Chicken Tinga Burrito Recipe

Ash Tyrrell

Chicken Tinga Burrito Recipe

I made these chicken tinga burritos for the first time on a lazy Sunday, and honestly, I haven't stopped making them since. There's something about shredded, saucy chicken wrapped up with rice and creamy avocado that just hits every time

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Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers – these bring natural sweetness once charred
1 orange bell pepper – adds extra fruity depth to the sauce
2 red chili peppers – this is where most of the heat comes from
1 green chili pepper – balances the red chilies with a fresher grassy bite
2 cm piece fresh ginger chopped – gives the sauce a warm, zippy background note
1 garlic clove chopped – rounds out the flavor with savory depth
1 tablespoon walnut oil – helps everything blend into a silky sauce
2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt – cools the heat and adds creaminess
A few drops of Tabasco sauce – use this to dial the spice up or down
Pinch of sea salt – wakes up all the other flavors
4 soft flour tortillas – warm them briefly so they don't crack while folding
4 chicken breasts – boneless works best for easy shredding
200 g cooked white rice – use freshly cooked rice not cold leftovers, for the best texture
1 avocado peeled and sliced – slice it just before assembling so it doesn't brown
Handful of fresh parsley chopped – adds a pop of color and freshness
Greek yogurt for dressing – a cooling contrast to the spicy chicken
Extra green chili for serving – for anyone who wants an extra kick

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Deseed and roughly chop the bell peppers and chili peppers, then spread them on a baking tray. Grill them for 5-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins start to blacken. This charring step is what gives the sauce its smoky flavor, so don't rush past it.
Transfer the charred peppers to a blender along with the ginger, garlic, walnut oil, yogurt, Tabasco, and salt. Blitz until completely smooth. Taste it here and adjust more Tabasco for heat, more yogurt if it feels too fiery. You should end up with a silky, deep orange sauce.
Score three shallow lines into the top of each chicken breast so the sauce can soak in. Line an oven-proof dish with foil, spread a third of the sauce on the bottom, then place the chicken on top, scored side down. Spoon another third of the sauce over the chicken and spread evenly.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Check on it, drain off any excess liquid, then re-cover and bake for another 10 minutes. The chicken should be fully cooked through and very tender by this point.
Take the chicken out and shred it right in the dish using a knife and fork, mixing it into the sauce as you go. Cover again and pop it back in the oven for a final 10 minutes so the shredded chicken really soaks up all that flavor.
While the chicken finishes, warm your tortillas for 10-20 seconds in the microwave so they're pliable. Lay the fillings in a row down the center chicken, rice, avocado slices leaving space on each side. Top with the reserved sauce, a spoon of yogurt, and chopped parsley.
Fold the edge closest to you over the filling, tuck in both sides, then roll it up tightly. Seal the edge with a small dab of yogurt to hold it closed. Slice on the diagonal if you like a fancier presentation, and serve right away.

Notes

I always char the peppers a little more than feels comfortable that extra blackening really deepens the smoky flavor.
I like to marinate the chicken in the sauce for an hour before baking whenever I have the time, since it makes the flavor so much stronger.
I keep a window open or the extractor fan running while charring peppers, because it does get smoky in the kitchen.
I never skip tasting the sauce before using it, since the heat level can vary a lot depending on your chilies.
I warm my tortillas right before assembling, not earlier, so they stay soft and don't dry out while I'm prepping everything else.