A from-scratch, upgraded copycat of Chipotle's chicken burrito — smoky spice-rubbed chicken, cilantro lime rice, black beans, homemade salsas, and hand-pressed flour tortillas, all built to out-flavor the fast-casual original.
Chicken breastTo be coated in the smoky dry spice rub2
Fresh green jalapeñosUsed to make the homemade chipotle-style spice mix~3-4est.
Habanero-type peppers (Hinata variety)Adds fruity flavor with less heat~2-3est.
Roma and cherry tomatoesAdds umami and red color to the spice mix~1 lbest.
Onion~1 mediumest.
Garlic~4-5 clovesest.
Fresh oregano~2 tbspest.
Coriander seeds~1 tbspest.
Cumin seeds
~1 tbspest.
Saltto taste
Lime juiceUsed to tenderize chicken and season salsas/rice~2 tbspest.
Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauceUsed for the classic wet marinade version1 can
Long green peppersFor the salsa verde~2-3est.
Small plum tomatoes (tomatillo substitute)Picked just as they start to ripen to mimic tomatillo tartness and color~1 lbest.
Jalapeño (for salsa verde)1
Red onion~1 mediumest.
Cooking oil sprayUsed to spray vegetables before air frying~2-3 spraysest.
Fresh cilantro~½ cupest.
CornFor the corn-pico salsa~1 cupest.
Roma tomatoes (for pico)~3-4est.
Mild green peppersMixed with jalapeños to bulk up and balance heat~2est.
SugarA small amount to enhance sweetness~½ tspest.
Long grain white jasmine rice1 cup
Avocado oilSprayed on rice to evenly distribute oil~2 tbspest.
Dried black beansSoaked overnight before cooking~1½ cupsest.
Bay leaf~1est.
All-purpose flourFor homemade tortillas, based on a King Arthur recipe~3 cupsest.
Rendered beef fatUsed as the fat in the tortilla dough~6 ozest.
Baking powderHelps the tortilla puff slightly~1 tspest.
Hot waterUsed to form the tortilla dough~1 cupest.
Sour creamUsed when assembling the burrito to help hold ingredients together~¼ cupsest.
Steps
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1
Harvest jalapeños, habanero-type peppers, and tomatoes; remove stems, halve them, then smoke at a low temperature for about 6 hours to let the flavor penetrate.
2
After smoking, add onion and garlic, then dehydrate all the vegetables and aromatics at 130°F for two days until fully dried.
3
Deseed the dried peppers (keep some seeds for extra heat if desired), then grind them with the dehydrated oregano, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and salt into a dry spice rub.
4
Coat two chicken breasts evenly with the homemade smoky spice rub and add a splash of lime juice to help tenderize the meat.
5
Marinate two more chicken breasts in a blended wet marinade made from canned chipotle peppers in adobo; refrigerate both versions for about 14 hours.
6
Grill both marinated chicken batches over a wood fire until cooked through, keeping the two versions separate for comparison.
7
For the salsa verde, spray long green peppers, semi-ripe plum tomatoes, one jalapeño, and red onion with oil, then broil in an air fryer for 7-8 minutes until charred.
8
Pulse the roasted vegetables in a food processor with fresh garlic, cilantro, and lime juice until you get a chunky salsa verde.
9
For the corn-pico salsa, chop and combine corn, roma tomatoes, green peppers, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, and red onion.
10
Season this salsa with lime juice, salt, and a touch of sugar to enhance the natural sweetness.
11
For the cilantro lime rice, rinse one cup of long grain jasmine rice until the water runs clear, then cook it in a rice cooker or pot.
12
Once cooked, transfer the rice to a bowl, mix in chopped cilantro, spray with avocado oil, then add the juice of one lime and toss together.
13
For the black beans, soak dried black beans overnight, then simmer them the next day with red onion, garlic, and a bay leaf over low heat for about 2 hours.
14
Once the beans are tender enough to mash between your fingers but still hold their shape, season with salt at the end to prevent them from breaking apart early.
15
For the tortillas, weigh out the flour, work in the rendered beef fat until it resembles pie dough, add baking powder and salt, then mix in hot water to form the dough.
16
Over the next hour, repeatedly fold and rest the dough until smooth, then ideally let it rest overnight in the fridge.
17
The next day, portion the dough (about 115g each), roll into roughly 12-inch rounds, and dry-cook in a large skillet, flipping frequently until bubbled and lightly charred on both sides.
18
Assemble the burrito by layering the cilantro lime rice, chopped chicken, salsa verde, and a bit of sour cream to help everything stick together, then roll it up tightly.
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