When you're looking for a meal that combines your carbs, veggies, and protein in a neat bundle, look no further than my Pulled Chicken and Veggie Burrito. Great for training time when you need to get your grams down without a lot of fuss.
Boneless chicken breast
Bell peppers
Greens
Fresh lime
Long grain brown rice
Cooking Oil
Large flour (or whole wheat) tortillas
Aluminum Foil
Spice Mix
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 ½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper
¼ teaspoon oregano
Place a pot or saucepan on the stove on medium heat. Add enough cooking oil to cover the bottom of your pot. Add one cup of long grain brown rice. Sauté the rice for a minute, mixing gently. Add two cups of water and cover. Turn the heat to high. Monitor the pot until you can see a bit of steam escape. Turn the heat off for five minutes. After five minutes, place the heat on low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken.
Place two tablespoons of cooking oil in a heavy saucepan. Turn on medium low heat. Add your chicken breast. Cook for 8-12 minutes, turning once.
Once the chicken is done, set it aside. Be sure to remove it from the heat and let it cool. Now, remove the rice from heat. Open the lid and let it cool. Preheat your oven to 350 if you are planning on eating your burrito upon completion of your prep.
Using two forks or your hands or a kitchen aide – shred that chicken. If you are opting for the hands approach, be certain that your chicken is cool enough to pick it up. I love hand shredding, as there is less to clean. If you are using a kitchen aide, be certain that you use the low setting. If you are using two forks, one will hold the chicken steady and the other will be used to scrap and tear at the meat.
You may notice that your chicken is still a bit pink. If this is the case, don't fret. You will be cooking it a bit more once the burritos are assembled. Mix your chicken with a bit of water and the spice mixture.
You can cut the veggies while the rice and chicken are cooking. In this dish, some opt for red peppers and locally grown greens. Other suggested vegetables are: squash, onions, and avocados. Have fun! You can raid your fridge for leftovers or hit the farmer's market for optimal freshness. Be creative and flexible in your approach to eating and it will always be fun.
Grab your aluminum foil. Rip off a sizable square and place it on the countertop. Place a large flour tortilla on your aluminum foil. In the center of the tortilla add rice, veggies, and chicken. Squeeze some fresh lime juice over the mixture.
A good rule of thumb to avoid over stuffing your burrito is that the flour tortilla should be about twice as large as your intended contents. Now, pull the left flap and the right flap of your burrito toward center. Roll up your burrito. Wrap it in aluminum foil. Repeat this process until your contents are gone. Place the burritos you intend to eat in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes and then eat. Store the remaining, uncooked burritos in the fridge for later.
ABOUT WARD
Ward is an eccentric extrovert. He spends time supporting Kenzai trainees in his role of trainer and is a school-based counselor in coastal Maine. He likes to make turns in the woods on his mountain bike and snowboard - though not simultaneously. He is also an avid basketball player, and when he is not working on his jump-shot, he is busy grooming his imaginary bird, Esther.