Name: Chicken Skillet Burritos
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups rice ((cooked & warmed)); 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon cumin; ½ teaspoon garlic powder ((use garlic salt if rice is not seasoned already)); 2 cups shredded or chopped chicken; 1 can (15 oz) black beans (drained & rinsed); 1/4 cup chopped green onion; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice ((about 1 lime)); 2 cups shredded cheese ((I use Colby Jack)); 1 cup sour cream; 6 burrito-sized large flour tortillas

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These southwest Chicken Skillet Burritos are so adaptable, versatile, and always a family favorite dinner! Skillet burritos cook until crispy and they’re loaded with chunks of chicken, beans, seasoned rice, spices, creamy sour cream, and cheese.

A stack of a burrito cut in half with sour cream on top

Skillet Pan Crispy Burritos (Southwest Chicken & Rice Filling)

I just love those recipes that you can use what you have in your pantry, or leftovers from the fridge, to create a whole new meal with it. These skillet pan burritos are perfect for those taco meat leftovers, a rotisserie chicken, shredded chicken leftovers, or even pulled pork leftovers!

A soft flour tortilla is spread with sour cream and cheese, and then it’s filled with all the ‘southwest’ ingredients like seasoned rice, chunks of chicken, black beans, cilantro, and fresh lime juice.

A serving platter of the crispy skillet burritos

These burritos are such a family favorite dinner! Mix up the simple chicken filling and then stuff it inside a big flour tortilla. I love to use leftover Cilantro Lime Rice or leftovers of this Easy Mexican Rice to make these burritos.

There are so many ways to get creative with this recipe! Be sure and read below for all my suggestions and ideas.

A burrito on a plate with a bowl of salsa behind it.

Ingredients Needed

Cooked Rice : Use any rice you want here! Make sure it’s cooked and warmed through (for best results when pan frying the burritos). Use minute rice, white rice, brown rice, leftover rice, store-bough rice packs that you cook to package directions, microwave pouch rice, or make homemade Mexican rice cilantro lime rice (this is what I prefer doing).
Chili Powder, Cumin, Garlic Powder : I still add this to the rice even if it’s flavored, like cilantro lime rice. Depending on how seasoned your rice and/or chicken is, you can play around with the spices and amount.
Cooked Chicken : This can be shredded chicken, chopped or chunked chicken, canned chicken (that has been drained and flaked), grab a rotisserie chicken, leftover ground beef taco meat, leftover pork, etc.
Black Beans : Make sure they are drained and rinsed well before adding them into the bowl. Any canned bean can be substituted here. If you don’t like beans, try using a can of corn instead – like fiesta corn or southwestern corn.
Sliced Green Onions
Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice : From one whole lime, about 1 tablespoon lime juice.
Shredded Cheese : Any cheese works – I prefer Colby Jack but cheddar cheese, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, a Mexican cheese blend all work perfectly.
Sour Cream
Large Burrito-Sized Flour Tortillas : Your preferred tortilla can be used here (gluten-free, low carb, smaller, etc) but it will change how much filling is used in each burrito and how many burritos you get from one recipe.

How To Make Crispy Chicken Skillet Burritos (Printable Recipe Card)

In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked rice, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder and stir until all the rice is coated well in the seasonings.

Add in the chicken, black beans, green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir until combined.

Working with one tortilla at a time, lay a large tortilla onto a plate or cutting board. Sprinkle cheese over the entire tortilla, making sure to leave about a 1-inch border around the edge. Dollop about 4-5 dots of sour cream all over the cheese.

Add about 1/2 cup of the chicken filling down the center of the tortilla.

Fold it up burrito style; fold in the sides of the tortilla and then tightly roll it up like a burrito. Set the burrito aside for now. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas.

When ready to cook spray both sides of each burrito with nonstick cooking spray (don’t soak it, just spray it normal). Place the burrito(s) into a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side or until desired crispiness is achieved and the burritos are warmed through.

Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Enjoy!

How To Store Leftover Skillet Burritos

Store any leftover burritos inside an airtight container, or wrap each burrito in aluminum foil, and stir in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the burritos in the microwave, in a skillet pan (spray the burrito first with coking spray), or put it in the air fryer for a few minutes.

I would imagine these burritos freeze well also. Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped burritos inside a freezer-safe Ziplock bag and store in the freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the burritos to thaw overnight in the fridge, and then heat them up in the skillet pan to get them crispy and warmed.

Serving Suggestions

I love making a batch of my Cafe Rio Dressing to go alongside these burritos. My kids love to smother their burritos in it.
Make my Salsa Verde Guacamole or Pico de Gallo Guacamole as a delicious topping to the burritos.
For a spicy burrito add cayenne red pepper in with the other dried seasonings. Use shredded Pepper Jack cheese. Serve the burritos with some spicy salsa, sliced jalapeños, etc.
Make my Southwestern Corn or this Avocado, Corn & Tomato Salad for a delicious side dish.
Make some Homemade Blender Salsa for a chips & salsa side!

Recipe Tips For Success

These burritos are the perfect option for leftovers! Use up leftover taco meat, shredded chicken, chicken taco meat, pork, beef, etc.
You can use leftover rice, plain white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or buy some store-bought packages of seasoned rice (the microwave pouches) and use those; Uncle Ben’s, Knorr, and Rice-a-Roni make packets/boxes of rice that you can also cook according to package directions.
Don’t skip the cooking spray part of the burritos! This is how you get that really nice crispy exterior on them. No need to soak the burrito, but rather just give it a nice spray and that’s it.
Any canned bean works great in this recipe. You can even skip the beans and add some canned corn (drain it well) or other vegetable. Pinto beans, navy beans, hominy, are all great alternatives to black beans.
I find that the burritos heat through the easiest when you use rice that is warmed already. I make up a batch of my Cilantro Lime Rice and use the warm rice inside the burrito filling mixture. My family loves the cilantro lime rice in these burritos.
If wanted, add some pico de gallo or chopped Roma tomatoes into the burrito mixture. Anything goes really so add what you love to that burrito filling.

More Tex-Mex & Burrito Inspired Meals To Try

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5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

2 Comments

Michelle says:

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Can you make these ahead and freeze BEFORE crisping them up? Then reheat in pan as directed when thawed or in an air fryer?

1. Together As Family says:
  
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  Yes you can do that! That’s a great idea.