Taco Bell Chicken Burrito Recipe

Throwback! This Taco Bell Chicken Burrito recipe has long been a fan-favorite on Blog Chef. Probably because it’s delicious and no longer on the Taco Bell menu. It’s an incredible combination of gooey melted cheddar, chicken seasoned in a tomato sauce, cilantro lime rice, and avocado ranch dressing.

I’ll admit — the time you spend making this burrito will be longer than you ever waited in a Taco Bell for anything. But trust me when I say this: It will be worth it. I’m actually a Del Taco girl myself and this burrito was incredible. I remade it in April, 2023 and was thrilled to have leftovers.

Why make a knock-off Taco Bell chicken burrito?

There is something very comforting about this chicken burrito. Sure, the flavors are amazing and work together incredibly well. But it’s more than that. A bite of this burrito takes you back to Taco Bell’s simpler days. Before crunchwraps and gorditas. When you could get a bean burrito for $0.59.

Also, the main components of this burrito are tasty on their own. There’s chicken cooked in a seasoned tomato sauce, cilantro lime rice, and a creamy avocado ranch dressing. A recipe for any one of those could come in handy if you’re not making the full burrito. For example:

• Make the chicken alone and serve it as a taco filling.
• Pair the cilantro lime rice with black beans for an easy, healthy meal.
• Dump the dressing on a premade coleslaw mix for a tasty, quick salad.

Taco Bell Chicken burrito nutrition

Taco Bell food can be over-the-top in terms of calories, fat, and sodium. Fortunately, this burrito has a reasonable nutrition profile. It’s not the healthiest thing you can eat, but it’s not the worst either. Here are the highlights per serving (estimated):

• 533 calories
• 27 grams of fat
• 47 grams of protein
• 25 grams of carbs
• 1,271 mg of sodium

How to make a Taco Bell Chicken Burrito

There are three main tasks required before you assemble these burritos: Make the dressing, make the rice, and make the chicken. The dressing is the easiest task — just throw the ingredients in a blender and turn it on.

1. Make the dressing

A single batch of this dressing requires one-half an avocado. If you’re opposed to saving a cut avocado, double the ingredients and make twice as much. The dressing is so tasty, you shouldn’t have trouble eating it all. It works as a salad dressing or dip for chips or veggies.

In a blender, mix:

1. ½ avocado
2. 1/8 cup buttermilk
3. 1/8 cup ranch dressing
4. 2 pinches of salt
5. 2 tablespoons sour cream

If you don’t have buttermilk or ranch, don’t fret. Pop down to the variations section below to see your options.

Once the dressing is smooth, cover and place in the refrigerator. You won’t need it again until it’s time to assemble the burritos.

2. Mix seasonings for chicken and rice

Mince three garlic cloves. Zest and juice one lime.

Then set out medium bowls. In one, combine:

1. Two 8-oz cans of tomato sauce
2. 2 teaspoons white vinegar
3. 3 minced garlic cloves
4. 4 teaspoons chili powder
5. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
6. 2 teaspoons oregano
7. ½ teaspoon sugar
8. Salt and pepper to taste

In the second medium bowl, combine:

1. 2 cups chicken broth
2. ¾ teaspoon salt
3. ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4. Zest and juice of the lime
5. 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
6. ¼ teaspoon cumin

3. Cook the chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large, deep pot. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Pour the tomato sauce mixture into the pot and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and cover the pot. Let the chicken simmer for about 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C.

4. Make the rice

Once the chicken is simmering, melt ½ tablespoon of butter in a separate pot. Add 1 cup of rice to the hot pan and stir for 1 to 2 minutes in the melted butter.

Then add your chicken broth mixture to this pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover. Let the rice cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the rice sit for 10 minutes, covered.

5. Finish the chicken

When your chicken is cooked, remove the breasts from the sauce and shred them using two forks. Place the shredded meat back in the tomato sauce over a low flame. Let the chicken absorb the flavors for 5 minutes.

6. Assemble

Warm tortillas in the microwave or one at a time over the flame of your gas range. Lay out the tortillas. Spread a thin layer of ranch dressing directly on the tortilla. Top with chicken, rice, and shredded cheddar. Roll up and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Variations on the Taco Bell chicken burrito

You can use brown rice if you’d like.

You can also use any type of wrap other than a traditional flour tortilla. If you use a smaller wrap, like Mission’s Almond Flour tortillas, you’ll end up with a taco — but it will still taste fabulous.

If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own. Add 1/8 tablespoon (or 0.375 teaspoons) of vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Fill milk up to the 1/8 cup mark. Stir and let that mixture sit for 5 minutes.

You can also make your own ranch dressing! Mix 2/3 cup mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons dried dill, 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley, a pinch of garlic powder and dried mustard, and ½ teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Drink pairings for the Taco Bell chicken burrito

I crave a fountain soda with this burrito to get that full fast-food vibe. But if you don’t have a Soda Stream or close access to a gas station, there are other good drink options:

• Canned soda (pour it into a glass over ice for the full effect)
• Ice-cold beer
• Margarita
• Sparkling water or club soda
• Lemonade
• Iced tea

More Taco Bell recipes