Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
Jamie is a recipe developer, content creator, and registered dietitian with expertise in food allergies. She is passionate about food and behaviors that affect people's health and strives to encourage people to become more nutritionally-informed, utilize ingredients effectively and sustainably, and form a positive relationship with food. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, hiking, and trying new foods!
- Dinner
Everything that goes in a burrito, minus the tortilla — and four days of lunches out of one afternoon.
These high protein chipotle chicken burrito bowls contain all the ingredients of a burrito minus the tortilla. The combination of high-protein ingredients like beans and chicken with fiber-rich foods like avocado, beans, and brown rice creates a well-balanced meal. Each serving contains 41 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Though this dish requires a bit of extra cook time, the recipe yields 4 large servings and 5 medium servings, making it an excellent dish to meal prep for the week.
Why This Works
Every single ingredient is nutrient-dense, coming together to form a protein-packed, vitamin-rich meal. The main sources of protein are chicken breast and pinto beans, which are both lean. The carbohydrate base, brown rice, along with the other vegetables also pack the fiber into this bowl.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 537 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 41g |
| Carbs | 73g |
| Fat | 10g |
Ingredients
For the chicken
| Raw chicken breast | 1½ pounds |
|---|---|
| Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce | ⅓ cup |
| Garlic clove | 1 |
| Cumin | ½ tsp |
| Onion powder | ¼ tsp |
| Salt | ½ tsp |
| Black pepper | ½ tsp |
| Diced onion | ½ cup |
| Avocado oil | 1 tsp |
| Lime juice | 1 tbsp |
For the rice
| Uncooked brown rice | 1½ cups |
|---|---|
| Water | 3 cups |
For the toppings
| Pico de gallo | ¾ cup |
|---|---|
| Canned pinto beans, drained | ¾ cup |
| Guacamole | ¾ cup |
| Canned or frozen corn, drained and heated | ¾ cup |
| Cotija cheese | Optional |
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Blend the marinade.
Add the chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, onion powder, salt, pepper, onion, oil, and lime juice into a food processor or blender and blend until a smooth paste forms.
2 Marinate the chicken.
Add the marinade into a medium-sized bowl and place the chicken breasts in the marinade. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
3 Cook the rice.
Wash and drain the brown rice two times and add the rice and water to a medium pot. Cover the pot and cook the rice over low heat for 40–45 minutes or until the rice is cooked and can be fluffed with a fork.
4 Grill the chicken.
Heat a grill pan over high heat and grill the marinated chicken for 5–6 minutes.
5 Flip and finish.
Flip the chicken to the other side and grill the other side for 5 minutes. Measure the internal temperature of the chicken breast and make sure it reaches 165° Fahrenheit.
6 Rest and slice.
Set the chicken aside and let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice the chicken into strips.
7 Assemble.
Assemble the bowls with brown rice, chicken strips, pico de gallo, pinto beans, guacamole, corn, and cotija cheese (if using).
Notes & Tips
- Store components separately: The components of the burrito bowls store best when they are in their individual containers.
- Storage: Store the components in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Make it vegan: For a vegan version, substitute the chicken with a plant-based protein such as tempeh or tofu and substitute cotija cheese with a plant-based cheese.
Jamie is a recipe developer, content creator, and registered dietitian with expertise in food allergies. She is passionate about food and behaviors that affect people's health and strives to encourage people to become more nutritionally-informed, utilize ingredients effectively and sustainably, and form a positive relationship with food. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, hiking, and trying new foods!
