Build Your Own Burrito Night

Once every week or two we have "build your own burrito night". The kids love having a "say" in their dinner and these burritos are really tasty. I like that I can get them on the table in 30 minutes (if I multitask).

I consider the rice and beans to be the "core" - the other components (cheese, chicken, chorizo, spinach, tomato, avocado) are toppings that you could add or not, as you like.

This recipe makes about 10 burritos. My husband typically eats three. We usually have some rice and beans left over for my lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

2 organic chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on
1 cup of organic white jasmine rice (the 20-minute variety)
1 can of organic navy beans, thoroughly rinsed
2 cups water (1 1/2 cups for the rice, 1/2 cup for the beans mixture)
1 tbsp organic butter
1 thick slice of white onion, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced (optional)
1/2 cup of organic tomato sauce
dried oregano
ground cumin
garlic powder
salt
pepper
olive oil
10 fresh whole wheat tortillas (medium-sized)
1 all natural chorizo sausage (optional) - casing removed
1 bag of organic shredded mexican cheese (I like Horizon Organic)
2 medium sized organic tomatoes, diced
2 small organic avocados, diced
2 cups of fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
   
2. Get the chicken going. Rinse the two chicken breasts and place them in a shallow baking pan. Rub them with olive oil, then season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and put them in the oven. (You will leave the foil on until they are almost done, then remove to let crisp; cook to no higher than 165 degrees to ensure they are juicy but safe.)
   
3. Get the rice going once the chicken is in the oven. Put the rice and 1 1/2 cups of water in a pot. Add 1 tbsp butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp dried oregano. Bring to a boil, stir, then cover and reduce to low. Let simmer until cooked (about 20 min).
   
4. Get the beans mixture going once you've put the rice on to cook. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet on medium-heat. Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook, stirred frequently, until soft (about 10 minutes). Watch the heat so they don't burn.
   
5. Cook the chorizo (casing removed, crumbled) in a small skillet while the onion and green pepper are softening. Set aside.
   
6. Finish the beans mixture once the chorizo is done. To the onion and green pepper, add the beans, water, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano to taste (the key "burrito" flavor here is the cumin). Reduce heat to low and let simmer until the rice is ready, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove the rice from heat when it is done. Fluff and mix it into the beans.
8. Use a thermometer to see if the chicken has reached 165 degrees F. If it's not there yet, remove the aluminum foil from the chicken to let the skin brown. Dice the tomatoes and avocado.
   
9. Remove the chicken from the oven as soon as it reaches 165 degrees F. Immediately remove the skin and bones, then shred the chicken with a fork.
10. Put all of your components (rice and beans, tomato, avocado, cheese, spinach, chorizo, shredded chicken, tortillas) in separate dishes, to facilitate the "build your own" format.

Enjoy!

Postscript: A reader asked how much these burritos cost per burrito based on ten burritos -- a good question. You can see the more thorough breakdown in the comments section, but my estimate based on ten overstuffed burritos (with leftovers) is $3.42/burrito. Using 15 tortillas to minimize leftovers, the cost would drop to $2.41/burrito, including the cost of the extra tortillas. Neither figure includes the cost of oil or spices.