Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
These homemade Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls are filled with juicy grilled chicken, fluffy cilantro lime rice, peppers and onions, fresh salsas, guacamole, cheese, and black beans. It’s the perfect recipe for meal prep and the bowls can be customized to your tastes.
If you often get burrito bowls at Chipotle, this homemade copycat version is going to save you so much time and money!
Table of Contents
The Copycat Chicken Burrito Bowls I Make Instead of Ordering From Chipotle
You know how much I love any bowl dinner, but burrito bowls are my favorite way to meal prep for the week. I am a true Chipotle lover, but it’s too expensive to go all the time, so I’ve made the perfect burrito bowl copycat recipe.
My chicken burrito bowls feature ultra-flavorful chipotle-marinated grilled chicken with fluffy cilantro lime rice and all my favorite toppings. It’s truly my favorite recipe to prep for weekly lunches.
No matter what your dietary needs are, you can easily make swaps to turn these burrito bowls into exactly what you need! I struggle with getting enough protein throughout the day, so the grilled chicken and black beans really help me hit my macros.
When you’re in the market for a healthy weeknight dinner, these grilled chicken burrito bowls are perfect!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken. Anytime I’m grilling chicken, I almost always use boneless skinless chicken thighs. They have more flavor and a bit more fat, so they don’t dry out. You could use boneless chicken breasts here, they’re just not my go-to.
- Chipotle chilies. The canned chipotle chilies (and their sauce) give the marinaded chicken the perfect smoky, spicy flavor. In a pinch, you could use chipotle powder.
- Lime. Lime zest and juice gives the marinade a punchy freshness.
- Honey. I love a touch of honey or agave here for just a little sweetness to balance all the savory flavors. It also helps the outside of the chicken caramelize while cooking.
- Cumin. A touch of cumin gives extra flavor to the marinade.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is a must! But you can swap in garlic powder if that’s what you have.
- Cilantro lime rice. This is so easy to make from scratch using just steamed white rice, a little lime zest and juice, and fresh cilantro.
- Toppings. You can really customize these burrito bowls however you like, but some of my favorite toppings are homemade guacamole, fresh corn salsa, pico de gallo, shredded romaine lettuce, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and black beans.
Jenny’s Tip: If you want to go all out, drizzle your burrito bowl with white queso sauce.
Required Equipment
How to Make Chicken Burrito Bowls Just Like Chipotle
Jenny’s Tip: While it’s still warm enough outside, I prefer to grill the chicken, but you can also make them year-round on an indoor grill pan. I also always use a rice cooker for making perfectly fluffy rice.
- Marinate the chicken. The chicken thighs are coated in a smoky-sweet-tangy marinade that’s whisked together in the same bowl the meat is marinated in. If you’re in a time crunch, 1 hour will do but 24 hours is best for tenderizing and flavoring the chicken.
- Grill the chicken. I prefer to grill chicken thighs over medium heat (roughly 450ºF) for just 4 to 5 minutes per side. This creates a nice sear, and the quicker cook time also prevents the chicken from drying out. Squeeze a little lime juice over the chicken before dicing into small pieces.
- Prep the cilantro lime rice and toppings. While the chicken is resting, I like to saute the peppers and onions just until softened. I’ll also mix together the cilantro, lime juice and zest, and steamed rice.
- Assemble your burrito bowls. Spoon the cilantro lime rice into a bowl, then top with the chipotle chicken, peppers and onions, beans, and your choice of toppings.
Ways to Change Up Your Burrito Bowls
- Burnt out on chicken? Make chipotle beef burrito bowls, shrimp burrito bowls, or carne asada burrito bowls.
- Don’t have black beans? Swap in refried beans or borracho (drunken) beans.
- Cilantro lime rice not your thing? Use Mexican rice or arroz verde as the base instead.
- Don’t like pico de gallo? Homemade salsa verde would provide a different flavor profile.
Meal Prep Tips
If making these chicken burrito bowls for meal prep, I suggest storing the toppings, rice, and chicken separately so that nothing becomes soggy in the fridge. You can assemble the bowls just before reheating, which should take just 1 or 2 minutes tops!
To store: Store the grilled chicken in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store all the other components in separate containers.
To Reheat: Reheat the rice, chicken, beans, and veggies in the microwave until warmed through. Then, top with the fresh ingredients and enjoy.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Bowl Dinner Recipes
- Tandoori Salmon Bowls
- Harissa Chicken Bowls
- Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
- Salmon and Rice Bowls
- Spring Roll Bowls
- Salmon Sushi Bowls
This post contains affiliate links from which I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links allow me to keep providing great recipes for free and I never recommend products that I don’t love and personally own.
Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls Recipe
Ingredients
Chipotle Chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 canned chipotle chilies, chopped plus 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- lime, for squeezing
Bowl Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1-2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 4 cups steamed white rice
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
- 1 1/2 cups black beans
- fresh corn salsa
- guacamole
- shredded lettuce
- pico de gallo
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime zest and juice, chopped chipotle chilies and adobo sauce, honey, cumin, garlic, and salt.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss well to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
- Prep and preheat the grill. Before using your grill, make sure to clean the grates of any food and debris. Lightly grease the grates with nonstick spray. Preheat your grill to medium heat. Close the lid and wait at least 15 minutes, until the temperature reaches 450 F.
- Grill the chicken. Grill the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through to 165 F internally. Transfer the chicken to a plate or tray and squeeze with fresh lime juice. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before dicing into bite-sized pieces.
- Prep the bowl ingredients. Add the oil to a skillet over medium heat and saute the sliced peppers and onion until softened. Stir in the cilantro and lime to the rice and season to taste.
- Assemble the bowls. Add cilantro-lime rice to a bowl and top with the grilled chicken, peppers & onions, and black beans. Top as desired with salsa, guacamole, and shredded lettuce.
You might also like...
-
30 Minute Meals Grilled Cilantro-Lime Chicken
-
30 Minute Meals Harissa Chicken Bowls
-
30 Minute Meals Chicken Vermicelli Bowls
Rate & Review This Recipe
No comments yet — be the first to rate and review!