I’ve finally decided to tackle OAMC (once a month cooking), or at least try it out in small doses. I love the idea of not spending every night cooking dinner and just having something around for those times when I want a break or am in a hurry. Yes, I’m a bit slow on jumping on the bandwagon for this one but that’s how I always am. Heck, when blogging first came out I was saying to myself “why in the world would anyone wan to do that?!?!” and now look at me.
So now finally I have “seen the light” as far as cooking goes, make a LARGE batch at one time, then freeze the rest for later! This is not your normal commercial frozen-dinner type meal, oh no. It’s frozen, yes, but you know exactly when it was made, what went into it, and can adjust it to the taste of your family. So I searched for something easy to do and found a simple recipe that would replace the frozen “Jose Ole Chicken Chimichangas” that my teen loves so much. These cook up in 1 pot and freeze well. I actually made homemade tortillas for these, but if you’re pressed for time the store bough ones should would just fine. This recipe is a great starting point, feel free to add in what your family prefers, such as black beans, corn, green peppers, onions, etc…
I serve these with sour cream, shredded lettuce and salsa on the side.
Make ahead Chicken Burritos:
- 12-14 squares of tinfoil, large enough to wrap the burritos in for freezing
- approx. 12-14 flour tortillas (7-8 inch size)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups of water
- 2 cups salsa of your choice (I used Pace, medium heat)
- 2 packages taco seasoning mix
- 1 1/3 cups uncooked white rice
- approx. 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Directions:
- In a large stock/soup pot combine all of the ingredients EXCEPT the cheese. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook until the rice is just about done. Take off the heat and cover with a lid to finish cooking, it will get thicker as it sits.
- Remove the chicken breasts and cut into small cubes, then put back into the pot and mix well. Allow the filling to cool before stuffing the tortillas.
- Place a tortilla on top of a sheet of foil, spoon in about 2/3 cup of the mix across the middle and top with some shredded cheese.
- Lift up the corner of the tortilla closest to you, then fold it over the top of the mix and hold it in place. Fold in each side (one at a time), then finish by rolling the burrito over the last edge of the tortilla. Wrap finished tortilla tightly with the foil, making sure it is completely covered. Store in an airtight freezer bag, I can fit about 10 into a gallon bag.
- To heat: Take the foil off the burrito and place on a microwave safe plate. Heat for 1.5 minutes, then flip it over and heat for another minute or until thoroughly warmed.
Choosing Simplicity 