Chipotle Chicken Bowl
Cilantro lime rice, seasoned chicken, all the fixings. No $15 price tag. A Chipotle bowl for a family of four at the restaurant costs about $50-60 after guac and chips. Making it at home costs about $
Ingredients
For the cilantro lime rice
- 2 cups white rice (cooked per package)
- juice of 2 limes
- zest of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
For the chicken
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotles)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For assembly
- 1 can black beans (drained
- rinsed
- warmed)
- 1 cup corn salsa (thawed frozen corn
- diced red onion
- chopped cilantro
- lime juice
- salt)
- guacamole
- sour cream
- shredded cheese
- salsa
- shredded lettuce
Method
Step 1: Marinate the chicken
- Mix adobo sauce, olive oil, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Coat the chicken and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Step 2: Cook the rice
- Cook white rice normally. While still hot, stir in olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, and a pinch of salt. Fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm.
Step 3: Cook the chicken
- Sear the chicken in a hot skillet or grill pan for 5-6 minutes per side until charred and cooked through (165°F). Rest 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
Step 4: Prep the toppings
- Warm the black beans. Make the corn salsa by mixing thawed corn, diced red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Prepare any other toppings.
Step 5: Assemble
- Build the bowl: rice base, then chicken, black beans, corn salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce. The order is your preference — some people layer strategically, others dump everything in and mix. Both approaches are valid.