These Spicy Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls are a vibrant and healthy meal that tastes like your favorite fast-casual burrito bowl but made right at home. Featuring tender chicken marinated in a smoky chipotle-lime sauce and served over fluffy cilantro lime rice, these bowls are bursting with bold flavors.
Packed with fresh veggies, black beans, and sweet corn, this customizable dish is perfect for meal prepping or a fun family dinner where everyone builds their own bowl.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A robust mix of smoky heat from chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, balanced by the bright zest of fresh lime and cilantro.
- Texture: Tender, juicy chicken strips are contrasted by the crisp romaine, creamy avocado, and fluffy long-grain rice.
- Time: 15 minutes prep (plus marinating), 20 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. It involves a simple marinade, cooking rice, and a quick sear.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large bowl for marinating the chicken and a large skillet or grill pan to cook it. A medium pot with a tight-fitting lid is essential for steaming the rice perfectly. The ingredients rely on pantry staples like canned black beans and chipotle peppers, combined with fresh produce and lean chicken breast.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breast – Use 1 ½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips. Marinating it is key to tenderizing the meat and infusing it with flavor.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo – These canned peppers provide the signature smoky spice. You’ll use both the chopped peppers and the sauce. They pack a punch, so adjust according to your heat tolerance.
- Lime – Fresh lime is used in both the marinade and the rice. Bottled juice won’t give you the same zest and brightness.
- Long-Grain White Rice – Rinsing the rice before cooking removes excess starch, ensuring fluffy, separate grains rather than a sticky clump.
- Cilantro – Fresh chopped cilantro adds an herbal freshness that ties the bowl together.
- Black Beans & Corn – These add fiber, texture, and sweetness. Be sure to rinse the beans well.
- Avocado – Chopped avocado adds a necessary creamy, cooling element to balance the spicy chicken.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Protein – This marinade works wonders on steak, shrimp, or even firm tofu for a vegetarian option.
- Grains – Brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice can be substituted for white rice; just adjust the cooking liquid and time accordingly.
- Toppings – Feel free to add shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, or pickled jalapeños.
How to Make Spicy Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Marinate Chicken: In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, lime juice, chopped chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, garlic powder, and salt. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight to let the flavors penetrate.
- Cook Chicken: Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard excess marinade) and add it to the hot pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Make Rice: While the chicken cooks, add the water, salt, and rinsed rice to a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Flavor Rice: Uncover the rice and fluff it with a fork. Toss in the lime zest, fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and additional salt to taste.
- Assemble: Arrange the cilantro lime rice and chopped romaine lettuce in the bottom of a serving bowl. Top with the spicy cooked chicken, diced tomatoes, diced avocados, thawed corn, rinsed black beans, and red onions. Serve immediately.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip rinsing the rice! It removes the surface starch which prevents the rice from becoming gummy. Also, adding the lime juice to the rice after it cooks preserves the fresh citrus flavor, whereas cooking it in the water can sometimes make it bitter.
Recipe Tips
- Spice Control: Chipotle peppers vary in heat. If you want a milder dish, scrape the seeds out of the peppers before chopping, or use only 1-2 peppers.
- Meal Prep: This is an excellent meal prep recipe. Store the chicken, rice, and beans/corn mixture in containers. Keep the lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado separate and add them fresh each day.
- Hot Pan: Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the chicken. You want to get a nice sear on the outside rather than steaming the meat.
FAQs
- Can I use chicken thighs? Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs are a great option and will stay even juicier.
- How long can I marinate? 2 hours is good, but overnight is best. Do not go longer than 24 hours or the lime juice can start to break down the texture of the chicken too much.
- Can I use frozen corn? Yes, just thaw it under warm water or let it sit out while you cook. You don’t need to cook it separately.
Serving Suggestions
- Chips & Salsa: A side of tortilla chips is perfect for scooping up the extra toppings.
- Dressing: While the bowl is flavorful on its own, a drizzle of ranch or a dollop of sour cream adds a nice cooling effect.
- Drink: Pair with a cold Mexican soda or sparkling water with lime.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Marinade: You can freeze the raw chicken in the marinade for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook as directed.
- Rice: The rice can be made a day or two in advance and reheats well in the microwave with a splash of water.
Spicy Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 Bowls 1x
Description
These Spicy Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls are a vibrant and healthy meal that tastes like your favorite fast-casual burrito bowl but made right at home. Featuring tender chicken marinated in a smoky chipotle-lime sauce and served over fluffy cilantro lime rice, these bowls are bursting with bold flavors. Packed with fresh veggies, black beans, and sweet corn, this customizable dish is perfect for meal prepping or a fun family dinner where everyone builds their own bowl.
Ingredients
The Chipotle Chicken Marinade
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from the can)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
The Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed well
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 lime, zested + 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
The Assembly
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
Instructions
Marinate Chicken
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lime juice, chopped chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, garlic powder, and salt.
Coat
Add the chicken strips and toss to coat thoroughly.
Rest
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to overnight) to tenderize and flavor the meat.
Make Rice
While chicken marinates (or cooks), combine the water, salt, and rinsed rice in a pot.
Cook
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–18 minutes until water is absorbed.
Flavor
Remove from heat. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Stir in the lime zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Season with extra salt if needed.
Cook Chicken
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear: Remove chicken from the marinade (discard excess liquid) and add to the hot pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Assemble
Build your bowls by layering cilantro lime rice and chopped romaine lettuce at the bottom.
Top
Add the spicy chicken, diced tomatoes, avocado, corn, black beans, and red onion.
Serve
Serve immediately with extra lime wedges or your favorite salsa.
Notes
Rinsing Rice: Do not skip rinsing the rice! It removes surface starch, preventing the rice from becoming a gummy block.
Citrus Timing: Add the lime juice to the rice after it cooks. Cooking rice in acidic water can make the texture tough, and adding it at the end preserves the fresh, bright flavor.
Spice Control: Chipotle peppers pack a punch. For a milder dish, scrape the seeds out of the peppers before chopping, or use only 1 pepper instead of 3.
Meal Prep: Store the chicken, rice, and bean/corn mixture in microwave-safe containers. Keep the cold ingredients (lettuce, tomato, avocado) in a separate baggie or container to add fresh after reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+ marinating)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Bowls
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: chipotle chicken bowl, burrito bowl recipe, cilantro lime rice, meal prep lunch, healthy chicken dinner, spicy chicken recipe, gluten free dinner
