If you’re anything like me, when the weather turns crisp or the week needs a serious hug, you reach for comfort food. But sometimes casseroles feel too heavy, and I need something that tastes like a huge, delicious hug from the Southwest. That’s where these Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos come in!
Forget everything you think you know about quick weeknight meals. These aren’t just rolled-up tortillas; they are baked until golden, drenched in a rich, savory green chile sauce, and topped with melting cheese. This is hands-down my family’s favorite dinner when we want something indulgent without the massive cleanup.
The secret is letting that green chile flavor really bloom in the sauce. Trust me, once you try this baked version, ordering out for smothered burritos will be a thing of the past. They are so much better when made right here in your own kitchen!
Why You Will Love These Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
First off, the flavor payoff is enormous compared to the effort you put in. We’re talking deep, smoky green chile notes here, not just spice. Second, these are baked, which means you use way less oil than deep-frying, but you still get that amazing, slightly crispy edge on the tortilla.
They are perfect for meal prepping or feeding a crowd because you assemble them, and then they just hang out in the oven until everyone is ready. Seriously, nothing beats that cheesy, sauce-covered goodness bubbling right out of your regular weeknight dinner turning into a fiesta!
Ingredients for the Best Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
Okay, let’s talk about what goes into making these amazing smothered wonders. We’re keeping the ingredient list short because the magic is in the combination, not complexity. Grab your largest skillet!
You absolutely must start with one tablespoon of olive oil. For the protein, we need one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and I want you to cut those right into bite-sized pieces so they cook fast and absorb the sauce beautifully.
Next up are the standard flavor builders: one medium onion, chopped, and two cloves of garlic, minced nice and fine. Don’t skimp on the garlic; it’s non-negotiable for depth!
Now, for the star of the show—the green chiles! You need one full 10-ounce can of green chiles, and here’s the thing: use them UNDRAINED. That liquid is pure flavor. To that, we add one standard 10-ounce can of red enchilada sauce. Seriously, high-quality enchilada sauce makes all the difference in your final sauce.
We hit it with one teaspoon of ground cumin and half a teaspoon of dried oregano, plus salt and black pepper to taste. Finally, you’ll need eight large flour tortillas for wrapping and two cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese for that glorious, melty top layer. Don’t forget that extra half cup of water just in case you need to thin the sauce out later!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
Alright, let’s get cooking! This process moves really fast once you get the sauce going, so have your baking dish ready to go. We’re going to handle the filling first, then move straight into the fun part: covering everything in sauce and cheese!
Before you start, make sure your oven is preheating to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. We need that heat ready for the final bake to get everything bubbly and melted perfectly. If you ever want to skip the stovetop chicken step in the future, you can totally toss some shredded chicken from a crockpot batch right into the sauce!
Preparing the Green Chile Chicken Filling
First things first, grab a big skillet and heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Toss in your bite-sized chicken pieces. You’ll cook these until they are nicely browned all over and cooked right through. Don’t rush this step! Browning the chicken like this builds a fantastic flavor base for the whole dish—it’s worth that extra minute or two of stirring.
Once the chicken is cooked, pull it out and set it on a plate somewhere safe. Now drop in your chopped onion into that same skillet. Cook it down until it gets soft, which should take about 5 minutes. Then, toss in the minced garlic and let it sizzle for just one more minute until you can really smell it. Delicious!
Time to bring it all back together! Put the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Now dump in that can of undrained green chiles, the red enchilada sauce, the cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir and bring the whole mixture up to a gentle simmer.
Reduce the heat way down low, put the lid on, and let those amazing flavors marry for about 10 minutes. If you look in there and the sauce seems too thick for coating—like it’s clinging too hard to the chicken—just stir in up to half a cup of water until you hit the perfect, drippy consistency. That’s step four done!
Assembling and Smothering Your Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
Now for the assembly line! While that filling is simmering, warm up your eight large flour tortillas according to the package instructions; soft, pliable tortillas fold much better, trust me. Lay a tortilla flat and spoon a nice helping of that chicken mixture across the center. Sprinkle a good shower of Monterey Jack cheese right on top of the filling. You want that cheese helping to bind things up.
To roll them, fold the sides of the tortilla inward first—this keeps the filling hemmed in. Then, grab the bottom edge and roll it up tightly, just like you’re tucking in a little package. You want to make sure these are packed snugly! If you’re worried about tearing, give them a quick microwave zap for about 10 seconds before rolling.
Arrange the finished burritos seam-side down in your baking dish. This is key so they don’t unravel while baking! Now, take any remaining green chile sauce you have and lovingly pour it over the top of all those burritos, totally coating them. Sprinkle the last of your shredded cheese right over the sauce.
Into the 375°F oven they go! Bake them for exactly 15 minutes, or until that cheese on top is totally melted and just starting to bubble around the edges. That final bake sets the whole amazing thing together! Enjoy these delicious baked cheesy wonders!
Tips for Perfect Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
I’ve made this recipe countless times, and I’ve learned a few tricks to make sure everyone asks for the recipe card! Forget the basic stuff; these are the pro moves that really elevate your smothered chicken burritos.
Tip number one is for the heat seekers among us: don’t shy away from adding an extra kick! If you want a little more fire, dice up one fresh jalapeño and sauté it right alongside the onion and garlic. It mellows out slightly while it cooks in the sauce, giving you fantastic, layered heat rather than just raw spice.
Secondly, if you’re having a crazy night, don’t even stress about cooking the chicken from scratch. You can absolutely use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to speed things up immensely. Just shred about two cups worth and toss it in with the enchilada sauce and chiles in step three. It saves about 15 minutes of skillet time!
My final piece of advice? When assembling, make sure your Monterey Jack cheese is cold and fresh. Cold cheese melts down beautifully under the sauce and holds the filling in place during that final bake. Warm or oily cheese just sort of melts away, and we want that cheesy cement structure!
Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos Variations
This recipe is fantastic as written, but half the fun of home cooking is tinkering, right? If you want to mix things up next time, I have a few easy swaps that work beautifully with that savory green chile sauce.
For a heartier meal, try adding a can of drained refried beans or black beans right into the chicken mixture when you combine everything in the skillet. It bulks it up without changing the core flavor profile too much.
If you ever have leftover shredded pork—carnitas are amazing—swap out the chicken entirely! Shredded pork tucked inside these smothered beauties is next level comfort food. You can also swap out the Monterey Jack for Pepper Jack if you want just a little extra spice woven into the gooey cheese layer. Check out how different meats taste in a similar saucy chicken dish. It’s all about having fun!
Serving Suggestions for Your Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
You’ve got this gorgeous, saucy masterpiece coming out of the oven. Now, what do you serve with it? You need balance after all that rich, cheesy goodness! I always think simple, fresh sides are the perfect counterpoint to heavy smothered dishes.
My absolute favorite pairing is a big scoop of homemade Mexican rice—you can find my favorite recipe if you need a great one to make from scratch! A side of perfectly seasoned refried beans is also a must for scooping up all that extra green chile sauce left on your plate.
And please, don’t forget the cool toppings: a dollop of cool sour cream or Mexican crema, maybe some finely chopped fresh cilantro sprinkled over the top, and perhaps a side of crisp shredded lettuce if you need something crunchy!
Storage and Reheating Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
Listen, sometimes you just can’t eat eight smothered, cheesy burritos in one sitting—even if you really try! Good news: these freeze and store like a dream. If you have leftovers, cover the baking dish tightly with foil and pop it in the fridge. They’ll taste great for up to four days tucked away in there.
When you’re ready to reheat, I absolutely swear by the oven method if you can manage it. Pop the leftovers (covered or uncovered, your call) into a 350-degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. This keeps that top layer of cheese and sauce from getting gummy.
If you’re in a huge hurry, the microwave works in a pinch, but I won’t lie—it makes the tortilla a little softer than I like. Just zap it for a minute or so until it’s hot all the way through. Do not try to reheat them frozen in the microwave; that just turns into lava soup!
Frequently Asked Questions About Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
I always get tons of questions when people try this recipe for the first time, especially about getting that sauce just right. Here are the top things I always hear!
Can I make the green chile sauce ahead of time?
Oh yes, you absolutely can! In fact, I often make a double batch of the chicken and green chile sauce and keep the extra in the fridge. It actually tastes even better the next day because those spices have time to really settle in. Just store the filling mixture separately from the assembled, unbaked burritos. You can assemble and bake them fresh whenever you need a quick dinner!
What is the best way to prevent the tortillas from tearing when rolling?
This is the secret to beautiful baked burritos that don’t leak all over your baking dish! You have to warm them first, but don’t just put them on the plate. I wrap a stack of five tortillas in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave them for about 30 seconds total. They become super pliable. This makes all the difference when you’re rolling them tightly around that chicken filling.
Are these Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos freezer-friendly?
They are! But here’s my one crucial rule: Do NOT smother them in sauce or top them with cheese before freezing. Assemble the plain burritos tightly—no sauce! Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then pop them into a heavy-duty freezer bag. When you’re ready to bake, thaw them overnight in the fridge, place them in your dish, and then proceed with smothering them in that glorious green chile sauce and cheese before baking.
Nutritional Estimates for Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
Just a quick heads-up, friends! Since we all use slightly different brands of cheese or might add an extra jalapeño or two, the nutritional data I list here is just a general estimate. Please treat these numbers as a ballpark figure, as your final calorie and macro count will definitely change based on the specific ingredients you use in your kitchen!
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Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 8 burritos 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Make flavorful chicken burritos covered in a rich green chile sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10 ounce) can green chiles, undrained
- 1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup water (for thinning sauce, if needed)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Return chicken to the skillet. Stir in green chiles, red enchilada sauce, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to combine.
- If the sauce is too thick, stir in up to 1/2 cup of water until desired consistency is reached.
- Warm the flour tortillas according to package directions.
- Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.
- Fold the sides of the tortilla inward, then roll tightly from the bottom to create a burrito.
- Place burritos seam-side down in a baking dish. Pour remaining green chile sauce over the top of the burritos.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese over the sauce.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- You can use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to speed up the process.
- For extra heat, add a diced jalapeño with the onion.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burrito
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 95
Keywords: Smothered Green Chile Chicken Burritos, green chile sauce, chicken burrito recipe, baked burritos, Monterey Jack cheese