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Chicken thighs are marinated in a copycat adobo sauce and grilled, then served with rice, beans, and your favorite toppings.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Homemade chipotle burrito bowls are fresh, zesty, and layered with texture, with no waiting in line.
- Skill Level: This easy recipe is a weeknight time-saver! Just grill the chicken and make the rice, then everyone can build their bowl.
- Recommended Tools: For perfectly cooked grilled chicken, nothing beats a meat thermometer.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve buffet-style so everyone builds their own bowl with their favorite combination of toppings!
Ingredient Tips for Chipotle Burrito Bowls
- Chicken: Thigh meat is the best choice because it’s extra juicy and cooks quickly, but you can use skinless chicken breasts, too. In a pinch for time? Thaw out some frozen chicken cutlets, marinate, and pan-fry them in a skillet.
- Rice & Beans: Anything goes for rice and beans! Use up leftovers from other recipes or make the cilantro lime rice (recipe below) for an irresistible zesty flavor. Beans should be drained and rinsed before using.
Tasty Topping Options
- Fresh & Flavorful: Corn salsa, diced tomatoes, pico de gallo, or shredded lettuce.
- Zesty & Spicy: Green chiles, jalapenos, sliced black olives, or pickled onions.
- Cool & Creamy: Guacamole, sour cream, or lime crema.
- Cheesy Finishes: Shredded mozzarella, a Mexican blend, or crumbled cotija.
Leftovers
Keep leftover chicken burrito bowls covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy them cold on a bed of greens, wrapped in a tortilla, or reheat portions in the microwave.
Freeze the mixture in zippered bags for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
More Tasty Bowls
Did your family enjoy these Chipotle Burrito Bowls? Leave a rating and comment below!
Chipotle Burrito Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup basmati rice or long grain white rice
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
For Serving
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup corn salsa or salsa of choice
- toppings as desired diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, cheese, guacamole
Instructions
For the Chicken
- In a medium bowl, combine adobo sauce, vinegar, water, vegetable oil, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Trim the chicken thighs and add them to the bowl and toss well to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until it reaches 165°F and is charred.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Dice into bite-size pieces.
For the Rice
- Rinse rice and drain well.
- In a saucepan, bring water, rice, bay leaf, and salt to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and fluff with a fork.
- Stir in lime juice, cilantro and salt to taste. Serve.
To Assemble
- Divide rice between four bowls. Top with grilled chicken, black beans, and corn salsa.
- Add your favorite toppings such as diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, cheese, and a big dollop of guacamole.
- Serve with lime wedges and cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Keep leftover chipotle burrito bowls covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- Enjoy cold over greens, wrapped in a tortilla, or reheated in the microwave
- Freeze the mixture in zippered bags for up to 3 months
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
chicken is delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jean!