Loaded with rice, beans, vegetables, avocado, fresh salsa and spicy chicken, this Chicken Burrito Bowl is healthy, filling and utterly delicious. Burrito bowls are easy to adapt and great for making a few ahead of time for a quick and tasty lunch.
These healthy and filling burrito bowls take just a few minutes to put together (if you are using ready cooked chicken) and they have a little bit of everything. Spicy chicken, zesty salsa, creamy avocado and plenty of crunch from the veggies. There are so many ways to adapt it that you never have to have it the same way twice.
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What you will need
- Chicken - For these burrito bowls we used chicken breast. You could use chicken thighs, which are juicier, but are less lean.
- Burrito seasoning - We used a combination of chilli powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, ground coriander, salt and pepper.
- Rice - Any rice will work, but we recommend our delicious cilantro lime rice.
- Avocado - Adds a lovely creaminess to the burrito bowl. It's also packed with healthy fats.
- Black beans - We used canned black beans. Simply drain and add to the bowl.
- Romaine lettuce - This gives a really lovely crunch. You could use any lettuce, spinach, kale or a combination.
- Tomatoes - Try to use the freshest tomatoes available.
- Red bell pepper - We fried our peppers to soften them, but you can leave them raw if you prefer.
- Lime - A squeeze of lime juice over everything at the end really freshens the dish up.
- Coriander (cilantro) - Finely chopped and sprinkled over the top. Omit if you don't like it.
Some other suggestions for your burrito bowl fillings are listed below and a full ingredients list, with measurements, is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step by step
One: Put the oil in a frying pan and once hot, add the chicken. Gently cook, turning occasionally for 6 minutes. In a separate pan, cook the pepper slices in oil for 4 minutes, until softened.
Two: Add the seasoning, stir well and cook for a further 2 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked through.
Three: Add the lettuce to the bowl and top with the cooked chicken and the rest of the ingredients.
Why should you try it?
- Easy to adapt
- Protein packed
- A great meal prep recipe
- Healthy and filling
What is a burrito bowl?
A burrito bowl is exactly what it sounds like - all of your favourite burrito fillings served in a bowl, rather than a tortilla. Burrito bowls are typically served over rice, and eaten with a fork.
I don't know about you, but I make a total mess when trying to eat a burrito. This takes out the mess and makes it much easier to manage. I just love a bowl loaded up with fresh ingredients too.
What to include
You can fill a burrito bowl with pretty much anything you like! Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Protein (chicken, steak, fish, tofu, grilled halloumi) - for this recipe, we used chicken breast.
- Rice or quinoa - for this recipe, we used our cilantro lime rice, but if you want to low carb option, you could use cauliflower rice.
- Shredded lettuce - We like using Romaine or little gem as it is a nice, crunchy lettuce, but you could use any lettuce.
- Beans - We used black beans, but pinto beans work well, as do chickpeas.
- Corn - We didn't use corn here, but simple canned corn works really well. Drain fully first.
- Tomatoes - some kind of salsa is a must in a burrito bowl. We did a simple chopped tomatoes with coriander and lime juice, but you could make a Pico De Gallo or Restaurant Style Salsa. Fancy something different? Try our Pineapple Salsa.
- Avocado - We used sliced avocado, but you could use our amazing Guacamole Recipe.
- Cheese - If you can source some traditional Mexican Queso Fresco, that will work perfectly. Outside of Mexico and parts of the US, however, Queso Fresco is hard to come by, so a good substitute would be a mild feta or even ricotta.
- Sauce - If you like your meals really spicy, then make some of our tongue tingling Jalapeno Sauce to drizzle over it. It's got a serious kick!
- Sour Cream - If you wanted something lighter than sour cream, then a nice thick 0% Greek yogurt or reduce fat creme fraiche would work well.
Homemade seasoning
You can buy many Mexican seasonings in a packets, but it's usually loaded with extra sugar and salt. It's really easy to make yourself, and then you can make a big batch and keep it in a jar for whenever you make Mexican dishes. It will keep well in an airtight jar for a year. We like to sprinkle it on salmon before grilling too.
We mix together chilli powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, sea salt and black pepper.
What to do with leftovers
If you have any topping leftovers, don't chuck them as they make a great filling for tacos and enchiladas. You can even stuff it into a pepper or a mushroom. This burrito bowl is also just as good cold the next day or two for leftovers. We sometimes make a few an pack them up for easy lunches in the week.
Whether you eat it straight away or for lunch the next day, grab some tortilla chips and dig in.
FAQs
It definitely is. It includes a good mix of protein, carbs and healthy fats. You could make it lower in carbs by swapping the rice for Cauliflower Rice, or just serving it on top of shredded lettuce.
We fried up some diced chicken breast and then added the Mexican seasoning to keep it lean. However, you could dice boneless and skinless chicken thighs and cook them the same way - they would be much juicy this way.
You could also use ground chicken - just fry it and then season it the same way we have the chicken breasts.
If you want to make this meal even quicker, you could use leftovers of our Slow Cooker Whole Chicken. Either add plain as it is, or fry in a little oil and then add the seasoning.
These bowls will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To store, it is recommend putting the lettuce and avocado in a separate container than the rest of the ingredients. That way, the chicken can be reheated (if desired) in the microwave, and then you can make up the full bowl afterwards.
Extra tips
- Use leftover fillings in tacos or enchiladas
- You don't need to use chicken - any protein will work: chicken, steak, fish, tofu or even grilled halloumi
- You can use a store bought seasoning, but homemade is really easy
- There are no real rules - think of a burrito filling and just put it all in a bowl!
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DON’T FORGET TO RATE THE RECIPE ↓
Recipe
Chicken Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast diced
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
- 1 serving cilantro and lime rice
- 0.5 avocado sliced
- 100 g black beans (cooked)
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 0.5 lime juice
- 4 tablespoon fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
Instructions
- Put the oil in a frying pan and once hot, add the chicken. Gently cook, turning occasionally for 6 minutes. In a separate pan, cook the pepper slices in oil for 4 minutes, until softened.
- Add the seasoning, stir well and cook for a further 2 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the lettuce to the bowl and top with the cooked chicken and the rest of the ingredients.
Notes
- Use leftover fillings in tacos or enchiladas
- You don't need to use chicken - any protein will work: chicken, steak, fish, tofu or even grilled halloumi
- You can use a store bought seasoning, but homemade is really easy
- There are no real rules - think of a burrito filling and just put it all in a bowl!
Barbara V Cranford
Would like skinny recipe for chicken burrito bowls. Barbara Cranford [email protected]
Oh So Gawjess
Danni your food is to die for! Please can I come round for tea!!!??
xXx
KANKUN LUCHADOR
KANKUNtastic recipe amigo Dannii and you are right to use chopotle, it gives the earthy and smoky flavour to the burrito. #healthy #yummy
Annie @Maebells
I love a good "bowl" recipe. Everything is better when it is all piled on top of each other, right?! Can't wait to try this!
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen
This looks very tasty!! I love it ;-)
Courtney @RunningforCupcakes
This looks like a healthier and prettier version of Chipotle! So awesome!
Caroline
Can I ask, are all your dinners over 500 calories? As that seems like a lot to me. I am trying to stick to 1000 calories a day, so that would be half of my daily amount. Thanks.
Amber
I made this for dinner last night and it is SO good. Even my boyfriend liked it and he is really picky.
priya satheesh
Yum yum yum ! mexican cuisine is my fav too... looks fabulous !
Kathy @ Olives & Garlic
Fabulous recipe, I am always happy to see another Mexican dish. Can;t wait to read about your adventures in Geneva.
Matt @ Runner Savvy
You got Chipotle beat :)
Lauren @ ihadabiglunch
The feta is an awesome addition that I've never thought about adding to Mexican dishes - this looks delicious! I've been eating Mexican food nonstop lately. It must be the heat but I've been turning to salsa for a lot of my veggies lately - hey, that counts, right? :)
[email protected]
I love any and all Mexican food! This looks delicious! I recently started making enchilads and they are so good!