Easy Burrito Bar

Name: Easy Burrito Bar
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 20 serving
Ingredients: 5 lbs. chicken (I used 10 boneless chicken breasts); 3 cups uncooked white rice; 2 bunches cilantro; 3 cans black beans; 4 small onions; 10 limes; 1 garlic head; 1 can chipotles in adobo (optional); 3 lbs. roma tomatoes (approx. 12-14 tomatoes); 1.5 lbs. tomatillos (approx. 10-12 tomatillos); 5 jalapeños; 10 avocados; cumin; salt; black pepper; olive oil; 20-30 flour tortillas (burrito-sized); 2 lbs. cheese

User Reviews

4.3

27 reviews

Good

Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Servings
20
Calories
1043 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Vegetarian

Easy Burrito Bar

Ximena Brandt

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This is a great recipe for a Burrito Bar! It's enough for 20 people, but feel free to cut the recipe in half for smaller groups.

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Ingredients

Servings

5 lbs. chicken (I used 10 boneless chicken breasts)
3 cups uncooked white rice
2 bunches cilantro
3 cans black beans
4 small onions
10 limes
1 garlic head
1 can chipotles in adobo (optional)
3 lbs. roma tomatoes (approx. 12-14 tomatoes)
1.5 lbs. tomatillos (approx. 10-12 tomatillos)
5 jalapeños
10 avocados
cumin
salt
black pepper
olive oil
20-30 flour tortillas (burrito-sized)
2 lbs. cheese

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Instructions

I brined and sauteed the chicken for this batch, but keep in mind you are welcome to cook the chicken however you see fit. To brine the chicken, add 1 cup Kosher or sea salt to a gallon of water (4 quarts) in a large bowl or pot. Dissolve the salt and add the chicken. Cover and let brine in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. If it won't fit in the fridge I usually just give it a shorter brine on the countertop for 30 minutes or so.
For the Salsa you'll roast all of the tomatillos and 6 of the tomatoes. De-husk the tomatillos and give 'em a good rinse. Rinse the tomatoes as well, then de-stem both the tomatoes and tomatillos. Place 10-12 tomatillos and 6 tomatoes on a baking tray and roast in the oven at 400F for 30 minutes or so.
Once you've reached this point I usually find it easiest to build a few cutting board stations in the kitchen and then recruit some helpers! Give them each a dish that they can see through from beginning to end. The steps below will detail how to build each dish from start to finish. You can print multiple copies of the instructions so each of your helpers has a reference.
For the Cilantro Lime Rice start by adding 3 cups rice and a glug of olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the rice, stirring regularly, until it is starting to turn light brown. Add 4 cups water (or stock) to the pan along with 1.5 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to a simmer and let it cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Once cooked you can remove it from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes, covered. Chop up 15-20 sprigs cilantro and add it to the rice along with the juice of 2 limes. Combine well. Note: be sure to give the cilantro a good rinse. You can use the upper stems of the cilantro, but I usually twist off and discard the bottom portion of the stems.
For the Refried Beans, start by peeling 4 garlic cloves and roughly chopping 1 small onion. Cook the onion and garlic in a glug of oil over medium heat in a big skillet (you can leave the garlic cloves whole). Once the onion is starting to brown add 3 cans of beans (drained and rinsed), 3-5 chipotles in adobo, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1.5 teaspoons salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1.5 cups water (or stock). You can use less chipotles for a milder version. Let simmer for a few minutes until heated through and then add everything to a blender, combining well. Take a final taste for seasoning and heat. Add more salt if necessary and if you want more heat you can add more chipotles. I usually add the beans to a bowl, cover with foil, and let them sit on an unused part of the stove to help keep them warm. Note: you can always thicken up the blended beans by simmering them over low heat, or thin them out by adding splashes of water.
For the Guacamole, finely chop 1/2 onion. Use the back of a fork to smoosh the onion until it turns translucent. Add the onion to a bowl along with the flesh of 10 avocados, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the juice of 3-4 limes. Mush and mix well. Taste for seasoning, adding dashes of salt and lime until you like it.
For the Pico de Gallo, you'll need 6 tomatoes, 1 small onion, 1-2 jalapenos, 15-20 sprigs cilantro, the juice of 2 limes, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Give the tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro a good rinse, de-stemming the tomatoes and removing the bottom portion of the cilantro stems. Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, jalapenos and cilantro, adding it to a mixing bowl along with the juice of 2 limes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Taste for salt. Use a single jalapeno for a mild version, or 2 jalapenos for a more fiery version.
For the Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa, add the 6 roasted tomatoes and 10-12 roasted tomatillos to a blender along with 1 small onion (peeled), 4 peeled garlic cloves, 2-3 rinsed and de-stemmed jalapenos (use less for a milder version), 15-20 sprigs rinsed cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Combine well (I usually leave it a bit chunky.) Take a taste for seasoning -- to add more heat simply add more jalapeno.
Once the chicken has brined you can drain it and pat dry, then chop it into bite-sized pieces. I usually eyeball the additional seasoning so feel free to improvise. For this batch I added the following ingredients to the chopped chicken in a large mixing bowl: the adobo sauce from the can of chipotles, a few minced chipotles, freshly cracked black pepper, olive oil. Combine well. Keep in mind that the brine gives your chicken TONS of flavor and the additional seasoning is just a bonus.
I usually cook the chicken right at the end, but remember that you can cook the chicken however you see fit. I cooked this batch on the stovetop in two large skillets. If you want to do that, start by chopping up an onion. Add it to the pan(s) along with a glug of oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot you can add the chopped chicken pieces. Form a single layer with the chicken and leave it until the pieces are nearly cooked through, then flip and cook the second side until done. Once cooked, set the chicken aside in a serving bowl and cover with foil.
Line up all your fixings in serving bowls: Cilantro Lime Rice, Refried Beans, Pico de Gallo, Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa, Guacamole, cheese (I shredded 2 lbs. of Jack), the cooked chicken, and the burrito-sized flour tortillas.
Let your friends and family build their own personal burrito masterpiece! For smaller groups I like to crisp up the rolled burritos in a dry skillet over medium heat until the tortilla is forming light brown spots. This can be harder for larger groups but it's something to keep in mind for smaller groups and for leftovers :)
You'll have plenty of Salsa so it's worth putting some in a bowl on the table if people want to add more as their burritos start to disappear.
Store leftovers in the fridge and you'll be able to whip up burritos on the fly for the next few days. Enjoy!!

Notes

I use the upper stems of the cilantro that hold the leaves together, but I usually twist off and discard the bottom, thicker portion of the stems.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 1043kcal (52%) Carbohydrates 97g (32%) Protein 53g (106%) Fat 51g (78%) Saturated Fat 17g (85%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g Monounsaturated Fat 21g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 130mg (43%) Sodium 614mg (26%) Potassium 2083mg (60%) Fiber 21g (84%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 1485IU (30%) Vitamin C 41mg (46%) Calcium 501mg (50%) Iron 7mg (39%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1043 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	1043kcal	52%
Carbohydrates	97g	32%
Protein	53g	106%
Fat	51g	78%
Saturated Fat	17g	85%
Polyunsaturated Fat	7g	41%
Monounsaturated Fat	21g	105%
Trans Fat	0.1g	5%
Cholesterol	130mg	43%
Sodium	614mg	26%
Potassium	2083mg	44%
Fiber	21g	84%
Sugar	8g	16%
Vitamin A	1485IU	30%
Vitamin C	41mg	46%
Calcium	501mg	50%
Iron	7mg	39%