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Short-Order Kitchen

One-Pan Burrito Bowl

By Wes Ellis1 min read
A bowl of rice and seasoned beef topped with cheddar, sour cream, jalapeños and cilantro, with tortilla chips on the side.
Recipe card
Servings
3
Prep
10 minutes
Cook
15 to 20 minutes
Method
Skillet
Heat
Medium-high heat
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to ingredients & directions ↓

Part 9 of the thread Bowls, salads and wraps

THE SHORT VERSION4 points
  • About 1 lb of chicken or steak and one large skillet.
  • Brown the meat, then push it aside and add beans and tomatoes.
  • Cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes, then melt the cheese on top.
  • Eat it as is, or over rice, cauliflower rice or lettuce.
THE RECIPE · ONE-PAN BURRITO BOWL

Ingredients

To finish (optional)

You'll need

  • Large skillet with a lid
  • Can opener
  • Spatula
  • Knife and cutting board

Directions

  1. Heat a little spray oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the chicken or steak and cook, stirring now and then, until it's browned and cooked through.
  3. Push the meat and onions to one side. Add the tomatoes and beans to the empty side and sprinkle taco seasoning over everything.
  4. Stir it all together and bring it to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. Uncover, scatter the cheese over the top, and cover again just until it melts.
  6. Top with cilantro, green onions and a spoonful of Greek yogurt, and serve it straight from the pan.
Notes Leftovers keep up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Already-cooked chicken or steak cuts the time down; just warm it through with the onions.

wesellis.com/blog/one-pan-burrito-bowl/

Burrito bowls usually mean five separate components in five separate containers. This one does it all in one skillet: meat, onions, beans and tomatoes simmered together with taco seasoning and a lid of melted cheese. One pan to wash, and it comes out tasting like the inside of a burrito.

Brown it first

Everything gets simmered later, which makes it tempting to dump it all in at once. Don't. Give the chicken or steak a few minutes on medium-high to get some color, then push it aside before the beans and tomatoes go in. Browned meat tastes like dinner. Steamed meat in tomato juice tastes like a hurry.

Tip

Drain the tomatoes well. Extra liquid means a soupy skillet that takes longer to thicken up.

Season with a light hand

Taco seasoning packets vary a lot in salt. Start with a tablespoon or so, stir, taste after it's simmered, and add more then. You can always add more. You can't take it back out.

If you want the full build-your-own version with rice, guac and all the toppings, the Chipotle Copycat Bowl lays it out. And the Four-Ingredient Enchilada Casserole is the oven-baked cousin, for when you'd rather walk away while it cooks.

LINKED FROM6 notes

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