These Shredded Chicken Burritos are definitely one of my meal-prep go-tos because they’re cheap, easy to make, fueling, and delicious! These burritos are jammed with goodness: juicy shredded chicken, smoky fajita veggies, cilantro lime brown rice, crunchy butter lettuce, sharp cheddar cheese, and creamy avocado. Plus, using a pressure cooker to make the brown rice and shredded chicken allows this recipe to be more hands-off and easy to make ahead of time.
Jump to RecipeBurrito Filling Swaps
These burritos are also super versatile. Switch up your ingredients to keep your burrito interesting.
Protein
- Swap out shredded chicken with grilled flank steak, carnitas, bison, lean ground beef, crumbled or crispy tofu, or black or pinto beans.
Carbs
- Take your brown rice to the next level with cilantro lime brown rice or miso brown rice or opt for lower carb cauliflower rice.
- Upgrade your tortilla to a flavored wrap, like spinach or sun-dried tomato.
- Switch out fajita veggies with a corn salsa, cherry tomatoes, or pico de gallo.
- Change up the greens. Try spinach, coleslaw mix, or broccoli slaw in place of butter lettuce.
Fats
- Swap out sliced avocado with a hefty dollop of homemade guacamole, avocado crema, garlic aioli, or sriracha mayo.
- If you like sour cream on your burritos, try a spoonful of Greek yogurt as a healthier alternative.
- Switch up your cheese. Try cotija crumbles, pepper jack, or fiesta blend shredded cheese.
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Make Shredded Chicken Burritos
Step 1: Make Shredded Chicken
Place the whole chicken breasts in the pressure cooker. Pour in the chicken broth and season with garlic, cumin, salt and pepper.
Seal the pressure cooker lid and check that vent valve is switched to “not venting.” Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Naturally vent for 5 minutes, then switch vent valve to”venting” position to finish venting the steam.
Carefully transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred using forks or meat claws. Set chicken aside in a medium bowl and cover with tin foil to keep warm.
If you’re making the chicken ahead for meal prep, there’s no need to cover it with foil. Simply transfer the chicken to a storage container and refrigerate until you’re ready to assembly your meal prep burrito.
Step 2: Make Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Once the shredded chicken is ready, rinse out the pressure cooker bowl. Then combine rice and water (or broth) in the pressure cooker bowl.
Seal the lid of the pressure cooker and check that the vent valve is at the “not venting” position. Pressure cook on high for 22 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally vent for 5 minutes, before moving the vent valve to “venting” position. Let all the steam vent out before opening the lid.
Fluff the rice with a fork. Zest the lime over the rice. Then, stir in lime juice, salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro. Transfer the cooked rice to a large bowl and cover with foil.
If you’re making meal prep burritos, transfer the brown rice to an air tight container and refrigerate until you make your burritos.
Step 3: Make Fajita Veggies
While the brown rice cooks, prepare the fajita veggies.
Slice the onion and pepper. Heat the avocado oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and pepper. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown in places. Remove from heat and set aside.
If you’re making meal prep burritos, transfer the fajita veggies to an air tight container and refrigerate until you make your burritos.
Step 4: Assemble Shredded Chicken Burritos
For Enjoying Now
Wrap the tortillas loosely with a cloth dish towel and microwave for about 30 seconds, until warm and soft.
Then layer the butter lettuce, cilantro brown rice, shredded chicken, fajita veggies, cheese, and avocado inside the tortilla. Fold in both ends and roll tightly to form a burrito. Place seam-side down on a plate and slice in half horizontally, if desired. Enjoy!
For Enjoying Later (Meal Prep)
For meal prep, I store shredded chicken, fajita veggies, and cilantro brown rice in separate Tupperware and then make one burrito a day from the stored contents.
Layer a sheet of wax paper on top of a sheet of tin foil on your prep surface. Make the burrito by layering butter lettuce, cilantro lime brown rice, shredded chicken, fajita veggies, cheese and avocado inside the tortilla. Fold in both ends and roll tightly to form a burrito.
Once the burrito is rolled, wrap tightly with wax paper and then repeat with the tin foil. When it’s time to reheat your burrito, remove the foil layer and reheat for 1 minute in the microwave. Transfer the burrito to the tin foil and wrap tightly to keep warm. Discard the wax paper.
Cut the burrito in half. Peel down the foil as you eat. Enjoy!
Check out these other dinner ideas:
- One Pot Cheesy Hamburger Pasta
- Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Skillet
- Spaghetti with Red Wine Tomato Sauce
- Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Miso Butter Farro
- Butternut Squash and Black Bean Burgers
Shredded Chicken Burrito
Ingredients
Shredded Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1 c low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- 1 c uncooked brown rice
- 1½ c water or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 lime, juiced and zested
- ½ c fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Fajita Vegetables
- 1 red or yellow onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 tsp avocado olive oil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper, to taste
Burrito Filling
- 6 whole wheat or flour tortillas (burrito size)
- 10 oz butter lettuce or shredded lettuce
- â…” c cheddar cheese
- 2 avocados, sliced
Instructions
Shredded Chicken
- Place chicken in pressure cooker. Pour broth over chicken and season with garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Seal the pressure cooker lid and check that vent valve is switched to "not venting." Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Naturally vent for 5 minutes, then switch vent valve to"venting" position to finish venting the steam. Carefully transfer chicken to a cutting board and shred using forks or meat claws. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- Combine brown rice and water in the pressure cooker. Seal the lid of the pressure cooker and check that the vent valve is at the "not venting" position. Pressure cook on high for 22 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally vent for 5 minutes, before moving the vent valve to "venting" position. Let all the steam vent out before opening the lid.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in lime juice, lime zest, salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
Fajita Veggies
- Slice the onion and pepper. Heat the avocado oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and pepper. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown in places. Remove from heat and set aside.
Shredded Chicken Burrito
- For enjoying now: Wrap the tortillas loosely with a cloth dish towel and microwave for about 30 seconds, until warm and soft. Layer butter lettuce, cilantro lime brown rice, shredded chicken, fajita veggies, cheese, and avocado inside the tortilla. Fold in both ends and roll tightly to form a burrito. Place seam-side down on a plate and slice in half horizontally, if desired. Enjoy!
- For enjoying later (meal prep): For meal prep, I store shredded chicken, fajita veggies, and cilantro brown rice in separate Tupperware and then make one burrito a day from the stored contents. Layer a sheet of wax paper and a sheet of tin foil on your prep surface. Make the burrito by layering butter lettuce, cilantro lime brown rice, shredded chicken, fajita veggies, cheese and avocado inside the tortilla. Fold in both ends and roll tightly to form a burrito. Once the burrito is rolled, wrap tightly with wax paper and then repeat with the tin foil. When it's time to reheat your burrito, remove the foil layer and reheat for 1 minute in the microwave. Transfer the burrito to the tin foil and wrap tightly to keep warm. Cut in half. Peel down the foil as you eat.
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