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This easy Smothered Burrito recipe has burritos stuffed with seasoned chicken and cheese and baked until golden and crispy, then topped with a homemade creamy green chile sauce. They are ready in under an hour and are everyone's favorite!
These Smothered Burritos deserve their own fan club.
These Smothered Burritos deserve their own fan club.This is the kind of recipe that makes you feel like a rockstar in the kitchen, even though they're actually super simple to pull together! The chicken filling is so flavorful and the creamy green chile sauce is amazing. They taste like we ordered takeout from our favorite Mexican restaurant. The best part is you can prep them ahead of time, for nights when life gets crazy, and they make a great freezer meal; just double the smothered burrito recipe and serve half for dinner and freeze the other half for another day.
Don't miss my other Mexican recipes, like Baked Tacos, Chicken and Rice Enchiladas, Birria Tacos, Tamale Pie, or Pozole!
How to make Smothered Burritos:
Make Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine filling ingredients then scoop ½ cup of the chicken mixture in the center of the tortilla. Fold the sides of the tortilla in and roll it up like a burrito. Place it seam-side down on a baking sheet then repeat with the rest of the filling and tortillas.
Bake: Brush each burrito with olive oil then bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, until golden and crispy.
Make Green Chile Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter then whisk in flour to create a roux. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds then gradually whisk in chicken broth, cumin, oregano, and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until thickened then take it off heat and stir in green chiles, cheese, and sour cream. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.
Broil and Serve: Take the burritos out of the oven and spoon some sauce over each burrito then top with a handful of shredded cheddar cheese. Broil for a few minutes until cheese has melted then enjoy! I love serving this green chile burrito recipe with a side of Mexican rice. To make it a feast, add Horchata and Coconut Tres Leches Cake!
Smothered Burrito Recipe with Green Chile Sauce
Ingredients
Burrito Filling:
- 3 cups cooked chicken, , chopped or shredded
- 1 1/2 cups salsa, , your favorite kind
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano, , crushed
- 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions, , chopped
- 6 large flour tortillas*
- olive oil, , for brushing on burritos
Green Chile Sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 clove garlic, , minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano, , crushed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, , to taste
- 4 ounces diced green chilies, , mild
- 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Make the filling: Mix chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions. Place a heaping ½ cup or so of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.3 cups cooked chicken, 1 ½ cups salsa, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon Dried oregano, 1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese, 2 green onions, 6 large flour tortillas*
- Fold the sides of the tortilla in and roll up tightly like a burrito. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil or spray with non stick cooking spray.
- Bake at 400°F for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- Make the sauce: Meanwhile, prepare sauce by melting butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted and bubbling, whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Add cumin, oregano, and a dash of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in green chilies, cheese and sour cream. Tastes and add more seasonings if needed.3 Tablespoons butter, 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 clove garlic, 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon Dried oregano, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 4 ounces diced green chilies, ½ cup sour cream
- Broil: Remove burritos from oven and turn the oven to HIGH broil. Ladle a spoonful of sauce over each burrito and top with a handful of shredded cheddar cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese has melted.⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Serve with Authentic Mexican Rice!
Notes
- Substitute red enchilada sauce.
- Swap the protein: Feel free to substitute steak carne asada steak, or pork carnitas.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe October 2016. Updated October 2020 and December 2025.
Excellent recipe for leftover turkey! This is a keeper- thank you!
This is soooo good! The sauce tastes like restaurant quality. Will definitely make again.
I just found your website. While scrolling I found this recipe. I’m from Colorado but now live in Florida and we can’t find green sauce on burritos here. I had to make these. They were a big hit and we all rated them with 5 stars. I’m making some more and going to have them in the freezer to pull out when I need something fast. Thank you.
These are delicious! I have made this recipe twice now, and my family loves it! Tasty and comforting, very easy to make. I added some fresh cilantro to the chicken filling. Yummy!
These are definitely a keeper! We have quite a few leftover, my kids eat like birds. How would you recommend reheating them?
Hi Lauren, this looks amazing! I have recently started making homemade flour tortillas, by making the dough and then cooking it on a skillet. For this can I just wrap the filling in the dough without cooking, and then stick it in the oven? Thank you!
I think that would work fine! Just cook them long enough to make sure the tortillas are cooked through.
Hi, Lauren.. I had the same question – in your post you mention a couple times using uncooked tortillas.. what did you mean? I, too, have been making fresh flour tortillas for years, so to me, it sounds like you’re talking about the raw dough? I’m confused because when someone asked this same question, you replied that you think it would work.. lol.. can you clarify “uncooked” tortillas? Thanks much!!
Uncooked tortillas–meaning you can buy uncooked (raw and rolled out) flour tortillas from the store, and cook them yourself. Like these: https://www.tortillaland.com/
Amazing dish!!!!!!! Will be another favorite in our home!!!!
Do you think the dish would taste different with rotisserie chicken?
I always use rotisserie chicken and it’s delicious!
Wow! I just finished making these (and eating them), and it’s another winner from Lauren! I made it exactly as written. I initially thought it would be too much sauce, but you really do want to “smother” the burritos, just like the title implies. The tortilla soaks up all the wonderful yumminess. Positively addictive. Can’t wait for the leftovers!
Planning on making these for dinner but I just realized we’re out of cumin! Before I get ready and run to the store, do you think subbing either chili powder or taco seasoning would work here?
Yes, that would be fine.
Wet, Dry, Blue, Green, Fork, Hands…doesn’t matter, people. Did your belly like it or not? I liked it and so did my family. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!! Going into our meal rotation. Keep safe!
You advised to use un cooked flour tortillas. I buy raw un cooked flour tortillas , do you wrap them in the raw dough form or cook them then wrap and place in the oven?
Can’t wait to try this! We are originally from Denver CO and moved to NC a few years ago and we are missing real mexican food so bad !
My husband is from Jalisco, Mexico and this sauce is very close to a green enchilada recipe I make only without the chilis in it we are looking forward to your answer so we can try these emmediatly!
Thank you for sharing !
I wrap them in the raw flour tortilla and stick them straight in the oven! Hope you enjoy them!