Crispy Chicken Alfredo Fried Burritos
These chicken Alfredo fried burritos start with chicken thighs pan fried until the edges are crispy, then coated in a homemade Alfredo sauce made in the same skillet. The chicken gets stuffed into 10 inch flour tortillas with mozzarella and fried in about an inch of oil until the outside is crispy, then covered in butter, Parmesan and parsley. The Alfredo sauce is the key to these. After you cook the chicken, you will have browned bits left in the pan. When you add the butter, garlic and cream, those browned bits give the Alfredo a ton of flavor. If you want this same crispy shell on carne asada, check out my Carne Asada Chimichangas.
Quick Look: Crispy Chicken Alfredo Fried Burritos
- Method: Cook the chicken in a skillet. Make the Alfredo in the same skillet. Toss the chicken in the sauce, stuff the tortillas with mozzarella, shallow fry, top with butter and Parmesan
- Chicken: 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, bite size, pan fried on medium high until the edges are crispy and the inside reads 165°F
- Alfredo: Butter, garlic and heavy whipping cream in the pan the chicken cooked in. Parmesan off the heat
- Tortillas: Large flour, about 10 inches, warmed so they roll
- Fry: About an inch of oil on medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side
- Finish: Melted butter, Parmesan and parsley. Optional, and I always do it
- Makes: About 8 fried burritos
- The one thing that matters most: Medium heat on the fry. The tortilla has to brown slow enough for the cheese inside to melt
Medium heat on the fry is the whole trick. The tortilla has to brown slowly enough that the mozzarella and the Alfredo inside have time to heat through and melt. Turn the burner up to get it done faster and you get a dark shell with a cool middle. Keep it at medium, give each side its 1 to 2 minutes, and the cheese pull is there when you cut it open.
Why This Recipe
- One pan for the chicken and the sauce. Cook the chicken, pull it out, and make the Alfredo in that same pan. Do not wash it. My Cajun Chicken Fettuccine builds its cream sauce the same way, on the pan the chicken cooked in.
- Chicken thighs. I used thighs because they get cooked twice, once in the pan and again when the burrito fries, and they stay juicy through both. They also crisp better on the edges than breast.
- Freshly grated cheese, both of them. The bagged mozzarella and the canned Parmesan both have starch on them to keep the shreds from sticking. Grate your own and the Alfredo goes smoother and the mozzarella pulls in strings.
- Shallow fried. About an inch of oil, not a pot of it. The tortilla browns on both sides without burning and the cheese has time to melt. I fry three at a time in the skillet.
- Butter and Parmesan on top. It is optional in the recipe and I do it every time. It is what you taste first.
Key Ingredients
For the Chicken
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs, 2 lb. I cut these into bite size pieces, about the size you would want in one bite of burrito. You can use breast if you want, as long as it is boneless and skinless.
- Olive oil, 1 tbsp. Helps the spices stick to the chicken.
- Garlic powder, 1 tsp.
- Onion powder, 1 tsp.
- Italian seasoning, 1 tsp.
- Smoked paprika, 1 tsp.
- Salt, 1 tsp.
- Black pepper, 1/2 tsp.
For the Alfredo Sauce
- Butter, 4 tbsp.
- Garlic, 4 cloves, minced.
- Heavy whipping cream, 2 cups.
- Parmesan, 1 cup, freshly grated. Goes into the sauce off the heat. I grate a block for my sauces.
- Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp.
- Black pepper, 1/4 tsp, and salt to taste.
For the Burritos
- Large flour tortillas, about 10 inches. Six to eight, depending on how full you roll them.
- Mozzarella, 2 cups, freshly grated.
- Parmesan, 1/2 cup, freshly grated. For the top.
- Fresh parsley, 1 tbsp, chopped. Into the chicken mixture.
- Vegetable oil, 1 to 2 cups. About an inch in the pan.
For the Finish (Optional)
- Butter, 2 tbsp, melted.
- More Parmesan and parsley.
This is a shorter version of the cream sauce in my Cajun Chicken Fettuccine. Same butter, garlic, cream and Parmesan, without the Cajun seasoning.
Substitutions or Additions
The sauce and the fry stay the same. Everything below is a swap inside the tortilla or a different way to crisp it.
- Chicken breast. Boneless and skinless, cut into bite size pieces. Watch it closer because it dries out quicker. Take it out as soon as it hits 165°F.
- Rotisserie chicken. Skip the pan fry. You will not have browned bits in the pan for the sauce, so cook the garlic a little longer in the butter to build flavor.
- Bacon. Crumbled into the chicken mixture.
- Spinach. Into the Alfredo. Let it wilt, then add the Parmesan.
- Hot sauce or red pepper flakes. In the sauce or on top of the finished burrito.
- Air fryer. Brush the outside of the burritos with oil and cook at 375°F, turning once, until crispy. They will not be as crispy as the ones fried in oil, but still good.
- Skip the fry. Roll them and eat them as a regular burrito, the way I do my Carne Asada Burritos or my Surf and Turf Burritos.
- Cheeseburger version. Same roll, same fry. My Crispy Cheeseburger Wraps.
- Birria. If you like birria, my Birria Chimichanga Burritos are fried burritos stuffed with it.
How to Make Crispy Chicken Alfredo Fried Burritos (Step by Step)
Season the chicken. Cut the thighs into bite size pieces. Add the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Toss until every piece is coated.
Into the skillet. Medium high heat. Spread the chicken out in one layer so it browns instead of steams. If the pan is crowded, do it in two rounds.
Cook until the edges crisp. Stir now and then until the edges are crispy and the chicken reads 165°F inside. Pull the chicken out and leave the pan dirty. Those browned bits on the bottom flavor the Alfredo.
Butter, garlic, cream. Drop the heat to medium low and add the butter. Once it melts, add the garlic and cook until it smells fragrant. Slowly whisk in the cream, add the Italian seasoning, and keep whisking until it comes to a simmer.
Parmesan off the heat. Once the sauce is simmering, take it off the heat. Add the Parmesan and keep stirring until it is smooth and gooey. Add it a handful at a time so it melts into the sauce instead of landing in a lump.
Toss the chicken in the Alfredo. Chicken and sauce into a bowl with about 1 tbsp of chopped parsley. Toss until the chicken is coated.
Fill the tortillas. Warm the tortillas so they are pliable. A handful of mozzarella in the middle of each, then a scoop of the chicken Alfredo on top of the cheese. Keep the filling in a line down the center and leave the edges clear so it rolls.
Roll them tight. Fold in the sides, then roll from the bottom, keeping it tight so nothing leaks in the oil.
Onto a rack. Line the rolled burritos up on a wire rack over a sheet pan, seam side down, while the oil heats.
Fry, seam side down. Heat about an inch of oil in a skillet on medium. Lay the burritos in seam side down, a few at a time, and fry 1 to 2 minutes.
Turn and finish. Flip and fry the other side another 1 to 2 minutes, until crispy and browned all over. Onto a wire rack.
Butter, Parmesan, parsley. Brush the hot burritos with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. Let them cool a few minutes before you slice. The filling is very hot.
Your chicken should read 165°F when it comes out of the skillet. That is the USDA number for chicken, and it is the only temperature check in this recipe. When you fry the burritos, you are browning the tortilla, not cooking the chicken. Once the tortilla is golden brown on both sides, you are done.
Tips From Miguel
The sauce and the fry are where this one is won or lost. Everything below is about those two.
Keep the heat on medium when you fry. We want the tortilla to brown slow enough that the cheese has time to melt.
Do not wash the pan after the chicken. Those browned bits flavor the Alfredo.
Parmesan goes in off the heat. Add it while the sauce is boiling and it clumps. Cut the heat completely, then add it.
Freshly grated cheese. Both the mozzarella and the Parmesan.
Warm tortillas. Warm them before you fill them or they crack when you roll.
Seam side down in the oil. The seam seals before you flip and the burrito stays closed.
Let them cool before you cut. The Alfredo inside holds heat.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Up to 2 months, each burrito wrapped. Freeze them after they are fried.
- Reheat: Oven or air fryer, on a rack at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes. They crisp back up. The microwave makes the tortilla soft.
- Make ahead: The chicken and Alfredo can be made ahead and kept in the fridge. Fill and fry the burritos when you are ready to eat. They go soggy if you roll them ahead of time, because the sauce soaks into the tortilla where it sits.
- Leftover filling: Over pasta. It is an Alfredo, and the chicken is already in it.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
Crispy Chicken Alfredo Fried Burritos FAQs
What is a fried burrito called?
A fried burrito is a chimichanga, a filled flour tortilla rolled tight and fried until the shell is crisp. This one is stuffed with chicken Alfredo and shallow fried in about an inch of oil instead of dropped in a deep fryer.
Why did my fried burrito open up in the oil?
Most likely it was not rolled tight enough. Fold the sides in, roll it tight, and set it in the oil seam side down. Let that side seal before you flip it. Warm tortillas roll tighter than cold ones.
Can I make the chicken Alfredo ahead of time?
Yes. Make the chicken and the sauce ahead and keep them in the refrigerator. Let the filling lose some of its chill before you roll, because cold filling keeps the cheese from melting while the shell browns.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes. Brush the burritos with oil and bake at 400°F on a rack until crispy, flipping once. They will not be as crispy as the fried ones, but the filling is the same.
What do you serve with chicken Alfredo burritos?
They are a meal on their own. If you want something beside them, a salad or garlic bread. If you made extra Alfredo, a bowl of it for dipping.
Crispy Chicken Alfredo Fried Burritos
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cut the thighs into bite size pieces. Toss with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper until coated.
- Heat a skillet over medium high. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges are crispy and it reads 165°F. Remove the chicken and set aside. Do not wash the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the cream, then the Italian seasoning, pepper and salt to taste. Simmer gently, whisking, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Add the grated Parmesan and stir until the sauce is smooth and gooey.
- Combine the chicken and the Alfredo in a bowl with the chopped parsley. Mix until the chicken is coated.
- Warm the tortillas so they fold without cracking. Put a generous handful of mozzarella in the center of each, then a scoop of the chicken Alfredo. Fold in the sides and roll tightly. Set seam side down on a wire rack.
- Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the burritos seam side down, a few at a time, 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning as needed, until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack.
- Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. Let cool a few minutes before cutting. The filling is hot.
Nutrition
Notes
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