Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
Meal prep king. 45g protein per bowl.
A copycat Chipotle burrito bowl with seasoned chicken, cilantro-lime rice, black beans, and all the fixings. Meal preps beautifully for 5 days.
This is the recipe that got me into meal prep. I was spending $14 a day at Chipotle getting double chicken bowls, which comes out to $70 a week just on lunch. I did the math one Sunday and realized I could make five bowls for the price of one.
The trick is the chicken seasoning. Most copycat recipes use too much cumin and not enough heat. This version uses chipotle in adobo for smokiness plus a hit of smoked paprika. The rice gets lime juice and cilantro stirred in right after cooking, while it is still steaming.
I have been making this every Sunday for two years. It reheats perfectly. The chicken stays juicy. The rice does not get weird. This is the recipe that proved to me that meal prep does not have to taste like punishment.
Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
- FOR THE CHICKEN
- FOR THE CILANTRO-LIME RICE
- FOR THE BOWLS
Instructions
- Mix chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Coat chicken breasts evenly with the mixture. Let sit 15 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 6-7 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165F. Rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.
- While chicken cooks, bring rice and water to a boil. Reduce to low, cover, and cook 18 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in lime juice, cilantro, and salt.
- Warm black beans in a small pot over medium heat. Season with a pinch of cumin and salt.
- Divide rice among 5 meal prep containers. Top each with sliced chicken, black beans, corn, pico de gallo, avocado, cheese, and a tablespoon of Greek yogurt.
- Store in the fridge up to 5 days. Reheat chicken and rice (microwave 2-3 minutes). Add avocado and yogurt fresh if meal prepping ahead.