Chipotle Burrito Bowl Recipe: Meal Prep Your Own Burrito Bowl

Is your significant other complaining that you go to the fast-casual chain too much? Well, you can always stay in and customize your own Chipotle Burrito Bowl. 

There’s nothing healthier than a balanced meal of fluffy rice, smoky chicken, beans, salsa, and a big dollop of guacamole. Plus, it’s relatively cheaper, and you can easily tuck your toppings in a  burrito too. 

Let’s see what your S.O. has to say about that! 

These ingredients are super versatile as well. You can use them in other Tex-Mex dishes, such as enchiladas or nachos. Topping your meal prepped salad with leftovers also makes for a delicious treat. 

With this Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe, you can replicate the real thing however you like. Perhaps it will even be better than the ones in-store.

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 1/4 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly diced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon Chipotle powder
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 pounds boneless & skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breast)

Corn Salsa:

• 12 ounces fresh corn, preferably off the cob
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium roasted poblano pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste

Cilantro Lime Rice:

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste

Guacamole:

• 2 large avocados, halved & pitted
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• I teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped
• Salt to taste

Assembling the Burrito Bowl: 

• 1 cup cooked black beans (or pinto beans)
• Tomato salsa (you can choose your preferred brand and flavor)
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack (or cheddar cheese)
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup sour cream

Instructions

1. Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, it’s time to break out the food processor (or blender). Combine onion, garlic, adobo sauce, cumin, olive oil, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth.
2. Place the chicken in a large ziplock bag and pour in the marinade. Ensure the chicken is evenly coated. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 1-4 hours. 
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a grill pan or skillet on high heat. Add the marinated chicken to the pan to sear, flipping sides occasionally until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
4. Remove the chicken and allow it to cool. Then, chop into small pieces on a cutting board—season with salt and pepper.
5. While the chicken is marinating, cook rice with bay leaf and salt.
6. After 10 minutes, remove the bay leaf and stir the rice in with cilantro, lime juice and lemon juice—season with salt.
7. Next, prepare the corn salsa. In a large bowl, add cooked corn, onion, poblano pepper, jalapeño, cilantro, lemon juice and lime juice—season with salt.
8. In a bowl, mash the avocados with lemon juice and lime juice until smooth. Stir in red onion, jalapeño and cilantro—season with salt.
9. Get out your bowls! Serve an equal amount of rice to each, topping with chicken, beans, cheese, salsa, lettuce, sour cream and guacamole.

Vegetarian/Vegan Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Of course, you can easily swap out the chicken for fajita veggies, as plant-based patrons do at the restaurant. Alternatively, you may also use vegan store-bought guac.

Whether it’s vegan cheese or sour cream, it’s all up to you!

Ways to Serve This Delicious Dish

You can serve your guests Chipotle-style, where they build their own bowls from a burrito bar. Besides that, you can leave out tortillas for burrito wrapping or even spinach or lettuce wraps. You make the rules! 

We doubt you’ll have any leftovers, but for meal prep reasons, your burrito bowls will last about five days in the refrigerator. Heat the cooked components in a microwave whenever, and top them with the fresh/cold ingredients.

Do store the cold components in separate container stop avoid sogginess.
 
For more popular copycat recipes, be sure to check out LokaEats. Want to know more about Chipotle food? Here is the Chipotle menu and pricing.