The day my Buffalo-style chicken chili met Texican-style burritos was a memorable one. It wasn't my idea, but, it sure was a tasty one. As the story goes, my pot of almost-effortless Buffalo-style chicken chili was steeping on the stovetop -- having made it a few hours earlier, I was allowing the flavors time to marry and would be reheating it for dinner. Our three boys trickled in after school, Joe got home after work, I ladled the chili into bowls, put a basket of tortilla chips on the table and we sat down. A few minutes into our meal, our middle son said, "I think this chili would be great inside a burrito." Chicken chili burritos were on the menu the next night.
"I think this chili would be great inside a burrito."
Indeed it is, and, here are my top five ways of explaining why: #1. A flour tortilla is a perfect foil for any type of chili*. #2. When assembling the burritos, the first layer, refried beans, complements any type of chili or chili con carne. #3. The second layer, shredded cheese or combination of cheeses can be chosen to complement any type of chili. #4. The earthy and slightly-spicy Spanish-style rice, soaks up the excess juice in any type of chili and melts right into the flavor profile. #5. Served with flavor-appropriate sauces or garnishes (in the case of Buffalo-chicken chili, I go with creamy Ranch dressing and Frank's RedHot wing sauce), chili-burritos are a neat way to turn flavor-packed bowls of hearty chili into a heartier, kid-friendly, family-style, knife-and-fork meal.
*Try my steak-my-day Texas-Style Bowl-of-Red Steak Chili, Wendy's copycat ground beef chili con carne, hatch green chile chili with pork and white beans, white-out white chicken 'n corn chili, slow-cooker sweet potato and ground beef chili, and, Cincinnati-style chili.
Chili-burritos are a neat way to turn flavor-packed bowls of hearty chili into a heartier, family-style, knife-and-fork meal.
For each Buffalo-style chicken chili burrito (listed in order of assembly):
1 large, 9 1/2"-10" burrito-sized soft flour tortilla
1/4 cup creamy-style refried beans
1/2 cup shredded Monterey-Jack cheese
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup Goya Spanish rice (Note: Prepare one rice and seasoning packet as package directs adding 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes to 2 1/2 cups water.)
1/2 cup Buffalo-style chicken chili, drained of excess liquid
Frank's RedHot Buffalo wing sauce, for garnish
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing, for garnish
~Step 1. To assemble each burrito, place one tortilla on a plate or flat work surface. Using a butter knife, distribute the refried beans evenly over surface Sprinkle the shredded Montery-Jack cheese evenly over the refried beans, followed by a sprinkling of blue cheese crumbles. Scatter the rice over the surface. Using a slotted spoon, thoroughly drain, then place the chili, in a tubular-shaped mound, in the center of the tortilla.
~Step 2. To wrap each burrito, lift side closest to you up and over top enough to tuck the end under the chili on the opposite side. Next, fold left and right sides of tortilla up and towards the center, to seal the burrito at either end. Last, roll the tortilla over, so that it sits, fully-encased, seam side down.
~Step 3. To finish-cook burritos, wrap individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then heat, one-at-a-time or all together, in the microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes, or, in 350º oven 6-8 minutes, just long enough to warm through and melt the cheeses. Plate and serve hot, drizzled with Frank's RedHot wing sauce and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.
Serve hot drizzled with RedHot wing sauce & Ranch dressing:
Frank's RedHot Buffalo-Style Chicken Chili Burritos: Recipe yields instructions to make 2 large burritos/2 large servings or 4 smaller servings.
Special Equipment List: hand-held box grater; 2-quart saucepan w/lid (for cooking rice); butter knife; slotted spoon; plastic wrap or aluminum foil
Cook's Note: What started in 1964 as late-night pub grub at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY, Deep-Fried Chicken Wings, is now found in many forms. In my family alone, Nacho Mama's Buffalo Chicken Sheet-Pan Nanchos, Buffalo-Style Shredded Chicken 'n Slaw Sliders, Spicy Blue-Cheesy Buffalo-Style Chicken Dip, Spicy Blue-Cheesy Buffalo-Chicken Quesadillas, Batter-Dipped Buffalo Chicken & Blue Cheese Subs, and, Sweet-and-Savory-Glazed Buffalo-Chicken Meatballs are favorite wing-night options.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2020)
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