Here’s Why This Chicken Burrito Bowl Gets a Regular Spot on My Table
Let me just toss this out there: Burrito bowls saved my bacon (and my sanity) during countless weeknight dinner ruts. The first time I made a chicken burrito bowl, it was more of a fridge clean-out mission than a real dinner plan – and, not gonna lie, the first batch was a bit chaotic. But the thing is, my family scarfed it down like it was the best thing ever. Now, this recipe basically lives in my brain rent-free. If you’re new here, hey, welcome to my slightly haphazard kitchen!
Why You’ll Love This (or At Least Not Dread Making It)
I make this when I’ve got leftover chicken, or those sad veggies eyeing me every time I open the crisper. My family goes wild for it (unless I go too heavy on the beans—my kids have a conspiracy about beans, I swear). Plus, if you pile everything in separate bowls on the table, everyone gets to assemble their own, which means less complaining and more eating. For what it’s worth, my partner once called this my “dinner cheat code.” High praise, right?
What You’ll Need – And Some Stuff You Don’t
- 2 chicken breasts (about 450g, but thighs work too – and honestly, rotisserie chicken is a life-saver when I’m feeling lazy)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable oil if that’s what you have handy)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (I sometimes use half chili, half smoked paprika for a twist)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (I skip this some days, nobody’s noticed yet…)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (just a pinch more if you like things punchy)
- 1 cup cooked rice – white, brown, jasmine, whatever’s leftover (sometimes I even use that packet stuff, just keep it hush-hush)
- 1 cup tinned black beans, drained and rinsed (pinto beans are fine too, my grandma swore by homemade but, come on)
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned, I have zero shame here)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or any tomato hacked up, honestly)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced (green onions or shallots, if that’s what’s in the drawer)
- 1 avocado, sliced (optional, but it feels fancy)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or whatever’s lurking at the back of the fridge)
- Lime wedges, for squeezing (not to be dramatic, but lime takes this over the top)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (if you hate it, skip it, no judgment)
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving (or nothing, I won’t tell)
How To Make It (You’ve Got This)
- Slice your chicken breasts into strips, about a finger wide. If you’re using rotisserie chicken, just tear it up with your hands – less dishes, honestly.
- Throw the chicken in a bowl with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Give it a toss till it’s all coated (I’ve done this in a zip bag when I had zero clean bowls…works fine.)
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken. Let it cook, turning once, until golden and cooked through (about 5-6 minutes, more if you forgot to cut the pieces small, like me last week).
- Meanwhile, get your rice ready—heat it up if it’s cold, or just cook fresh if you’re feeling ambitious. The packet stuff works (no shame!).
- Warm up your beans and corn—microwave for a minute or toss in a small pan. You can even skip warming if you’re short on time, but I like them hot.
- Now, the fun part: grab some bowls and start layering—rice, beans, corn, chicken, tomatoes, onion, avocado, cheese. In whatever order feels right. This is where I usually sneak a piece of avocado and end up yelling at my kids to set the table.
- Top it all off with a squeeze of lime, a pile of cilantro, and a generous blob of sour cream. Or Greek yogurt. If I’m really going all out, I’ll add salsa or hot sauce.
- Sit down and eat! (Try not to knock everything off the table in excitement, like I did one memorable Tuesday…long story.)
Things I’ve Learned the Hard Way (aka Notes)
- If you cook the chicken too long, it basically turns to rubber—don’t wander off to check your phone like I always do.
- The order you layer stuff doesn’t matter, but putting cheese under the hot chicken is my secret move for extra meltiness.
- Don’t stress if your avocado’s a bit dodgy—just scoop around the brown bits. Works fine.
Random Burrito Bowl Experiments (Some Wins, Some Flops)
- I’ve swapped in turkey instead of chicken, and it was honestly fine, maybe even lighter.
- One time I tried quinoa as the base. It’s okay, but rice just hits different for me.
- Tried to make a vegan version with jackfruit once…let’s just say it wasn’t a repeat at my house, but maybe yours will be luckier!
Let’s Talk Equipment (Or What You Can Get Away With)
- Big frying pan or skillet (don’t have one? Even a big pot or a grill pan will do the trick – I’ve improvised more than once)
- Chopping board and knife
- Some sort of bowl for tossing the chicken in spices (a saucepan even works if all your bowls are in the dishwasher, believe me)
Keeping Leftovers – Assuming You Have Any
Store everything in separate containers if you can—otherwise it gets kind of soggy-fast, and that’s not the vibe. Keeps in the fridge for about two days (though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!). I actually think the chicken tastes better the next day, but nobody else agrees with me so…maybe it’s just me. Rice dries out a bit, so splash with a smidgen of water and reheat covered.
How We Like to Serve ‘Em
Okay, so most times it’s just bowls and forks at the table. But every once in a blue moon, I’ll scatter a bag of tortilla chips around and everyone goes nuts making mini nachos out of leftover bits. And my cousin once insisted we try adding a runny fried egg on top…honestly, not bad at all with some hot sauce. That weirdly became a Saturday tradition for a while.
Pro Tips (aka Mistakes I’ve Made So You Don’t Have To)
- I once tried to flip the chicken before it had browned. Don’t be like past-me—let it get those golden bits; otherwise it’s just bland.
- Chopping the onion really fine (like, annoyingly small) keeps my picky kid from trying to pick it out. Seriously, it’s worth it.
- Oh, and if you rush the layering part, the cheese never melts. Actually, I find it works better if you nuke the bowl for 30 seconds at the end if you want everything super hot and gooey.
Chicken Burrito Bowl FAQ: Real Questions (Mostly Form My Family…)
- Can I make this ahead? Yep, but keep the cold things (like tomato and avocado) separate until the last minute. Otherwise, it gets sad and watery.
- Is it spicy? Not really, unless you add extra chili. Or let your friend bring that scary homemade hot sauce.
- What’s the best rice? Whatever you’ve got! I sometimes even use leftover takeout rice. Didn’t stop anyone from eating it.
- Do you have to use chicken? Nah—beans only works, or swap in shrimp, steak, tofu…I’m not your boss.
- Can I double it? For sure! Just use a really big frying pan or batch-cook the chicken pieces.
- Do kids eat this? Most, yes, as long as you let them pick what goes in their bowl.
Alright, that’s all form me – time to go stare at my fridge again and pretend I’m not just making another burrito bowl tonight. (But honestly, there are worse dinner repeats!)
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (about 450g, but thighs work too – and honestly, rotisserie chicken is a life-saver when I’m feeling lazy)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable oil if that’s what you have handy)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (I sometimes use half chili, half smoked paprika for a twist)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (I skip this some days, nobody’s noticed yet…)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (just a pinch more if you like things punchy)
- 1 cup cooked rice – white, brown, jasmine, whatever’s leftover (sometimes I even use that packet stuff, just keep it hush-hush)
- 1 cup tinned black beans, drained and rinsed (pinto beans are fine too, my grandma swore by homemade but, come on)
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned, I have zero shame here)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or any tomato hacked up, honestly)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced (green onions or shallots, if that’s what’s in the drawer)
- 1 avocado, sliced (optional, but it feels fancy)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or whatever’s lurking at the back of the fridge)
- Lime wedges, for squeezing (not to be dramatic, but lime takes this over the top)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (if you hate it, skip it, no judgment)
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving (or nothing, I won’t tell)
Instructions
-
1Slice your chicken breasts into strips, about a finger wide. If you’re using rotisserie chicken, just tear it up with your hands – less dishes, honestly.
-
2Throw the chicken in a bowl with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Give it a toss till it’s all coated (I’ve done this in a zip bag when I had zero clean bowls…works fine.)
-
3Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken. Let it cook, turning once, until golden and cooked through (about 5-6 minutes, more if you forgot to cut the pieces small, like me last week).
-
4Meanwhile, get your rice ready—heat it up if it’s cold, or just cook fresh if you’re feeling ambitious. The packet stuff works (no shame!).
-
5Warm up your beans and corn—microwave for a minute or toss in a small pan. You can even skip warming if you’re short on time, but I like them hot.
-
6Now, the fun part: grab some bowls and start layering—rice, beans, corn, chicken, tomatoes, onion, avocado, cheese. In whatever order feels right. This is where I usually sneak a piece of avocado and end up yelling at my kids to set the table.
-
7Top it all off with a squeeze of lime, a pile of cilantro, and a generous blob of sour cream. Or Greek yogurt. If I’m really going all out, I’ll add salsa or hot sauce.
-
8Sit down and eat! (Try not to knock everything off the table in excitement, like I did one memorable Tuesday…long story.)
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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