Chicken Burrito Recipe

by Ehow.com Food

These healthy chicken burritos are nutrition-packed and filling -- and a great way to use up leftover chicken or any other meat you have on hand.

They are also a great light alternative to your usual high fat, high calorie and low nutrition burritos. Enjoy!

*Difficulty: Moderately Easy


Things You'll Need:

* Blender

* Grill

* 2 medium saucepans

* 4 6-oz. chicken breasts

* 3 tbs. chipotle pepper sauce

* 1 tsp. black pepper

* 4 tsp. cumin powder

* 8 cloves of fresh garlic

* 1/2 of a purple onion

* 1 tbs. olive oil

* 1 15 -oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained

* 2 tbs. whole wheat flour

* 4 tbs. water

* 2/3 c. brown basmati rice

* 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

* 2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

* 1 lime

* 1 cup reduced fat Mexican blend cheese

* 4 tortillas

* Salsa

* Shredded lettuce

* Reduced fat sour cream


Preparation:

1. Make the chicken marinade. Put 3 tbs. of chipotle pepper sauce, 1 tsp. black pepper, 2 tsp. cumin powder, 6 peeled cloves of fresh garlic, ½ of a purple onion (chopped into large pieces) and 1 tbs. of olive oil in the blender and process until the ingredients are smooth. Spread the pureed mixture on both sides of the 4 chicken breasts and let them sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).

2. Cook the rice. Squeeze the juice out of the lime into a medium saucepan. Add ¾ cup brown basmati rice and 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth. Cover the pan and bring the rice to a full boil, then turn it down to simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes or until the rice is soft and the broth is fully absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the 2 tsp. of fresh cilantro right before serving.

3. Make black beans. Put the black beans into a sauce pan with ¾ cup water, 2 cloves of minced fresh garlic and 2 tsp. of cumin powder. When the water begins to boil, turn the beans to low heat. Blend 2 tbs. of whole wheat flour and 4 tbs. of water to make a smooth paste. Add the paste to the beans and stir until the sauce thickens.


4. Grill the chicken until the juices run clear, usually 4 minutes per side. Cut it into strips or bite-sized pieces.

5. Warm the tortillas. You can put them on the top rack of a grill, lay them in a large frying pan over medium heat or pop them in the microwave. All methods should take 30 to 45 seconds. Check the tortillas frequently. They should be soft and warm to the touch, never crispy or steaming hot.

6. Layer the burritos in this order: brown rice, black beans, chicken, salsa, ¼ cup reduced fat cheese and shredded lettuce. Garnish with reduced fat sour cream if desired. Roll up the tortilla and serve. This recipe makes 4 burritos.


Tips & Warnings:

* To get tender chicken with a vibrant flavor, marinate the chicken breasts the day before and let them sit in the refrigerator overnight.

* If the rice and beans are done before the chicken or vice versa, heat the oven up to 100 degrees F and put the items in the oven covered with foil to lock in the moisture. When your burritos are ready to be served, everything will be piping hot.

* When working with chicken, it's important to wash your hands and your working station thoroughly afterwards. Raw chicken can contain salmonella which can contaminate other foods and make you very ill.


*Here I'd like to tell you about my favorite diet program that uses a lot of the healthy lower GI foods: Isabel de los Rios' 'The Diet Solution Program'.

The Diet Solution Program favours a long term health orientated approach to fat loss, but not offering anyone a quick fix to their weight troubles. It has loads of valuable data and research to support its approach. I personally investigated the program thoroughly and my mum has been using it for a while now. I have to say she got some great results.

The nutrition plan is one of the healthiest we have seen, a strong core focus on vegetables, fruits, vitamin dense foods, lean proteins, select dairy produce and a clear approach to not expecting one diet to work for all body types. So give it a try and let me know how you’re doing.*

Original Chicken Burrito Recipe