Another recipe that’s about time it made its way to the blog! I’ve been making this chicken burrito bowl for years (they were a client favorite when I had my meal prep business) and am finally sharing!
While Chipotle certainly didn’t invent the burrito bowl, it popularized it. We love Chipotle for a quick and easy meal, but it has gotten expensive in the past few years. Long gone are the days when you could get a loaded bowl for $8.
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So, a handful of years ago, I figured, let’s make it at home. It combines the classics of seasoned chicken, fajita veggies, cilantro lime rice, beans, cheese, corn, pico de gallo, and guac into one flavor-packed and filling meal.
Plus, it’s loaded with protein, veggies, healthy fats, and fiber, and makes a great option for meal prep! While these homemade burrito bowls do have a handful of steps, most are short. You can also prep things in advance to make assembly easier (see below for details).
Why you’ll love this chicken burrito bowl recipe
- cheaper than buying it out!
- loaded with different flavor and textures – spicy, tangy, creamy, and crunchy and all in one!
- macro-balanced – they have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fiber for a balanced meal.
- perfect for meal prep!
What is a burrito bowl?
Burrito bowls are a Mexican dish similar to a burrito, but the tortilla is left out and the filling is placed inside a bowl. They usually consist of rice, beans, a protein (chicken, beef, pork, seafood…), lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
Are burrito bowls healthy?
Burrito bowls can be a healthy addition to one’s diet as they are a good source of carbs, protein, fiber, and vegetables, and make a balanced meal. Burrito bowls are also lower in carbs than your typical burrito since you are not using a large tortilla. You can also customize burrito bowls to fit your needs and goals, and when making one at home, you have full control over what ingredients you are using.
Ingredients
- chicken – I used thighs for juicy and flavorful chicken.
- olive oil
- taco seasoning – a mix of chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.
- lime juice
- garlic
- jasmine rice
- fajita veggies – a mix of onion and bell peppers.
- avocados
- lettuce
- black beans
- pico de gallo
- sweet corn
- monterey jack cheese
- salt and pepper
How to make a burrito bowl
- Marinate your chicken. Add chicken to a large baking dish or plastic bag and toss with marinade ingredients. Let it marinate for 1-2 hours.
- When the chicken is done marinating, make your rice according to the package. Once done, let it cool for a few minutes. Add cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt and stir well to combine.
- Cook the chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and let it get hot. Add chicken (make sure not to overcrowd) and cook for 10 minutes. Flip and cook another 5-10 minutes until cooked through and no pink remains. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool for a couple of minutes. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
- While the chicken cooks, make your veggies. In a separate large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and let it get hot. Add onions with a little salt and pepper and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add peppers and mix well to combine. Cover with a lid, and let cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the chicken and veggies cook, make your guacamole. Add avocado, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl. Mash to combine until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide the rice, lettuce, black beans, corn, chicken, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheese between bowls. I like to top them with a little lime juice and fresh cilantro.
- Enjoy!
Chicken burrito bowl meal prep
I love making a batch of this chicken burrito bowl recipe on Sunday to use for meal prep throughout the week. They keep and hold up really well for 4-5 days. You can go about prepping them a few different ways, depending on the time you have and how much you want to make in advance.
- partial prep – there are a few things you can do beforehand to make assembly easy. Either do one or a couple of these things below. The time will range from 10-30 minutes of active time working in the kitchen.
- marinate the chicken – marinate and then cook the chicken. You can marinate it for up to 12 hours. The cooked chicken will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- chop and/or saute the veggies – either chop the veggies and store them in the fridge until you are ready to cook, or fully saute them. Store in a glass container in the fridge.
- cook the rice – cook rice according to the directions and store it in the fridge for 5 days until ready to use.
- make the guacamole – mash and store in a small jar in the fridge. It will brown throughout the week. If you don’t want it to get brown, wait till the day of to make it.
- full prep – prep and cook all your ingredients according to the recipe directions. If making them for a grab-n-go lunch, you can fully assemble the bowls. If making them for a meal where you have time to assemble, store each component separately.
- heating them up – we personally enjoy this cold, but I know that not everyone likes cold food. Simply store leftovers separately and heat up the chicken, rice, and veggies when ready to eat.
Storage and reheating
Store each component separately in airtight containers and assemble the bowls when ready to eat. Each item will last 4-5 days in a tightly sealed glass dish in the refrigerator. To reheat, pop leftovers in the microwave for a couple of minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat it on the stovetop in a skillet.
Substitutions
- boneless skinless chicken thighs – boneless skinless chicken breasts will work instead of thighs. You could also use shrimp or salmon.
- olive oil – any neutral oil will work.
- homemade taco seasoning – use store-bought taco seasoning mix if desired. You can also use your own homemade spice blend.
- white rice – any kind of long grain rice (wild rice, brown rice…) will work. To make them lower-carb, you could substitute cauliflower rice.
- black beans – pinto beans will work the same.
- cheese – cheddar cheese, cotija cheese, or a store-bought Mexican cheese blend will also work. Use dairy-free cheese if needed.
More healthy meal prep recipes
- greek chicken bowls
- copycat sweetgreen harvest bowl
- chopped salad with turkey & chickpeas
- ground turkey sweet potato skillet
- fall harvest salad
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Chicken Burrito Bowl
ingredients
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 salt and pepper, to taste
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed
- 1 cup water (or more, depending on the method used)
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
Fajita Veggies
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 large large onion, thinly sliced (2 cups/150 grams)
- 3 medium bell peppers, julienned (about 5 heaping cups/500 grams)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Guacamole
- 2 small avocados (200 grams)
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice (depending on taste)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Burrito Bowls
- 5 packed cups chopped romaine lettuce (270 grams)
- 1 15-ounce black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 cup canned sweet corn, drained
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (2 ounces)
- optional toppings – salsa, sour cream/greek yogurt, hot sauce, cilantro, lime wedges…
- for serving – tortilla chips, tortillas…
instructions
- Marinate your chicken. Add chicken to a large baking dish or plastic bag and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the juice of one lime, cilantro, minced garlic, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let it marinate for 1-2 hours.
- When the chicken is done marinating, make your rice according to the package. I prefer the instant pot method as it does the work for you, but the stovetop works just as well. Once done, let it cool for a few minutes. Add cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt and stir well to combine.
- Cook the chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and let it get hot. Add chicken (make sure not to overcrowd) and cook for 10 minutes. Flip and cook another 5-10 minutes until cooked through and no pink remains. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool for a couple of minutes. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
- While the chicken cooks, make your veggies. In a separate large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and let it get hot. Add onions with a little salt and pepper and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add peppers and a pinch of salt and pepper, and mix well to combine. Cover with a lid, and let cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the chicken and veggies cook, make your guacamole. Add avocado, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl. Mash to combine until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide the rice, lettuce, black beans, corn, chicken, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheese between bowls. I like to top them with a little lime juice and fresh cilantro.
- Enjoy!
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nutrition
Recipe by Kelly Nardo, Eat the Gains | Photography by Sierra Inn
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That was a ton of work for an absolutely mediocre dish. No flavor. Who cooks fajita veggies in the oven? Needs all sorts of sauces and seasonings to make this palatable.
Sorry, you didn’t enjoy it, Tommy. Thanks for giving it a try.
Looks tasty
Thank you!