Barbecue Chicken Burritos

Training camp. Day one of the first real fall camp since 2019. I walked onto the field at six AM before anyone else arrived and stood at the fifty-yard line for a while. This is something I do before important things — I want the space in silence before it fills with noise and intention. The field in the early morning in August is the cleanest version of itself: just grass and lines and possibility.

Diego is the starter at running back. He knows it. The team knows it. I called the play that got him his first varsity rep in 2019. He's been carrying the number 24 since spring. He belongs on this field and he knows he belongs on this field and the knowing has made him steadier rather than inflated. That's the tell. Inflated players think the belief is the destination. Grounded players know the belief is the fuel.

Hector and Mom drove up this week for the first day of camp. This was Marisol's doing — she organized the trip, drove the car, got Hector packed. He doesn't travel well anymore. The drive takes it out of him. But he was there on the first day of camp, sitting in the bleachers in the August heat, his hat pulled down, watching. I saw him from the field during early morning drills and raised my hand. He raised his. That was the whole conversation. That was a complete conversation.

Camp breakfast: scrambled eggs and refried beans and flour tortillas, made in bulk for the staff. My contribution to the camp kitchen. Tui eats four plates every morning and works it off by nine AM. This is the arithmetic of a man who plays at two-sixty and coaches people how to use it.

The flour tortillas in that camp kitchen are what started this. Every morning I’m wrapping something — eggs, beans, whatever’s hot — because a burrito holds together the way a good camp day should: everything in one place, nothing falling apart. When Hector raised his hand from the bleachers that morning, I needed something to do with my hands before the whistle blew, and rolling burritos is exactly that kind of work. These barbecue chicken burritos have become my go-to when I’m cooking for the staff mid-camp, because Tui will eat four and I’ll never hear a complaint, and that’s the only review that matters.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked long-grain white rice
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
6 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Season and warm the chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and the shredded cooked chicken. Stir in garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the barbecue sauce. Pour barbecue sauce over the chicken and stir to coat evenly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and coat every shred.
Warm the beans. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the black beans with a pinch of salt and a splash of water for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.
Warm the tortillas. Wrap the flour tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30–45 seconds, or warm them one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 20 seconds per side.
Assemble the burritos. Lay a warm tortilla flat. Spread a spoonful of sour cream down the center, then layer with rice, black beans, barbecue chicken, shredded cheese, salsa, and a pinch of fresh cilantro.
Roll and seal. Fold in the sides of the tortilla, then roll tightly from the bottom up. Place seam-side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Optional: crisp on the skillet. For a toasted exterior, place each burrito seam-side down in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes per side until lightly golden and sealed.

Nutrition (per serving)

Barbecue Chicken Burritos — The Camp Kitchen Feed That Fuels a Season