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Packed with fresh veggies, rice, and juicy seared chicken, burrito bowls are the most delicious way to fuel your body! Topped off with creamy cilantro ranch, this is the perfect lunch filled with amazing flavor and texture.
Who said tacos and burritos had to be unhealthy? Chickpea tacos, taco-stuffed avocados, and beef taco salad are all ways to get your fix without blowing your diet!
Easy Burrito Bowls With Chicken Recipe
As one of my New Year’s resolutions, I’ve been trying to cut back on eating out. Cafe Rio, Costa Vida and Chipotle being some of the biggest culprits. I’ve already got a few copycat recipes up on the blog, with some of my favorites being Cafe Rio’s amazing shredded chicken and cilantro ranch dressing! Today we’re entering the world of burrito bowls! Skip the trip to Chipotle and make this instead. It’s healthy, hearty, and loaded with so much incredible flavor!
To get this perfectly marinated chicken, all you need is some homemade taco seasoning and olive oil! It sears up beautifully and has so much flavor in each bite! From there, all you need to do is assemble your burrito bowl with all of your favorite toppings! I love an assortment of veggies, beans and rice. You can also throw in guacamole or salsa! The sky is the limit. These burrito bowls are so satisfying and keep me full all day!
Ingredients to Make Your Burrito Bowl
The best part about this recipe is that you don’t need every ingredient in order to make it! You can mix and match! I like to just throw in whatever’s in my fridge at the end of the week. It’s a great way to use up leftovers!
- Chicken Breasts: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts here. Look for chicken pieces that are a similar size! This helps them all to cook through at the same rate.
- Olive Oil: Used to add moisture for cooking. Olive oil adds a nice, rich flavor as well!
- Taco Seasoning: You can use your favorite brand here or make it from scratch with just a few simple ingredients!
- Cilantro Lime Rice: No burrito bowl is complete without cilantro lime rice à la Cafe Rio! It’s super easy to make at home and SO delicious! You can find my full recipe here. You can swap this out for brown rice as a healthier choice.
Toppings
- Chopped Romaine Lettuce: Lettuce is so juicy and fresh! It also gives your burrito bowl a great texture.
- Black Beans: If using canned black beans, make sure these are drained and rinsed! You can swap these out for pinto or refried beans, too.
- Bell Peppers: Add the perfect crunch and sweet-sharp flavor! They’re also loaded with tons of vitamins and antioxidants.
- Grape Tomatoes: I find the long oval shape of grape tomatoes to be easier to cut than cherry.
- Red Onion: Red onions are perfectly sharp and crunchy. The perfect complement to soft rice and avocado!
- Avocados: A ripe avocado will have a dark color and be slightly soft to the touch. If it’s mushy, it’s likely overripe. See more tips on picking the perfect avocado below!
- Shredded Cheese: I typically use either colby jack or cheddar.
- Cilantro Ranch Dressing: This creamy, zesty ranch is what brings the whole bowl together in my opinion! If you’re anything like my kids, you’ll drown everything in it.
- Fresh Cilantro and Lime: Add as garnish for that picture-perfect finishing touch!
Putting Your Burrito Bowl Together
It only takes 5 minutes to cook up your chicken! From there, you just throw everything together in a bowl! Super easy, super fast! AKA, the perfect lunch for busy days.
- Prepare Marinade: Let’s start! To begin, in a small bowl, add the olive oil and taco seasoning. Whisk together until combined.
- Cut Chicken, Season: Next, slice your chicken breast lengthwise down the middle if they are too thick. This will help cook the chicken faster and more evenly. Rub the chicken breasts generously on both sides with the oil/seasoning mixture.
- Stir-Fry: Place the chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for about 7 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
- Let Chicken Rest: Remove from heat and allow the chicken to sit while you prepare the bowls.
- Assemble: Next, evenly divide the bowl ingredients between 4 bowls. Slice the chicken and add 3 ounces of chicken to each bowl.
- Add Dressing and Garnish: To finish up, drizzle with cilantro ranch, and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime! Enjoy!
Tips and Tasty Variations
It’s so easy to customize this recipe! Switch it up with your favorite dressing, make it vegetarian, and more! You will absolutely love how it turns out!
- Choosing the Perfect Avocado: It can be tricky to pick avocados. They have a short window for being ripe, so it’s important to find some with the following characteristics! Pick avocados that are dark green. The perfect avocado will be slightly firm on the outside, but soft when pressed near the stem.
- Meal Prep: Burrito bowls are a great meal prep option! You can pack the warm ingredients like chicken, beans, and rice separately from any vegetables or dressing and keep in the fridge. It’s super easy to throw together for a quick meal!
- Make it Vegetarian: You can easily make this burrito bowl vegetarian by swapping the chicken out for tofu or chickpeas!
- More Additions: Pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, chopped jalapenos, and corn are just a few more tasty toppings you can add to your burrito bowl!
Storing Leftovers / Meal Prep
I like to prepare the ingredients for my burrito bowls at the beginning of the week in bulk. This way, I have a delicious lunch ready to make whenever!
- Chicken: In an airtight container, your stir-fried chicken will last for up to 5 days stored in the fridge. You can serve cold or reheat. Be sure to check that the internal temperature of your chicken has reached 165 degrees F if reheating.
- Vegetables: As a general rule of thumb, I will keep my chopped vegetables no longer than 4 days in the fridge. To keep avocados from browning, first spritz with a little lemon juice.
- Rice: Cooked white rice will last in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store in an airtight container.
- Cilantro Ranch Dressing: Your homemade cilantro ranch will stay good for up to 1 week in a sealed jar or container.
