Panini Style Black Bean and Chicken Burrito

In the wintertime when the outdoor barbecue is covered with snow, we get a lot of use out of our Cuisinart Griddler. It’s great for grilling steaks and burgers, making Paninis, and even griddling banana pancakes for breakfast.

For our burritos, instead of finishing them off in a fry pan as most recipes call for, we’ll use the Griddler. There are a few advantages to using the Griddler; it’s easier to keep the burrito from falling apart, it creates appealing grill marks, and since you’re cooking both sides at once, it cooks faster.

While many recipes use a rotisserie chicken, we’ll defrost a couple of chicken breasts from our 10 pound Costco bag. I also have a red bell pepper left over from last week’s shopping that I’ll use in place of tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper, minced
• 1 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed
• 1 Tablespoon garlic
• 2 Tablespoons salsa
• ¼ Teaspoon cumin
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 8 oz. chicken breast (1 large or 2 small), cut into small cubes
• 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
• ½ cup of grated Monterey Jack cheese
• Pinch of pepper
• 2 large flour tortillas

Directions

1. Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a pot and cook the garlic and cumin for 1 minute. Add the minced red pepper and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the rinsed black beans and salsa. Heat on low, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the chicken.
2. Place the chicken pieces in a plastic bag. Add taco seasoning and pepper to the bag and shake until chicken is coated. Brown the chicken in a pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add water and continue cooking until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees.
3. Pre-heat the Griddler (panini press) to Grill/Panini between High and Sear.
4. Brush olive oil on the outside of the wraps. Flip them over and fill with cheese, chicken, and the bean mixture. Fold them up and cook in the Griddler for a few minutes until the outside shows some nice grill marks.
5. Plate with rice and any leftover beans that didn’t fit in the burrito. Top with sour cream, taco sauce, and scallions.