High-protein breakfast burrito
Hearty, high-protein breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, chicken, black beans and reduced-fat cheddar — ready in 25 minutes.
This is a no-nonsense, protein-packed breakfast burrito built to fuel a busy morning. Eggs, shredded chicken and black beans deliver the bulk of the protein, while a spoonful of low-fat Greek yoghurt keeps things creamy without loading on fat.
It’s ready in about 25 minutes and folds into a portable feast — perfect for a grab-and-go weekday breakfast or a weekend treat when you want something substantial without faffing about.
Ingredients
- 2 large wholemeal tortilla
- 4 eggs
- 150 g cooked chicken breast
- 200 g tinned black beans — drained weight
- 60 g reduced-fat cheddar
- 1 brown onion
- 1 red pepper
- 30 g spinach leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml sea salt
- 0 ml black pepper
- 10 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 100 g low-fat Greek yoghurt
- 1 lime
Equipment
- kitchen scales
- grater
- spatula
Instructions
Prep the veg and cheese: finely chop the brown onion, dice the red pepper, mince the garlic and roughly chop the fresh coriander. Grate the reduced-fat cheddar. Drain and rinse the tinned black beans. Slice or shred the cooked chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the brown onion and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to colour, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika and a pinch of black pepper; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the cooked chicken breast and tinned black beans. Season with sea salt. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes to heat through, then add the spinach leaves and cook for a further 1 minute until wilted. Remove the filling to a bowl and keep warm.
Wipe the pan clean, lower the heat to medium-low and add a little of the remaining oil if needed. Crack in the eggs, season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, and gently scramble, stirring constantly, until just set but still soft, about 3 minutes.
Warm the large wholemeal tortillas in a dry frying pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds each side until pliable and lightly marked.
Assemble each burrito: spread 50 g low-fat Greek yoghurt down the centre of each warmed tortilla, spoon on half the chicken-and-bean mixture, top with half the scrambled eggs and half the grated reduced-fat cheddar. Scatter fresh coriander and squeeze over a little lime juice.
Fold the sides in and roll tightly. If you prefer a toasted finish, return each rolled burrito to the frying pan seam-side down and cook 1–2 minutes per side until golden and the cheese melts.
Tips
- Save time by using leftover roast chicken or pre-cooked supermarket chicken slices; just shred and warm through with the beans.
- Drain and rinse tinned beans thoroughly to reduce excess salt and improve texture.
- Scramble the eggs low and slow and remove them when slightly glossy — they’ll finish setting off the heat and stay moist inside the burrito.
- To make ahead: assemble burritos, wrap individually in foil and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours; reheat in a hot oven at 180°C fan/200°C conventional for 10–12 minutes.
- If freezing, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month; defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Substitutions
cooked chicken breast → extra eggs and 100 g cooked turkey mince
Stays closereduced-fat cheddar → 100 g low-fat cottage cheese drained and spooned on at the end
Noticeably differenttinned black beans → 200 g tinned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Stays closelarge wholemeal tortilla → large gluten-free tortilla (if you need gluten-free)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 805
- Calories
- 66 g
- Protein
- 61 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 950 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — swap the cooked chicken breast for 150 g extra black beans or 200 g firm tofu (crumbled and fried). Protein will remain high but the texture changes slightly.
How do I stop the tortilla from splitting when I roll it?
Warm the tortilla until pliable but not crisp, and don’t overfill. If it’s still cracking, wrap it in a damp tea towel and microwave for 10–15 seconds before assembling.
Can I prepare the filling in advance?
Yes — cook the veg, beans and chicken up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently before adding the eggs to keep them fresh and soft.
How can I reduce calories but keep protein high?
Use extra egg whites (replace up to 2 whole eggs with 4 egg whites) and reduce the cheese to 30 g per burrito; this cuts fat and calories while keeping protein elevated.
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