spoon about 1 heaping cup (about 190 g) of filling in a line just below the center, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) at each side.
- Fold the sides in over the filling, then roll up from the bottom, tucking tightly.
- Set seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas, fitting them snugly in a single layer.
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Ready when: Six tightly rolled burritos sit seam-side down with no filling spilling out.
Tip: Don't overfill; a burrito that's too full will split in the oven.
7
Smother with sauce
- Pour the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) enchilada sauce evenly over the burritos, covering the tortillas completely, including the ends.
- Sprinkle the 2 cups (225 g) topping cheese evenly over the top.
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Ready when: No bare tortilla is visible; sauce is spread edge to edge.
Tip: Exposed tortilla edges turn hard and dry in the oven, so cover them with sauce.
8
Bake coveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Cover the dish tightly with foil, tented slightly so it doesn't touch the cheese (or spray the foil with oil).
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish.
9
Uncover and brownOven 375°F / 190°C
- Remove the foil and bake 8 to 10 minutes more at 375°F (190°C), until the cheese is fully melted and just starting to brown in spots.
- Check that the center of a burrito reaches 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Cheese is melted, bubbling and lightly speckled with brown; filling reads 165°F (74°C).
Tip: Use a baking sheet on the rack below if your dish is very full, to catch drips.
10
Rest and garnish
- Let the dish stand for 5 minutes so the sauce settles.
- Top with cilantro, and sour cream and scallions if using.
- Serve each burrito with a spatula, spooning extra sauce from the dish over the top.
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Ready when: Sauce stops bubbling and the burritos lift out intact.

Good to know

Tips

Make sure the sauce covers the burritos completely so the tortillas stay tender instead of drying out.
Keep the filling moist but not wet; excess liquid makes the tortillas soggy and likely to burst.
If your enchilada sauce is thin, simmer it 5 minutes to thicken slightly before pouring over the burritos.
Fill each burrito with a level amount for even cooking and a neat shape.

Make ahead

"Assemble the burritos in the dish (through step 7), cover tightly and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered 10 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). The filling can also be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: cover and store up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap individual burritos with sauce in foil or an airtight container up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes (30 to 40 from frozen-thawed dense portions as needed) until 165°F (74°C), or microwave a single burrito 2 to 3 minutes."

Substitutions

cooked chicken → Shredded cooked pork, beef, or crumbled seasoned ground beef. Use the same amount; ground beef should be browned and drained first.
Monterey Jack cheese → Mexican blend, mild cheddar or pepper Jack. Pepper Jack adds mild heat; same weight.
canned black beans → Pinto beans or 1½ cups (200 g) frozen corn kernels. Drain and rinse beans; thaw corn before using.
red enchilada sauce → Green enchilada sauce (salsa verde). Swap for a tangier, brighter flavor; use the same amount.