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Enjoy a better version of Taco Bell right in your own home with this chipotle ranch grilled chicken burrito recipe!
It’s loaded with tender chicken, Mexican rice, black beans, creamy chipotle sauce and all the yummy fixins, wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla.
Dip your burrito in homemade avocado ranch sauce and you’ve got the perfect better-than-takeout situation.
The Prince is currently in the Taco Bell phase of college life, which warms my heart because I, too, had a Taco Bell phase of college life. There was no better way to fill your belly at 2am for less than five bucks than hitting up the local Taco Bell.
So when I told him I was working on a few copycat recipes, he was all too happy to taste test.
He gave this chipotle ranch grilled chicken burrito his seal approval, and even came back for seconds!
Ingredients for Chipotle Ranch Grilled Chicken Burritos
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious recipe:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts. We’re grilling our chicken like Taco Bell does, but you could also use rotisserie chicken. This is also a great recipe for leftover chicken!
- Mexican rice. There are various brands of boxed Mexican rice mix (also called Spanish rice) available at most grocery stores. Or, make my easy homemade version.
- Black beans
- Flour tortillas. Look for the 10-inch size, often labeled “burrito size”.
- Tortilla strips. Taco Bell calls them fiesta strips, and they’re simply crispy red tortilla strips. You can sometimes find them at the grocery store, or make your own by slicing a corn tortilla into thin strips and frying the strips in oil.
- Cheddar cheese. Sharp cheddar will lend the most flavor to these burritos. A Mexican cheese blend can also be used.
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce
The Chipotle Sauce
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. These smoky peppers can be found in most grocery stores in small cans.
- Mayonnaise
- Lime juice
The Avocado Ranch Dressing
I recommend making my avocado ranch dressing homemade because it is so darn good.
But you could also take a shortcut and combine a mashed avocado with prepared ranch dressing. Easy peasy.
How to Make Chipotle Ranch Burrito Recipe
Grill the Chicken
If weather permits, head outside and fire up the grill! A simple seasoning of salt and pepper is all you’ll need for the chicken. Cook it until you see grill marks on both sides and the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 165 degrees.
Alternatively, pop the chicken into a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
Then, slice the chicken into strips and set aside.
Prep the fixins
Now, get everything into place for assembling the burritos:
Chop the tomatoes, shred the lettuce, drain and rinse the beans and make the Mexican rice.
Whip up the easy chipotle mayo by combining the chipotle peppers in adobo with some mayonnaise and lime juice.
Assemble the burritos
Now it’s time to build our epic burritos! Start by smearing a line of chipotle mayo down the center of a tortilla. Be sure not to go all the way to the edges, because we need to leave room for folding the edges over.
On top of the mayo, arrange the chicken, rice, beans, lettuce, tomato, tortilla strips and cheese. Be careful not to overfill.
Now, fold one end of the tortilla over the fillings. Use your hands to gently tuck the tortilla under the fillings, squeezing slightly.
Then, fold the edges up over the fillings, and finish rolling the burrito. Set it aside, seam side down, while you make the rest of the burritos.
Grill the burritos
Coat a large skillet with just a little bit of oil and heat it over medium heat.
Place each burrito, seam side down, into the pan. Once the bottom becomes golden brown, flip the burrito and let the other side brown.
Then, remove from the pan and enjoy!
How to Serve these Chipotle Ranch Grilled Chicken Burritos
Enjoy your chicken burrito hot out of the pan with the avocado ranch dressing for dipping. To make a full meal out of it, consider these serving suggestions:
1. Additional rice and beans. You already made them for the filling, why not serve them on the side as well?
2. A light salad. Try my southwestern salad with avocado ranch dressing, which would be a great complement to the flavors in these burritos.
3. Chips and salsa. Create the full Taco Bell experience by serving these copycat burritos with chips and fresh salsa.
Variations and Substitutions for this Chipotle Ranch Grilled Chicken Burrito Recipe
- Protein Choices: Experiment with different protein options such as ground turkey, steak, or even plant-based alternatives like tofu or meatless crumbles for a vegetarian twist.
- Tortilla Options: Taco Bell typically uses a flour tortilla, but you can opt for whole wheat or corn tortillas to add a nutritional boost.
- Veggie Options: Customize the vegetable filling to suit your preferences. Include a mix of colorful bell peppers, onions and even roasted corn for extra flavor and texture.
- Cheese and Sour Cream: Feel free to experiment with various cheese blends or opt for a dairy-free alternative. Try using Greek yogurt or sour cream as additional garnish.
How to Store Chipotle Ranch Grilled Chicken Burritos
Assembled Burritos: If you’ve assembled more burritos than you can consume in one sitting, wrap them individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Separate Ingredients: For best results, store the individual components separately. Keep the grilled chicken, vegetables and sauces in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. This will keep the vegetables crisp. Assemble the burritos fresh when you’re ready to eat.
Reheating: When reheating refrigerated burritos, you can do it in the microwave, but for best results do it in a warm oven or in a pan on the stove. This will help restore the crispy texture of the flour tortilla.
When you make this chipotle ranch grilled chicken burrito recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more copycat recipes, try these:
- Chicken Chalupa Supreme Recipe (Taco Bell Copycat)
- Super Saucy Daytona Wings Recipe (Hooters Copycat)
- Louisiana Voodoo Fries Recipe (Wingstop Copycat)
For more Mexican-inspired recipes, try these:
Chipotle Ranch Grilled Chicken Burrito (Taco Bell)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 flour tortillas burrito size
- 1 14 oz. can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups cooked Mexican rice
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 1 large tomato diced
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 cup tortilla strips
Chipotle Mayo
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp. lime juice
Avocado Ranch Sauce
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until done, about 5-7 minutes per side. (Alternatively, cook chicken in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes). Remove onto a work surface. Slice the chicken into thin strips. Set aside.
- Make the chipotle mayo: Finely chop the adobo chiles. Combine chiles, mayonnaise and lime juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Make the avocado ranch sauce: Mash the avocado in a small bowl. Pour in the ranch dressing and mix to combine.
- Assemble the burritos: Smear a line of chipotle mayo down the center of a tortilla. Arrange sliced chicken, black beans, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and tortilla strips over the chipotle mayo in the center of the tortilla. Be careful not to go all the way to the ends of the tortilla – leave 1/2 inch perimeter.
- Fold one end of the tortilla over the fillings, using your hands to gently tuck and press the tortilla firmly around the fillings. Fold the ends over the fillings. Continue to roll the burrito, setting it seam side down on a work surface.
- Grill the burritos: Coat a nonstick pan with a thin layer of oil. Heat the pan over medium heat. Place a burrito, seam side down, onto the pan. Grill until golden brown. Flip. Once both sides are golden brown, remove from pan.
- Serve with avocado ranch sauce for dipping.
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