Burritos with a Twist

Posted on April 15, 2020 Updated on April 22, 2020

A week or two ago (or maybe a day or two, or a month or two. Who can tell these days?) I sent out a plea on Facebook for ideas to use up leftover roast chicken. As you may remember, I am trying, as much as lieth within me, to use up goods from my respective larders. So … I had roasted a twelve pound chicken for three people and had a lot of chicken to use up. That turned out to be a very resourceful move! There were about thirty-six different suggestions and I was able to utilize several of them. I have saved the post for future reference when I am in need of inspiration again.

One recipe that came forth was one I have made in the past but it had sort of slid into obscurity. It was suggested by Trudy Metzger and was originally called Hot Hoagie Sandwiches. It was one that she had submitted to an old church recipe book from years ago, when we both attended the same church. I have made a few modifications over the years to lighten it up and adapt to our personal seasoning preferences and products on hand. That’s the beauty of recipes. You can adapt them to suit your every whim. 

The recipe is basically a filling that can be used as a topper on various bread forms and  baked. Trudy suggests spreading it on French bread sliced lengthwise, which I have done and it’s great. I remember baking it on top of kaiser buns for a visiting choir that we fed before they gave a program at our church. I think my favourite way to date, however,  is to spread it on flour tortillas and bake them. I have only done it with chicken but I can see it being equally delicious with leftover Easter ham or even roast beef leftovers.  Add some sliced peppers and you’ve got Philly Cheese Steak Burritos. Yum! I think I’ll try those soon.

Place filling on tortilla

Mix the filling

Spread filling thinly

Roll up the tortillas and place them in the pan, then sprinkle with cheese.

Baked!

It came to pass that I had homemade tortillas here from a taco birthday meal. Tacos have been the birthday meal request of my youngest daughter for as long as I can recall. This year, to make her birthday more special in our isolation, I decided to make the tortillas from scratch. I had done them for a girls’ camp one year where I cooked at, and remembered how good they tasted. They’re not that terribly hard to make, but certainly more time-consuming than heating up tortillas in the microwave. This is the recipe I use for the tortillas.

Three key tips to remember if you decide to make your own tortillas:

1. Let the dough balls rest for at least half an hour. I rested mine for longer. They roll out ever so much easier if you do. If you are lucky enough to own a tortilla iron, you’re all set. 

2. Roll them as thin as you can, like paper thin. You should be able to see your countertop through the dough. They puff up while baking.

3. Use a dry griddle, as in DO NOT GREASE and fry as hot as you can, at least 400°F.

This post is sponsored by Martin’s Family Fruit Farm. The retail store is closed at the present to keep everybody safe. Thank you for understanding. 

So without further ado, here is the recipe.

Burritos with a Twist

• Servings: 4
• Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 cup light or regular sour cream
• 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried garlic or 1 – 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red, white or green onions

 

• 8 – 10  8″ tortilla wraps (use gluten-free ones, if desired)
• 2 cups shredded cheese of choice
• guacamole, if desired
• salsa, if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C). Combine all the first ingredients together. Place about 2/3 cup of filling on one tortilla and roll up. Place in a lightly greased baking dish. Repeat until all the filling is used up. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for approximately 20 minutes or until it is bubbly and starting to brown. Top with salsa and/or guacamole to serve. Eat and repeat until plate is empty. Say “Ahh”.