Chipotle Chicken/Steak Burrito

When I move to a new place, even if it is just across town, the first few days are spent getting a sense of my surroundings. I note the closest grocery store, then drive home a different way and note an even closer grocery store. I make mental notes of the post office, the parks, the cheapest gas stations, the restaurants, etc.

When I'm doing my exploring, there's always an "Awesome! I can't believe I live so close to __________ now!" moment, and there's always a "Seriously? There isn't a ___________ for 15 miles?" Has this ever happened to you when you moved to a new place?

Eventually, it seems, I adjust to my surroundings, and learn to deal with what is close by. Sometimes I'm still bothered by the lack of a certain store nearby (Trader Joe's, I'm looking at you) but for the most part, I try to find new favorites or learn to live without a Dairy Queen that is open in the winter.

Some adjustments I don't even notice making. I hadn't realized that there was no Chipotle restaurant within 30 minutes of my house until I saw a recipe for a Chipotle marinade for chicken or steak burritos. I love a good Chipotle burrito now and then, so I bookmarked the recipe and made them for dinner the other night. It wasn't until I was putting it all together that I realized I couldn't quite remember what was in a Chipotle burrito. What were the toppings offered again? Did they offer lettuce and tomatoes? Not that it really mattered because I only had to please myself and my husband, but when I found myself googling Chipotle burritos I realized that it had been years since I had eaten there. Out of sight, out of mind, apparantly. 

Since it has been so long since I had the real thing, I can't guarantee that this marinade tastes exactly like the restaurant. I can tell you, though, that it is good in its own right. Marinade seems like the wrong term for the recipe, even, because it is more like a wet rub that stays on the meat than a marinade that drips off. The dried (rehydrated) chiles give a great depth of flavor that you can't seem to get from marinades or rubs with ground chili powder. The cooked meat is moist, juicy and flavorful. Top it off with your favorite salsa, some rice (cilantro lime rice would be great here) your choice of beans and you've got yourself a great burrito that you can enjoy no matter how far your closest Chipotle is from you. 

Chipotle Mexican Grill Ancho Chile Marinade

Ingredients

• 2 oz dried ancho chiles or dried pepper of choice
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/2 red onion, quartered
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 T kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 4 - 6 cuts of meat of choice, such as chicken or steak

Directions

1. Soak dry chiles in water overnight or until soft. (If you are impatient like me, you can microwave the chiles in a bowl of water for 10-15 minutes and let sit for another 20-30 minutes or until soft.) Discard water. Remove seeds.
2. Add all ingredients except meat in food processor. Puree until smooth.
3. Spread mixture over meat and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
4. Heat grill to about 400 degrees, or place a cooling rack on a foil covered sheet pan and heat up the broiler. Grill or broil meat about 4-5 minutes per side, depending upon thickness, until done. Remove from oven or grill and let rest for 5 minutes covered with aluminum foil.
5. Chop meat into 1/2 inch square pieces. Salt to taste. Serve with rice, black beans or choice of side dish. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Or serve in a burrito.

Prep Time: 1 hour, ten minutes (including refrigeration time) Cook Time: 10-15 min Serves: 4-6

Recipe Source: www.thehuffingtonpost.com

Posted in: Main Dish