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.
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Fajita Burritos
An original Eat Laugh Purr recipe
Makes 6 burritos
Ingredients: for the bean filling
- 2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 chiles in adobo sauce
- 1 Tablespoon, fire roasted green chiles or green chiles
- 1/ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 (15 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Ingredients: for the cilantro rice
- 1 cup long grained rice (I used basmati), rinsed lightly in cold water
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 cups water
- 1-2 small limes
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- About 3 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- Salt to taste
Remaining ingredients:
- 2 onion, thickly sliced
- 2 red or green bell pepper, thickly sliced
- 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 10 inch tortillas
- Shredded Cheddar or Mexican cheese
- Sour Cream
- Guacamole
- Salsa
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 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 and 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 needed.
- FOR VEGGIES: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 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 then roll up burrito style.
SPECIAL NOTES:
This looks more intimidating than it really is! I start by getting the veggies ready then set them aside. Next, I get the beans going. Once they are cooking, I start on the rice. Once the rice is boiling, I then put the veggies in the oven. The beans will probably get done first, but they can also hangout the longest too. You may need to add a little more water so they don’t dry out. Otherwise, once the rice is done so are the veggies, and it’s time assemble and eat!
Also, you need to briefly heat your tortillas before assembling, so they become pliable. Otherwise, when you try to fold them, they may crack. I generally spray them with a bit of nonstick spray and heat them in a skillet for a few seconds on each side. You can also heat them in the microwave too.
You will have leftover chiles in adobo sauce and fire roasted green chiles. I don’t like to waste food, so may I suggest you use some of the leftover chiles in adobo sauce to make the yummiest chiptole dip that goes great with sweet potato fries or with sandwiches. Or add a little sour cream to the chiptole dip and serve with the burritos. I used the leftover fire roasted green chiles in an omelet the next morning. So good!
Enjoy!
Glad to see your back from your culinary funk! This looks so good; Chipotle burrito, step aside!
Thanks Jenny! These were delish, although I might be biased. 😀