Crispy Southwest Chicken Burrito

I got the idea for our crispy burritos here. I tweaked it to fit our family. We've made them several times now & changed one thing here or there. And they've been amazing every time. Hope you enjoy them, too.

This recipe made 12 burritos total. We made up as many as we needed the first day and then used the leftover ingredients for more the next day.

Ingredients:

Chicken, cooked & shredded (instructions below)

1 can Mexican RoTel (it has lime & cilantro)

1/2 pkg Taco Bell taco seasoning

1 pkg Knorr Rice Sides Spanish Rice

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well

Uncooked tortillas, as many as you need for your family

Shredded cheese

Sour Cream

1 can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

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Directions.........

In crockpot:

2 lbs chicken (I use mine from frozen)

1 can Mexican RoTel

A little water to cover the bottom of the crockpot

Cook on high for 3 hours.

Do not drain the juices. Push the rotel into the crockpot and remove chicken. Shred chicken with forks and return to crockpot. I always add about a 1/2 pkt of Taco Bell taco seasoning and stir until all the chicken is coated. Put the lid on and let the crockpot "keep it warm."

On the stovetop:

Cook 1 pkt of Knorr Rice Sides Spanish Rice according to pkg directions. Let sit when it is done. It's okay if it cools off a little.

On the griddle:

Heat griddle to 400. Cook tortillas according to pkg directions. It is usually about 30 seconds on each side. Ours are from Costco and are Tortilla Land brand. I can cook 2 at a time on our griddle. Don't turn off the griddle. You're going to use it soon to "crisp" the burritos. Keep it at 400 degrees.

Now it is time to build the burrito. Place the tortilla on a plate. Starting at the bottom of the tortilla, add:

spoonful of rice

spoonful of chicken

few dollops of sour cream

spoonful of black beans

Sprinkle with shredded cheese

Carefully wrap it up and place seam side down on the griddle. Once that side is "crisped," rotate to the back side, and continue with the remaining 2 sides.

I can do quite a few burritos at a time on the griddle. I just build the other burritos while the others are "crisping."

Serve hot with green chile sauce on the side. We use a spoon and drizzle it on!

I couldn't get a good picture of a cross section of these and didn't think about it until they had cooled off. But this gives you an idea....

Beef Fajitas

We were craving fajitas one night, but we didn't have a seasoning packet. I turned to the internet and I found this homemade seasoning recipe. I cannot even find it again. It was in really random place. But I had all the ingredients on hand for it, so it is the one I used. And boy it did not disappoint.

We used homemade salsa and fresh tortillas (the kind you heat up on the skillet yourself). They really contributed to a restaurant-style fajita. I doubt I can eat a regular tortilla again. Mmmmmm...... What a fabulous meal it was! Just thinking about it again makes my mouth water. ;)

Fajita Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Red pepper
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon Onion powder
2 Tbsp juice from a fresh lime
Small Dash of worcestershire

Cut steak into fajita strips. Pour seasoning over steak in a ziploc bag. Zip bag and rub seasoning all over meat. We didn't let it marinate. We didn't have time. We just cooked it. But it worked out just fine. You can add peppers and onions if desired. We cooked the onions in a separate pan to caramelize. Once the steak is cooked, pour off the juices and continue cooking steak to "dry it out" a little (not really dry, but not soggy meat pieces). Serve with desired toppings.

Mexican Lasagna

This is a repost of a recipe I put on here 2 years ago! (I can't believe this blog is that old!) It is a family favorite but I never remember to take pictures. Super easy, a kid favorite and if there are leftovers, it reheats well. Plus, it can be made ahead and frozen. My kind of meal!

*See variations at the bottom of post

from a card at a grocery store

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
1 pkg Taco Seasoning -I just do ½ pkg otherwise it can be a little too spicy
1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned salt
1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
½ of a 4oz can of diced green chiles
–I put the other half in a Ziploc bag and freeze it for later. It works really well.
1 cup ricotta cheese – I use cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
10 corn tortillas
2 ½ cups (10 oz.) grated Monterey jack cheese –I just use whatever cheese I have

**Note: the pictures are of a 1/2 batch. It makes just the right amount for my little family of 4. You could make a whole batch in 2 different pans and freeze one for another time.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef, stirring until cooked through; drain fat. Add taco seasoning mix, seasoned salt, tomatoes, tomato sauce and chiles; blend well. (I leave out the chiles because my two little kids don't like the spice. But before we had kids, the chiles were in and they're great!) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

In small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and eggs. (You can leave the eggs out and just do the ricotta/cottage cheese. You'll just need a little more. I don't even measure anymore... I just make sure the tortillas are covered sufficiently.)

In bottom of 13x9x2 inch baking dish, spread ½ of meat mixture.Top with ½ of tortillas;spread ½ of ricotta cheese mixture over tortillasand top with ½ of grated cheese.Repeat layering, ending with grated cheese.Bake, uncovered, in 350 oven 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares. I know it isn't pretty, it all got eaten before I got a picture! And after this picture, it was ALL GONE!

Variation:

For a half batch, I used 1lb hamburger, NO taco seasoning, 1/2 tsp Lawry's, ONE 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with chipotle chiles, 8oz tomato sauce, NO green chiles, NO eggs, cottage cheese, and extra thin corn tortillas. I liked it really well. Very easy having the tomatoes and chiles mixed together. It was the perfect spicy-ness for my family without losing any flavor. I liked the thinner tortillas and it didn't overwhelm the dish at all like some tortillas have in the past. Very good. Will probably do it this way from now on!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I got this from Real Mom Kitchen who got it from Blogger Buffet. But as with most recipes, you get it and tweak it and make it your own. And how could I resist this recipe when it's all done in the crockpot!? I'm all for something else doing all the hard work.

1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups El Pato Enchilada Sauce
1 can cream chicken soup
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp minced onions
1 Tbsp green chiles (more if you want it more spicy)
3 boneless chicken breasts

Just a note about the enchilada sauce... El Pato is good stuff. I think it is the best brand I've used. And I've tried a lot. It sure made a difference in this soup.

Pour enchilada sauce into the crock pot. Add soup and milk and whisk until smooth. Add chicken. Pour black beans, tomatoes, and corn over top. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours on high. Remove chicken and shred it with two forks. Put it back in and stir it all together. (The original recipe calls for 6 to 8 hours on low. However, I forgot to put it together in the morning, so I did it on high and it was still worked out really well.)

Serve with fritos, shredded cheese, and sour cream on top! Avocado might be a good addition as well. I can never get my kids to eat them so I don't even bother. All in all it was a great dish. One we'll definitely be serving again. It made quite a bit for my family of 4. So we froze some and shared some with the neighbors.

Variation: This recipe was a little too spicy for my little kids. So if you are sensitive to some spice, reduce the enchilada sauce to 1 1/2 cups and add 1 small tomato sauce. And if you want it even more mild, you could exclude the chiles, too. However, I thought it was just right for my taste. The sour cream really made it perfect. My husband ate 3 bowls, which is impressive. I think it is a new favorite!

Variation 2: Don't put in the El Pato. Don't put in the chiles. Instead, Use 1 14oz can enchilada sauce (Old El Paso). At the end, drain the juice of 1 can of Original RoTel into a bowl. Pour the contents of the can into the soup. Let simmer for a few minutes and do a taste test. If it is the right "heat," then serve it. If you want it hotter, add the juices as well. This was a great variation! I think we like it best!!!

Meat and Potato Burrito

I love Taco Johns. However, I live 2 hours from the nearest one. So I decided to make my own version of their Meat and Potato Burrito. It actually turned out pretty good. We'll definitely be making them again!

2 lbs hamburger

taco seasoning

water

lettuce, shredded

tomato, cut up

nacho cheese sauce -I just buy a small cup at my convenience store

sour cream

Ore Ida Crispy Crowns

Burrito-sized tortillas

Brown hamburger with minced onions. Drain and return to pan with 1/3 cup water and taco seasoning. Use your own judgement on how much seasoning you want. Turn on low and allow the hamburger to get moist and tasty. If it starts to get too dry, add just a little more water.

Broil the crispy crowns. You want about 6-8 per burrito. I like a little bit more crunch and texture in mine so I use 8. Broil the crispy crowls on high for about 7-8 minutes. Turn them over and broil for another 3-4 minutes. Check until they're golden brown and crisp, but not burnt or soggy.

Wrapped in paper towels, warm up tortillas slightly in microwave.

To make the burrito:

Put some meat and some nacho cheese sauce in the tortilla. I learned later that this was not enough nacho cheese sauce. I think about 2 Tbsp is more appropriate. Maybe more. You don't want a dry burrito. :)

Put the crispy crowns down the center.Pile on sour cream, tomatoes, and lettuce. Then wrap it all up. I didn't have the burrito-sized tortillas and so mine didn't roll up so great. We'll definitely be buying those for next time. I had to use toothpicks to hold them together. As you can see below, the poor thing was bursting at the seams. However, they still tasted great. They're juicy and crispy and oh they're so yummy! Eat and enjoy.

Burrito-ized Mexi Rolls

From Heidi's Brain! :)
This was inspired by J.'s creation... the Mexi-Rolls.1 lb hamburger, cooked and drained
Taco Seasoning to taste
1 pkg Spanish Rice cooked (I use the Lipton/Knorr packets -they're around $1 or less), works best cold
1/2 can of refried beans (regular or black) -use as much or little as you like
grated cheese
Tortillas (I used Burrito Style)
green enchilada sauce (or whichever sauce you prefer)

Directions:
Mix the hamburger and the beans together. Make sure your tortillas are warm enough to fold easily without tearing. Put a medium portion (depending on how full you like your burrito) of meat mixture then some grated cheese and about 3 tablespoons of the rice. Fold in 2 of the "sides" of the tortilla and fold in the other sides and fold it like a burrito.

Place crease down in 9x13 pan and cook in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes depending on how crunchy you like your burrito. Be sure to flip them over half way through so they get cooked evenly on both sides.

**If you like the enchilada sauce then pour it over just before the end so that it is warm then dish it up and serve it with some sour cream and your remaining rice.
**I filled my tortillas kind of generously so I ended up with 6 burritos and also had half of the rice left over as a side to the dish.
**Another option is to roll the tortillas like enchiladas and pour the sauce over it and cook it that way.
Lo-Fat/Lo-Cal Tip:
Replace the hamburger with ground turkey and exchange the beans for fat free refried beans. Or use whole wheat tortillas instead.

Mexican Pizza

from my own brain

I love mexican food. Well, so called "american mexican" food. I could eat it nearly everyday. So I'm always trying to mix up the ingredients and make it different. Here's what I came up with. And you can make it as health or as non-healthy as you want. It's all in the ingredients.

Two small tortillas (or healthy wraps) for each pizza you are going to make
**if you use wraps, and don't want a big pizza, just cut the wrap in half and use those two pieces for the top and the bottom

Pam non-stick spray

For the inside:
Refried Beans, black or regular
Hamburger, seasoned with desired Taco Seasoning
Shredded Cheese
Salsa, optional
Olives, optional
Diced Red or Green peppers, optional
Sliced Jalapenos, optional

Desired toppings:
Olives
Lettuce
Freshly Diced Tomatoes
Sour cream
Diced avocadoes or fresh guacamole
Sliced green, red, yellow, or orange peppers
Sliced Jalapenos

Directions:
Spray one side of tortilla with Pam. Place on a plate (Pam side down) to build your pizza. Depending on what kind of mexican pizza you want, add layers in desired order. For a regular one, spread desired amount of refried beans over the whole tortilla. Add taco meat and shredded cheese. You can put any of the optional items in there if you'd like or just add it later when you pile the lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream on top of the pizza.

Place 2nd tortilla on top. Slide carefully off plate into hot pan. Spray top with Pam. Cook until lightly golden brown on the bottom. Carefully flip it over (you'll want to use two "flippers") and cook on the other side.

For adults, I usually don't cut it into triangles. We just pile the lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, etc. on top and use a fork to eat it. But for some kids, a whole one is too big so we cut it into 4 to 6 triangles and let them eat it as a slice. See below for variations.

For enchilada style mexican pizza:
Refried beans
Enchilada sauce (we like Carlita's)
Taco Meat
Cheese

For chimichanga style:
Refried beans
Spanish rice (we use the Lipton/Knorr Fiesta Sides Spanish Rice)
Taco Meat
Cheese

For chicken:
Replace hamburger with shredded or grilled chicken, also flavored with taco seasoning

For nacho style:
Refried Beans
Taco Meat
Nacho Cheese sauce
Note: For the nacho cheese sauce, we just cook 1 cheddar soup and 1 Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup from Campbells mixed together with a bit of milk added until it is the consistency we want. And then we store the rest in the fridge for another day or snack.

For appetizers:
Cook as desired according to directions. Cut into triangles and serve with dipping choices of guacamole ranch sauce, nacho cheese sauce, salsa, and sour cream

If you have any other variations you think would be good, let me know... I'll add it to this recipe!

Chili

from Gayleen

1 lb hamburger
1 can tomato soup
1 jar of Pace Mild Picante sauce
2-3 cans of beans of your choice -we did pinto beans, black beans, and great northern

Brown hamburger and season as desired with salt and pepper. Drain. Place in crockpot. Add remaining ingredients. Add as little or as many beans as you'd like. A regular batch takes about 2 cans, a double batch 3 or 4. Let warm and serve with onions, cheese, fritos, and sour cream.

This is a super simple recipe but it sure tastes good.

Salsa

from Audrey

3 quarts tomatoes, scalded, peeled, and diced
4 cups chopped onions
5 lg green anaheim peppers
1 lg green bell pepper
1 lg red bell peopper
4-5 jalapeno peppers (keep seeded for hotter salsa)
16 oz tomato sauce
2 cans of 6 oz tomato paste
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
1 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp alum

Chop tomatoes, onions & peppers in food processor. Combine all ingredients in a heavy pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 1 1/2 hours (longer for much thicker salsa). Stir often so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Pour into pint bottles and process in water bath for 20 minutes. Makes 10 to 12 pints.

Mexi-Rolls

(see variation for Southwestern Egg Rolls)
from my own brain

1 pkg egg roll wraps (I like the Nasoya or Melissa's brand, they work best. Don't use Azumaya, they are really chewy and thick. The other brands have a little cornstarch on them and they work better.)
1 lb hamburger, cooked and drained, and cooled
Taco Seasoning to taste
1 pkg Spanish Rice (I use the Lipton/Knorr packets -they're around $1 or less), works best cold
1/2 can of refried beans (regular or black) -use as much or little as you like
grated cheese
Ranch or Guacamole or green chile enchilada sauce (also good mixed with the ranch)


Directions:
Put wraps on a plate. Mix taco seasoning to taste into the hamburger. Add as much refried beans as you want to hamburger. Mix it together until mixed well and sticks together.

Get your assembly line ready. Put some water in a small bowl. You will use it to seal the roll as you roll it up. Have a plate to make the roll on. One to put the rolled roll on and another to put the cooked roll on. I also keep a dry washcloth or paper towel on hand to dry off my assembly plate after I am done with the water. Place small scoop of rice, then small scoop of hamburger/bean mixture, and grated cheese. (It works best if all ingredients are cold. If you use the rice hot, it makes the wrap tear easier. I make the rice earlier in the day and then put it in the fridge.)With fingertips, dab small amount water around filling to the edges of wrap. This helps seal the roll. Starting at the bottom corner, roll up over filling. Continue to wet the wrap with your fingertips. Fold sides in and then top, like an envelope, while continuing to dip fingertips in water on the wrap to seal the roll. See picture below. I know it isn't clear. This is more for illustration than for readingPlace roll in hot fry daddy. I do the heat around 350-375. Just make sure it is good and hot before you plop one in. I don't use the basket because the rolls stick to it. Cook until light golden brown. I can usually do around 3 or 4 at a time -it will depend on how big your fry daddy is. I use the fry daddy slotted spoon thing to remove them when they're done.Here is the finished product. There are quite a few wraps in a package. This recipe usually makes around 16-18 rolls.Cut in half and serve with Ranch, guacamole, or mix them together for a great dip!

For appetizers, cut each egg roll diagonally and place on a plate. Have guacamole ranch, ranch, and green chile enchilada sauce for the dips.

Note: These rolls are easy to make and so yummy. I'm sure they're full of calories. We don't make them a lot, but there are times you've just got to enjoy your food. They are one of Brinlee's very favorite dinners. They take a little bit of time to figure out how to roll the wraps well. But if you use the water on your fingertips to keep sealing it, they should stay together okay.

Variation: I use these rolls for southwestern egg rolls, too. I use chopped, grilled, & seasoned chicken, tostitos southwestern dip, little black beans, corn, chopped cooked spinach, and cheese. Mix up all of this together so that it is thick but not too juicy or too try. It also works best if it is chilled. Spoon it onto egg roll wrap and then roll up like normal. Dip in guacamole ranch dip.

Tortilla Skillet

from campbell's

1 lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 cup salsa (I use homemade salsa, but the recipe says “Pace Chunky Salsa or
Picante Sauce)
1/2 cup water
6-8 flour or corn tortillas cut into 1 inch pieces.
1 cup shredded cheese.

In a skillet, brown hamburger. Drain grease. Add soup, salsa, water, tortillas, and half of the cheese. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes or until hot. Top with remaining cheese. Serves about 4.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

from Lisa

Chicken, cooked and cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup water
1 chicken bullion cube
Taco Seasoning (add in until it is the taste you want)
Tortillas (I prefer flour tortillas)

Mix up and reserve 1 cup to put on the top.

Fill tortillas. Roll up and place in pan. Pour reserved filling over top and cover with cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted and tortillas are warm all the way through. About 20-30 minutes.

Lo-fat tip: Use yogurt sour cream.

Taco Soup

(a.k.a. More! More! Casserole)
from mom -with my own changes

1 lb hamburger
1 1/2 cups+ elbow macaroni, cooked
3 cups Campbell’s Tomato Juice
1 can Hunt’s Petite Diced Tomatoes
1/2 to whole can corn
1/2 pkg Taco Bell Taco Seasoning
1 tsp+ Chili Powder
Minced Onions

In skillet, brown hamburger with minced onions. Remove from skillet to drain grease. Add taco seasoning. In skillet, add diced tomatoes, chili powder, and tomato juice. Allow to simmer slightly and add hamburger. Simmer a few more minutes while you wait for your elbow roni to finish cooking. Add corn. Add macaroni. Taste check to see if it needs more chili powder or taco seasoning. We like ours a little juicy so I add more tomato juice if needed. Serve promptly.

Can be served with toppings such as shredded cheese, Fritos, or with corn bread.

Enchilada Pie

from Rhonda

1 lb hamburger, browned & drained
1 can Rosarita enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup (cream of chicken can be used if needed)
Shredded cheese
Crushed chips (Doritos or Fritos work well)

In casserole dish, crush enough chips to cover the bottom well.Mix hamburger, enchilada sauce, and soup.Layer over chips, and sprinkle with cheese. Layer again with chips, then meat mixture, and top with cheese. Bake at 350º until bubbly, approx 30 min.