The chipotle sour cream sauce gave it a zesty kick without making it too soggy.
Back in 1975, Tia Sophia’s in Santa Fe, New Mexico, introduced breakfast burritos on their menu, and since then, they’ve become a favorite morning meal all across the United States. They’re handheld, hearty, and totally customizable.
For our take on this classic, we aimed for extra-crispy potatoes. We achieved that by using thawed frozen tater tots, flattening them in the skillet. Alongside the tots, we included fluffy scrambled eggs, creamy pepper jack cheese, smoky bacon, and fresh scallions. To give it a kick, we whipped up a chipotle sour cream sauce that added tang and heat without making things too wet, keeping the burritos tidy and easy to carry around.
Right before serving, we browned the rolled burritos in a hot skillet to give them a crispy, golden crust and to ensure they stayed sealed.
Bacon and Crispy Potato Breakfast Burritos
Serves 4
For the chipotle sour cream:
– 1/4 cup sour cream
– 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
– 2 teaspoons lime juice
– 1 garlic clove, minced
– 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– 1/4 teaspoon table salt
For the burritos:
– 1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
– 2 cups frozen tater tots, thawed and patted dry
– 8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
– 8 large eggs, beaten
– 3 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
– 2 scallions, sliced thin
– 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
Instructions:
1. For the Chipotle sour cream: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl; set aside.
2. For the burritos: In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of oil until it shimmers. Add the tater tots to the skillet and press them slightly with a spatula or the underside of a dry measuring cup to flatten them. Cook until they’re crispy and deep golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the tater tots to a paper towel–lined plate and set them aside. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
3. Cook the bacon in the now-empty skillet over medium heat until it’s crispy, which usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat, leaving the bacon in the skillet. Add the beaten eggs and, using a heat-resistant rubber spatula, constantly and firmly scrape along the bottom and sides of the skillet until the eggs begin to clump and the spatula leaves a trail on the bottom of the skillet, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the pepper jack cheese and scallions. Gently but constantly fold the eggs until they’re clumped and slightly wet, which usually takes about 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
4. Wrap the tortillas in a damp dish towel and microwave them until they’re warm and pliable, which usually takes about 1 minute. Lay the tortillas out on the counter. Spread approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of chipotle sour cream across the bottom third of each tortilla, leaving about a 1-inch border. Divide the tater tots and eggs evenly over the chipotle sour cream. Working with one burrito at a time, fold the sides of the tortilla over the filling, then fold up the bottom of the tortilla and roll it tightly around the filling.
5. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the now-empty skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Arrange the burritos in the skillet with the seam side down and cook them until they’re crisp and golden, which usually takes about 1 minute per side. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
– If you’re not a fan of spicy food, you can skip the cayenne pepper and use only 1 tablespoon of chipotle chile.
– To thaw frozen tater tots, you can either leave them in the refrigerator for 24 hours or microwave them on a paper towel–lined plate for 1 1/2 minutes.
– Pay attention to the visual cues when cooking the eggs, as the thickness of your skillet will affect the cooking time. If you’re using an electric stovetop, it’s helpful to heat a second burner on low and move the skillet to it when adjusting the heat for the eggs.
– While you can serve the burritos immediately after rolling them, we recommend browning them in Step 5 for a crispy texture on the tortillas.
