Burrito Bowls, with spice-rubbed chicken, rice, beans, corn, and an incredible chili-lime sauce.
How To Make Burrito Bowls
- Prep the chicken: toss together all of the seasonings and then rub on all sides of the chicken. Make sure to slice the chicken breasts in half or pound them into even pieces before adding the seasoning blend. This ensures even cooking!
- Prep the cilantro lime quinoa or rice: my secret to extra flavor here? Cooking the quinoa or rice in chicken broth or stock! Check out this helpful guide on how to cook quinoa
- Assemble: fluff the quinoa or rice with a fork and top it with cooked and chopped chicken. Next, add a selection of your favorite toppings. We like pinto beans, chopped avocado, chopped tomato, more cilantro, cheese, and plenty of fresh lime. On top of it all is the delicious chili lime sauce that really puts this burrito bowl over the top!
Topping Ideas
Choose your favorite toppings for your Burrito Bowls:
- Avocado: Choose ripe ones for a nice creamy addition.
- Guacamole: Homemade is the best, or try these individual packs.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Or try our easy Pico De Gallo.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar, Pepper Jack, Cotija, or your fave.
- Jalapeños: Fresh or pickled for heat.
- Lime: Freshly squeezed juice brightens flavors.
- Cilantro: Adds freshness and vibrancy.
- Pickled Red Onions: Tangy and flavorful.
- Sauces: Try our famous Taco Sauce or creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce.
Variation Ideas
- Add roasted (or grilled) corn
- Use guacamole in place of the avocado
- Serve with pico de gallo in place of chopped cherry tomatoes (see below)
- Add roasted or raw bell peppers (see: how to cut a bell pepper)
- Top the chicken and rice with a mango salsa
- Looking for more inspiration? Check out what Chipotle adds to their burrito bowl recipe. (Add your favorites from the list!)
This burrito bowl recipe makes the perfect healthy meal prep! Here’s a breakdown on how I approach this recipe for meal prep:
Meal Prepping
- Chicken: let the cooked chicken cool, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and place it on one side of your meal prep container.
- Quinoa or rice: let the cooked quinoa or rice cool and place it on the other side of your meal prep container. Add beans on top and seal the container.
- Prep “cold” ingredients: add all the “cold” ingredients (such as tomatoes or cheese) you don’t want warmed through into a separate bag or container. While you can add avocado to these meal prep containers, I highly recommend buying pre-made guacamole snack packs (usually found in the produce section by refrigerated dressings/sauces) and adding one guacamole pack a day to your lunch.
- Assemble: when you’re ready to eat, warm through the chicken, rice, and beans mixture. Top with the cold ingredient toppings and enjoy!
Do You Eat Burrito Bowls Cold?
You can eat burrito bowls cold, but they’re best warmed. If making fresh, they’ll already be warm. For meal prep, see the notes above on storing and reheating.
Storage
Leftovers?
- Keep Separate: Store the rice, chicken, and toppings in separate containers to keep them fresh.
- Refrigerate: Place everything in the fridge. The chicken and rice will last up to 4 days.
- Store the Sauce: Put the sauce in a small container and refrigerate for up to a week.
- Reheat and Assemble: When ready to eat, reheat the chicken and rice, then add the toppings and sauce.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Greek Couscous Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Quinoa Black Bean Salad
- Cowboy Caviar
Burrito Bowls
This burrito bowl features spice-rubbed chicken, cilantro-lime quinoa, beans, fresh vegetables, and a delicious chipotle sauce. It's a meal you'll crave again and again!
Equipment
- Large pan
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts see note 1
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
Rice
- 1 batch cilantro-lime rice or plain rice
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans drained, rinsed, and warm
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn or 1 can, see note 2
- 1 large avocado or guacamole
- Diced grape tomatoes or salsa
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructions
- Follow your chosen recipe for cilantro-lime or plain rice, making enough to yield 3–4 cups, this will require 1 cup of dry rice.
- Trim chicken and cut each breast in half widthwise to create four thin filets. Pound lightly for even thickness. Pat dry and place in a large bowl.
- Stir together all seasonings in a small bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over chicken, toss, sprinkle with seasonings, and toss again.
- Heat remaining oil in a pan over high heat. Cook chicken in a single layer, with no overlapping, for 2–4 minutes each side until it reaches 165°F. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest 5 minutes, then dice.
- Zest limes with a zester to get 1/4 teaspoon zest. Juice the limes using a citrus juicer to get 3 tablespoons lime juice. Whisk together sauce ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until using.
- Divide rice, chicken, black beans, corn, diced avocado, and tomatoes evenly among bowls. Divide any optional toppings. Drizzle sauce evenly, or to taste, on bowls. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Recipe timing and seasoning quantities are based on using two medium-sized chicken breasts, each weighing 1/2 pound, for a total of 1 pound of chicken.
Note 2: Sauté frozen corn in butter or oil before adding. See Black Bean Burrito Bowls recipe for detailed instructions.
Note 3: I love to use sour cream, Cotija cheese, jalapenos, lime, cilantro, pickled red onions, and cilantro-lime sauce or taco sauce. For quicker toppings, grab store-bought salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole packs, and cilantro-lime sauce.
Storage: Store the rice, chicken, and toppings in separate containers in the fridge; they will stay fresh for up to 4 days. The sauce will last a week in the fridge. When ready to eat, reheat the chicken and rice, then add the toppings and sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 786kcal | Carbohydrates: 106.4g | Protein: 42.2g | Fat: 22.6g | Cholesterol: 82.7mg | Sodium: 491.3mg | Fiber: 16.2g | Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this today. I added fiesta sweet corn,
red onion and lettuce. Made one pan using ground beef and another with pan with grilled chicken in the pack, used the seasoning on both meats. Yes, I took the short cut. It was good. I will be making this again.
Delish! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Jackie! 🙂
Made this for dinner and it was delicious! I will definitely be making this again (and again, and again)! Thank you!!!
So happy to hear this was a hit!! Thank you Cheryl 🙂