As you may recall, I had an epic fail in the kitchen last week when I attempted to try a new pancake recipe. Crash and burn, baby. Thankfully, it was just a minor hiccup on the road to some good eats!
I love Mexican food and generally try to find an authentic mom and pop restaurant to support. But I can admit, without shame, that I adore Chipotle’s vegetarian fajita burritos. They are so yummy! And my version turned out pretty fantastic too.
For me, the key component is imitating their cilantro rice. Now, I’m not a big fan of cilantro. In fact, I really dislike it, even though I strangely adore this rice. It’s the perfect combination of sweet (thanks to a little sugar) and sour (thanks to a little lime).
You also need to use the right kind of tortilla. In Southern California it’s not too hard to find a light yet chewy tortilla. I used Romero’s Tortillas, which I found at Target. If your grocery store doesn’t carry that brand, then Mission is a good substitute.
This recipe does have a few steps but surprisingly comes together quickly and is so flavorful. Plus, it reheats beautifully too. I plan to share my famous (at least in my mind) guacamole recipe on Wednesday.
Fajita Burritos
Ingredients
- 2 tsp canola or vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 chilies in adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp fire roasted green chiles
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cans 15 oz pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 6 10-inch flour tortillas
- sour cream optional topping
- cheddar or Mexican blend shredded cheese optional topping
- guacamole or avocado slices optional topping
- salsa optional topping
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 cup long grain rice rinsed
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cups water
- 1-2 limes
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp cilantro chopped
- salt to taste
Fajita Veggies
- 2 onions thickly sliced
- 2 red or green bell peppers thickly slices
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- FOR BEANS: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to the pan, cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup water, green chilies, 2 whole chiles in adobo sauce and beans, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer for 10 minutes, or until liquid is almost absorbed. Remove chiles for mild beans or leave them in for spicy beans. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Lightly mash with a fork or potato masher. If it gets dry, add a little water.
- FOR RICE: In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. Add the rice and sugar and stir well. Once the rice gets aromatic and slightly toasted, add the juice of 1 lime. Stir for a minute. Add 2 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is fork tender. Stir in chopped cilantro and extra lime juice, if desired.
- FOR VEGGIES: Preheat oven to 400℉. On a large cookie sheet, pile the bell pepper and onion slices together. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste then combine until the veggies are coated with olive oil. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until tender, but still crunchy.
- TO ASSEMBLE: Spoon about 1/3 cup of the rice down the center of each tortilla followed by about 1/3 cup of bean mixture. Add a few slices of bell pepper and onion and your favorite toppings (sour cream, guacamole, etc) then roll up burrito style. Serve immediately.
Notes
Enjoy!
Tanya