Freezer burritos
The dinner you already rolled, waiting for the night nobody wants to cook.
Practice ran late and the fridge is staring back at you with nothing.
You wrapped these weeks ago, so dinner is a few minutes in the microwave and a quick crisp in the pan.
Ingredients
Use these ingredients for freezer chicken burritos when makes 8 burritos is the right target.
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken works)
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- 1 teaspoon cumin, plus salt to taste
- 8 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
How to Make It
Cook freezer chicken burritos so the next person can see what to heat, pack, or serve.
- In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, beans, rice, salsa, cumin, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Warm the tortillas for 15 seconds so they roll without cracking.
- Spread about 3/4 cup filling down the center of each tortilla and top with a small handful of cheese.
- Fold in the sides, then roll up tightly into a burrito.
- Eat one now to check the seasoning, or move straight to freezing.
Freeze It
Let the filling cool before you roll if you cooked the rice or chicken fresh, then wrap each burrito individually so they freeze separately instead of in one block.
- Wrap each burrito snugly in foil or parchment, then in a labeled freezer bag
- Squeeze out the air and label with the date and reheat time
- Freeze flat; they keep well for up to 3 months
Thaw and Reheat on Practice Night
These reheat straight from frozen, no thawing needed. For the best texture, microwave to thaw the middle, then crisp the outside in a dry skillet.
- Microwave from frozen: unwrap, wrap in a damp paper towel, heat 2 to 3 minutes, turning once
- Crisp after: 2 minutes per side in a dry skillet for a toasted shell
- Oven from frozen: keep the foil on, 350F for 35 to 40 minutes
- Check the center is steaming hot before serving
- Serve with: salsa, sour cream, a bag of tortilla chips, apple slices
Parent Tip
Set out a plain cheese-and-bean burrito for any kid who picks around chicken.
Make It Fit Tonight
Small Tweaks That Help This Dinner Land
Swap the chicken for ground beef or turkey
Browned taco meat folds in the same way for a heartier burrito.
Go meatless with extra beans and corn
Double the black beans and add corn for a cheaper vegetarian batch.
Wrap them smaller in 8-inch tortillas
Half-size burritos suit younger kids and pack into lunchboxes.
Add a spoon of green chiles or jalapeno to the filling
Heats up the batch for the adults without buying new tortillas.
Build a few rice-free for low-carb eaters
Leave the rice out of a couple so they fit different diets.
Plan The Next Step
Stock the freezer
Use the planner to pick which make-ahead meals to batch this weekend.