Healthy chicken burritos are an easy, weeknight dinner that will quickly become a family favorite. These burritos are loaded with chicken, rice, beans and Mexican style flavors.

Thursday nights are usually the night in my household that we don’t have anything for dinner. I always prep meals on the weekends so that we have enough food for the start of the week. Everything is usually gone by Thursday, however. I'm always looking for an easy meal, or we usually end up eating something quick and easy.

This shredded chicken burrito is one of my favorite “go-to” meals when we don’t have anything to eat. It is an so incredibly easy to make! These burritos only require 2 pans total, which means very few dishes to clean up!

Also, these chicken burritos are a healthy dinner option. Even though they are healthy, they still taste great and are full of flavor. The main ingredients of this burrito are chicken, rice and beans. This is a good option for the whole family, kids included!

Ingredients Needed

Rice: the rice should be instant, 5 minute rice. White rice or brown rice can be use.
Salsa: use a chunky salsa for extra flavor. Choose mild, medium or hot salsa depending on spice preference.
Garlic powder: adds flavor to the burritos. Minced fresh garlic can be substituted.
Shredded chicken: Make the shredded chicken in the crockpot, oven or instant pot. Alternative options are cubed chicken breast or shredded rotisserie chicken.
Cheese: use a shredded Mexican cheese or shredded cheddar cheese.
Tortillas: Use any type of tortilla. Popular options are corn tortillas, gluten free tortillas or flour tortillas.

Let’s Make Some Burritos

Combine the water, salsa and garlic powder in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally so that the mixture boils evenly and so that it does not boil over.

Add the rice and stir until combined. Turn off the the heat, but keep the pot on the burner. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. (Stir halfway through).

After 5 minutes, check the consistency of the rice. The rice should be soft and tender. If the rice is not done, cover and continue to let sit for another 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the burner. Add the black beans, shredded chicken and cheese. Mix until combined.

Begin to assemble the burritos! Place about ½ cup of the mixture in the center of a warm tortilla. Leave about ½ inch of space from the edge. Roll the burrito and place in a pan, seam side down. Top with cheese, bake and serve warm!

Nutrition Information

While everyone has a different definition of what healthy is, I would consider this a healthy chicken burrito because of the ingredients used. When compared to a pre-made freezer burrito or a burrito from a Mexican restaurant that’s loaded with cheese, it’s definitely a lot lower in calories and fat.

The nutrition facts will vary based on the brand of ingredients used and the type of tortilla used. I used a standard gluten free tortilla and calculated that these burritos contain 380 calories per burrito and 19 grams of protein per serving.

Fiber: The burritos have 7.6 grams of fiber per burrito. This is from the beans and a small amount is in the tortilla. More information on the health benefits of fiber can be found here.

Carbs: one burrito contains 60 grams of carbs. To make this a complex carb (which means it is digested slower), sub the white rice with brown rice. You could also use a whole wheat tortilla in place of a flour tortilla.

Allergens

These chicken burritos can be modified to meet all allergy needs.

Gluten Free: Use a gluten free tortilla or corn tortilla. All other ingredients should be gluten free, however always double check the label.

Dairy Free: to make these burritos dairy free, leave off the cheese. Double check the tortillas do not contain dairy.

What To Serve With These Burritos

Since these burritos are easy to make, I love to serve easy side dishes with them! I usually buy a package of lettuce, chop up a couple tomatoes and have a quick and easy side salad. Here’s a list of my favorite sides to serve with the burritos:

Fresh fruit cup: strawberries, blueberries and kiwi
Frozen veggies heated and topped with olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder.
Mexican Rice
Refried beans

Leftovers

Store these burritos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. A common problem with leftover burritos is that the tortilla may get soggy. To prevent this, I recommend only assembling the amount of burritos you are going to eat.

Keep the leftover filling separate from the tortillas. Add the mixture to the tortilla right before you eat and then microwave it. Don't worry about putting it in the oven since the filling mixture has already been cooked.

More Healthy Dinner Ideas

Did you make these healthy chicken burritos? I'd love to hear from you! Tag me on Instagram or leave a comment below!