Mission Burrito
intro
Oversized, foil-wrapped Mission Burritos are packed with cilantro-lime rice, seasoned chicken, beans, and fresh toppings for a hearty, portable, no-utensil meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Make cilantro-lime rice
Rinse 200 grams of long-grain white rice under cold running water until the runoff is completely clear. Add rinsed rice and 400 ml of water to a small lidded saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and simmer for 18 minutes until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, stir in 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice and 15 grams of chopped cilantro, then cover and set aside to keep warm.
Cook spiced chicken
Pat 450 grams of 1cm-cut chicken thigh strips completely dry with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral cooking oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (175°C/350°F). Toss the dried chicken strips with 2.5 tablespoons of taco seasoning until evenly coated, then add to the hot skillet in a single uncrowded layer. Cook for 6-7 minutes total, flipping strips halfway through, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and edges are slightly golden and crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.
Warm seasoned beans
Add the rinsed, drained 400 grams of black beans to a small ceramic saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the remaining 0.5 tablespoon of taco seasoning and 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice, then cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are fully heated through and the liquid is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Warm flour tortillas
Heat each 12-inch flour tortilla one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat for 15 seconds per side, until soft and pliable, or wrap the full stack of tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Keep warmed tortillas wrapped in a clean cotton kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out or cracking during assembly.
Layer burrito fillings
Lay one warm tortilla flat on a 30cm square sheet of aluminum foil. Add fillings in a neat 10cm-wide line down the exact center of the tortilla, leaving 5cm of empty space at the top and bottom edges to allow for folding: first 1/4 of the cilantro-lime rice, then 1/4 of the seasoned black beans, 1/4 of the cooked chicken, 37.5 grams of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 30 ml of sour cream, 45 grams of pico de gallo, 25 grams of shredded iceberg lettuce, and 1/2 of a sliced avocado. Avoid overfilling, as this will cause the burrito to burst when rolling.
Roll and wrap burritos
Fold the 5cm empty top and bottom edges of the tortilla in over the ends of the filling line. Fold one long side of the tortilla tightly over the fillings, tucking the edge under the ingredients to create a secure seal, then roll the burrito firmly away from you to form a tight, even cylinder. Wrap the full burrito tightly in the aluminum foil, twisting the open ends to seal, then let rest for 2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and fillings to set. Repeat the layering and rolling process with the remaining 3 tortillas and fillings.
Tips
2.Warming tortillas is non-negotiable: cold tortillas crack easily when rolled, so keep them wrapped in a towel after heating to maintain pliability.
3.For an authentic experience, serve the foil-wrapped burrito whole, letting diners unwrap one end to eat without plates or utensils; add hot sauce or extra guacamole before rolling for extra flavor.
OMG, this recipe is exactly the Mission burrito I grew up eating when I lived in SF! I moved to Seattle 3 years ago and have been chasing that perfect, overstuffed, foil-wrapped flavor ever since. The tip to lightly toast the tortilla before stuffing is a total game changer — I never thought that little step would make such a big difference. My roommate and I made these for our weekly movie night and we both went back for seconds, even though we were already stuffed after the first one. SO good, I’m planning to make a big batch for meal prep this Sunday!
Swapped our usual Taco Tuesday for burrito night with this recipe and my three sons went absolutely wild for it! I used the cilantro lime rice variation from the notes, loaded them up with extra shredded cheese, and didn’t hear a single complaint about the beans or veggies being in there — total mom win. It was so easy to throw together between school drop-offs and soccer practice, I even beat the listed 35 minute cook time because I prepped the black beans the night before. Will be making these on repeat!
I was fully skeptical a California burrito could hold a candle to the overstuffed brisket burritos we get down here in Texas, but man this recipe slapped. I tossed in some leftover smoked brisket from our weekend cookout (old habit, can’t stop adding brisket to everything) and the flavor combo was insane. My only tiny note is that I wished it had a little more heat out the gate, but that was an easy fix with a few glugs of habanero hot sauce. Still a 4/5 for sure, will make again.
This is going straight into my permanent college meal prep rotation! All the ingredients are super cheap and easy to grab at the campus grocery store, and the burritos wrap up tight enough to freeze for quick lunches between lectures. I made 6 of these on Sunday, ate one a day all week, and there was zero sogginess when I reheated them for 2 minutes in the dorm microwave. Way better than spending $12 on a takeout burrito every day, 10/10 for broke students trying to save money.
I made a huge batch of these for our neighborhood block party potluck a couple weeks ago and they were the first food item completely gone! People were coming up to me all night asking for the recipe, I felt like a local celebrity. I set up a little topping bar with extra guac, roasted corn salsa, sour cream, and pickled red onions so people could customize their burritos, which worked out so well. Even the guy down the street who grew up in the Mission (and swears no homemade burrito can match the real thing) said it tasted exactly like what he gets at his favorite spot back home. Total win!
As someone who’s gluten free, I’ve had the worst luck making burritos at home because the GF tortillas always tear open mid-wrap and make a huge mess. The tip to warm the tortilla on a dry skillet for 10 seconds per side before filling was a total lifesaver! My tortillas were perfectly pliable, zero tears, and the burrito tasted exactly like the ones I used to get on trips to SF before I had to cut out gluten. I loaded mine up with extra avocado and corn salsa, and my non-GF boyfriend said he liked mine better than his regular version. Obsessed!