More Like Chipotle Burrito Bowls
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I think what you order at Chipotle really says something about a person: Do you spring for extra guac? Go for the spicy salsa, or stick with mild? Fill your bowl with brown rice, white rice, or just greens? While I'm all about switching things up, when I want a tried-and-true perfect meal, I always go back to the chicken burrito bowl. It’s classic, reliable, and, best of all, completely customizable depending on our mood. I've included recipes here for all our favorite burrito bowl toppings, but feel free to swap them in and out for yours!
We’re going to start off making the chipotle chicken marinade by combining onion, garlic, chile, adobo sauce, oil, lime juice, oregano, and cumin in a food processor and blending. Once the marinade is smooth, taste and season it with salt and black pepper.
When the marinade is to your taste, pour it into a large resealable bag and toss the chicken in to coat. We really want to make sure each piece of chicken is coated well in the marinade so that it soaks up as much flavor as possible. Transfer the bag into the fridge and let the marinade seep into the chicken for at least 2 hours or, if you have the patience, overnight. The longer the chicken is allowed to marinate, the better the flavor will be.
Preheat the grill at high heat for 5 minutes, and once hot, grill the chicken for about 8 minutes on both sides until the meat is completely cooked through. Once an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°, remove the chicken from the grill and place it on a cutting board to cool.
To start the cilantro-lime rice, melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and then add rice, salt, and lime juice and cook for about 1 minute until the rice is coated in the mixture, then add water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the saucepan with a lid and knock the heat down to low. Cook the rice for 22 to 25 minutes until it is light and fluffy and all the liquid has been absorbed.
Then fold in the chopped cilantro and pour over the remaining lime juice, stirring to combine.
Start the black beans by cooking the aromatics. First, cook the yellow onion in a large skillet, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and have just started turning golden. This should take about 5 minutes. Then add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Once the aromatics are fragrant, add in the black beans and some of the liquid from the can, as well as water, chile powder, oregano, cumin, and a bay leaf and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to cook until the liquid has thickened and the beans are warmed through. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the corn salsa, simply combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, toss to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper. That’s it!
Now we’re ready to build the bowls. Start by slicing the cooked chicken into bite-sized cubes. Then divide the rice evenly among the bowls and top with all the prepared ingredients as well as your desired toppings, like guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and cilantro. Then you are set to eat, along with lime wedges for added acidity.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
The tastiest utensils for my burrito bowls are without a doubt tortilla chips—also try our keto tortilla chips—and both the bowls and the chips pair perfectly with our queso dip. Any extra chipotle chicken can also be seamlessly added to our chicken quesadillas for a heavier side.
The chipotle chicken can sit in its marinade, sealed and in the fridge, overnight, and once cooked can similarly be stored for up to 3 or 4 days.
Similarly, both the cooked rice and black beans can also be kept, stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, and so can be made ahead of time or stored for later.
red onion, coarsely chopped
cloves garlic
chipotle chile in adobo, plus 2 tbsp. sauce
vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime
dried oregano
ground cumin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
unsalted butter
basmati rice, rinsed, drained
kosher salt
Juice of 2 limes, divided
water
chopped fresh cilantro
neutral oil
medium yellow onion, chopped
cloves garlic, finely chopped
(15.5-oz.) cans black beans, undrained
water
chipotle chile powder
dried oregano
ground cumin
bay leaf
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
frozen corn, cooked
medium red onion, chopped
small jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, finely chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped
fresh lemon juice
fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
Guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges, for serving
In a large bowl, toss corn, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lemon juice, and lime juice to combine; season with salt and pepper.
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