Salsa Verde Burritos
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Salsa Verde Burritos are stuffed with seasoned chicken and a creamy cheese sauce, then baked in just 30 minutes! They're smothered with pepper jack cheese, diced avocado, salsa verde, cilantro and fresh limes for a family favorite dish!
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Why You'll Love It
- Quick and Easy Meal: bakes in just 30 minutes!
- Delicious Filling: great salsa verde flavor made with fresh and simple ingredients
- Can Make Ahead: mix the filling ahead of time and fill tortillas when ready to bake
- Simple to Customize: make it vegetarian, or add shredded chicken, beef or pork
- Best Green Burritos: goes great with other popular Mexican dishes!
Recipe Highlights
This Salsa Verde Chicken Burrito recipe is a favorite Mexican dish because it can be customized however you wish! The burrito filling is made with cream cheese, seasoned chicken and sour cream for an over-the-top flavorful meal, but you can add veggies and rice if desired.
If that's not enough, imagine cool avocado and fresh cilantro mixed with a zesty salsa verde sauce, then slathered on top of each stuffed tortilla. It's a smothered burrito recipe with tons of Mexican flavor that makes a delicious and hearty meal!
You'll love this easy salsa verde recipe that's perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions like Cinco de Mayo and Taco Tuesday. Plus, smothered green burritos taste great when served with Blueberry Sriracha Margaritas or Strawberry Orange Sangria!
Equipment
- large skillet
- casserole dish
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- cooked chicken - rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken tenders
- flour tortillas - to wrap the burritos
- cream cheese - the base for the filling
- sour cream - adds creaminess and thickness
- pepper jack cheese - gooey cheese with a little kick
- fresh cilantro - adds tons of fresh flavor
- salsa verde - a mild green tomatillo sauce
- avocado - cools things down
- limes - adds a zesty twist
How to Make Salsa Verde Burritos
- Dice the chicken and sprinkle it with Tajin or Mexican seasoning.
- Sear each tortilla in a pan over medium heat, or over a gas flame on the stovetop for a few seconds. This adds a nice char to the tortilla, but you can optionally heat them in the microwave.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese and sour cream with a mixer until creamy.
- Add pepper jack cheese, store-bought rotisserie chicken and chopped cilantro. Blend well.
- Spoon a generous amount of filling into the middle of each tortilla, then spread with a knife. Fold the tortilla over and place burritos in an oven-safe casserole dish.
- Continue adding burritos to the dish in a row until the dish is full.
- Sprinkle the burritos with 1 cup of the pepper jack cheese, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly.
- Cool burritos for 10-15 minutes before smothering with toppings to turn them green!
Add Toppings
- Mix salsa verde and spread it down the middle of the burritos while they're still in the dish.
- Sprinkle avocado and cilantro down the middle as well.
- Add lime wedges as a garnish.
- Serve with sour cream and extra sauce if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Sear the tortillas on the stovetop in a skillet or directly over a gas flame for a few seconds if you want a nice char. They heat up fast, so be careful!
- Burritos fold easier if they are warmed by searing or placing in the microwave for a few seconds. They're meant to be heated before filling with ingredients.
- The chicken filling is packed with cheese and sour cream, but it's pretty thick. This helps it stay inside the tortilla while baking.
- This recipe works well in a 6 x 9 inch baking dish with 6 inch tortillas. If you use a bigger dish, you might want to increase the tortillas to 10 inches.
- Be sure to spray your casserole dish with cooking spray to avoid sticking.
What's the Spice Level?
The spice level of Salsa Verde Burritos is mild to medium. The filling has a little spice from the pepper jack cheese, but it's not overwhelming. You can substitute a milder cheese like Monterey jack if desired.
The only ingredient that has a mild kick is the Salsa Verde, but you can find green salsa with no spice at your local market. If you love spicy food, you can always add jalapeños or green chiles to the filling before baking.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these easy chicken burritos with refried beans or black beans. Add a side of Spanish rice for a Mexican style meal the whole family will love! Be sure to provide a bowl of extra salsa verde and green chiles or jalapeños for the spicy folks in your family.
A dollop of sour cream is also a great topping if you want to cool things down. I also like to include a bowl of tortilla chips for dipping into the extra sauce and cheesy goodness!
Variations
- Make green chili burritos with a homemade hatch green chile sauce.
- Add chopped green onions as a topping.
- Stuff burritos with ground beef, bell peppers and Mexican spices.
- Add a side of Mexican rice and veggies to the burritos before baking.
- Use sharp cheddar cheese instead of pepper jack.
- Make a salsa verde burrito bowl by serving the toppings over rice.
- Top with fresh jalapeños for a spicy kick!
Storage and Freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals until warm throughout. Remember to keep the topping cold and separate from the burritos.
Freeze unbaked burritos in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Freeze the salsa in a separate container. You'll need to purchase fresh avocado and limes when it's time to serve.
Thaw ingredients in the refrigerator overnight before assembly. Bake burritos in a 350ºF oven for 30 minutes until bubbly. Top with fresh toppings for a delicious meal!
Recipe FAQs
Salsa verde is an uncooked salsa made from tomatillos, onion, jalapeño, lime, and cilantro. It's easy to make from scratch if you don't mind peeling the tomatillos! It's even easier to buy a jar of salsa verde in the grocery store, which can be found where other types of salsa are located.
Burritos covered in sauce are often called wet burritos, or smothered. The terms are interchangeable, but both refer to a flavorful sauce that makes this dish come alive with flavor!
Salsa verde is milder than red salsa, which tends to be the hotter of the two. Cilantro is usually a common ingredient in both types of salsa, but salsa verde is made with the mild tomatillo, and adds less spice to the mix.
More Mexican Food
If you love easy recipes with tons of flavor, try my other delicious recipes with a Mexican flair. If you combine all of these dishes together, you'll have an amazing FIESTA! Be sure to invite all of your friends to enjoy the fun!
- Fiesta Rice Bowl
- Skillet Mexican Street Corn
- Easy Chicken Tostadas
- Dutch Oven Carnitas
- Mexican Shredded Beef
- Sheet Pan Taco Bake
- Baja Chicken Tacos
Recipe Card
Salsa Verde Burritos
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
BURRITOS
- 3 cups cooked chicken diced
- 1 teaspoon Tajin seasoning (or Mexican seasoning / seasoned salt)
- 6 flour tortillas 8 inches
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 cups pepper jack cheese divided
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
TOPPING
- 2 cups salsa verde
- 1 avocado diced
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 limes cut in wedges
- sour cream optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Sprinkle chicken with a dash of Tajin seasoning and cook in a skillet, or use rotisserie chicken that's already been cooked. Dice into small bites.
- If desired, sear each tortilla in a pan or over gas flame on stove for a few seconds. This adds a nice char to the tortilla, but it is not required. Take care not to burn the tortillas. It only takes a few seconds for them to char.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese and sour cream with a mixer until creamy.
- Add 2 cups of the pepper jack cheese, chicken and cilantro. Blend well.
- Spoon a generous amount of filling into the middle of each tortilla, then spread with a knife. Fold the tortilla over and place it in an oven-safe casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Continue adding burritos to the dish in a row.
- Sprinkle the burritos with 1 cup of the pepper jack cheese, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly.
- Cool burritos for 10 minutes before adding toppings.
TOPPING
- Mix salsa verde with chopped cilantro and spread down the middle of the burritos while they're still in the dish.
- Sprinkle avocado and more fresh cilantro down the middle as well.
- Add lime wedges as a garnish.
- Serve with sour cream if desired.
Notes
- If desired, add green chiles or jalapeños to the filling for extra heat.
- Save prep time by using rotisserie chicken if you wish.
- Searing the tortillas for a few seconds on the stovetop creates a nice char on the burrito. Use a skillet or place directly over gas flame. Be careful! Tortillas can burn quickly.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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Can't wait to make this! Looks so good!
Totally making these sometime!!!
Awesome! Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
I need these right now! I can’t wait to try!
They are so yummy! Let me know what you think when you make them. 🙂
So easy to assemble-and delicious!
Yes! That's one of the nicest perks about these burritos. They come together quickly! 🙂