Smothered Burrito

The cookbook queries are out — seven now, scattered to publishers across the South. Each one a prayer in an envelope. Each one a small act of faith that someone will read about Mama's fried chicken and feel what I feel when I make it, which is: the whole world in a skillet. I'm not expecting miracles. I'm expecting what Mama taught me to expect, which is that showing up and doing the work eventually produces something worth eating.

At school, the end-of-year crunch. Eighth graders preparing for high school, sixth graders finally comfortable only to discover the year's ending, seventh graders in the no-man's-land of middle childhood where everything is too much and not enough simultaneously. I love this job. I love it the way you love a garden — it requires constant attention, produces unpredictable results, and occasionally something blooms so beautifully you forget about the weeds.

Aaliyah is finishing 8th grade at the Decatur magnet. She's been accepted to a performing arts high school — for visual art. The girl who drew made-up flowers in class instead of writing is going to a school that values what she can do. I didn't get her into that school. Her art got her in. I just told her the flowers were worth drawing.

Made a big pot of white chicken chili this week — chicken, white beans, green chilies, cumin, lime, sour cream stirred in at the end. A recipe I developed myself, one of the "When Tuesday Needs Something" recipes from the cookbook. Curtis ate it and said, "This is different from regular chili." I said, "That's the point." He said, "Hm." The "hm" was an 8.3. I'm getting very precise with the Curtis scale.

The white chicken chili went fast — Curtis’s "hm" basically said it all — and it got me thinking about the whole category of recipes I’ve been developing for the cookbook: the ones built for a Tuesday, when you’re tired but still want to show up for dinner the way you showed up for everything else that day. This smothered burrito lives in that same spirit: warm, filling, and just involved enough to feel intentional without demanding more than you have left to give. It’s the kind of meal that wraps around you, which is exactly what the end of a long school week requires.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked white rice
1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
Optional toppings: sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, pickled jalapeños

Instructions

Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
Season the filling. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, cooked rice, diced green chilies, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the sour cream and salsa until the filling is evenly coated and creamy.
Assemble the burritos. Warm the flour tortillas for 20–30 seconds in the microwave to make them pliable. Spoon about 3/4 cup of filling down the center of each tortilla and top with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Fold in the sides and roll tightly, placing each burrito seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
Smother with sauce. Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over all four burritos, making sure the tops are fully covered. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the sauce.
Bake. Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the sauce is heated through. The edges of the tortillas should be just barely crisping under the sauce.
Rest and serve. Let the burritos rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Smothered Burrito — When Tuesday Needs Something Warm to Hold Onto