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Skip the long lines at Chipotle and make this healthy chipotle chicken bowl recipe at home! It takes about 30 minutes to make a lower calorie bowl at home and you can fully customize it with all your favorite toppings.
Everyone loves Chipotle; not only is it delicious, but it is so fun to be able to build your own bowls and burritos. The only downside besides having to wait in line is that the large portion sizes and high calorie toppings can make a regular Chipotle trip a less-than-healthy one.
Luckily, this healthy chipotle chicken bowl recipe made with fresh ingredients at home is just as tasty! For fun, serve it up with our skinny margarita on the side.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Family Friendly: Everyone loves Chipotle but now you can make them at home with some healthier swaps. We promise your whole family will love this homemade chipotle chicken bowl just as much as the original! Bowl meals like this recipe are also great for picky eaters since everyone can assemble their own and leave off any toppings they don’t like.
- Easily Customizable: you can easily adapt this recipe to add more protein, switch up the veggies, or make it low carb.
- Meal Prep Friendly: Chop your veggies and chicken in advance or cook some of the bowl components like the rice in advance to cut down on prep time the night you have these bowls on the menu.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: we like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in these bowls because they cook quickly and are lower in fat than other cuts of chicken. Grill it or cook it on the stove top. Cut it into very small pieces or I like to shred it using this amazing little chicken shredding tool.
- Brown Rice: although brown and white rice are pretty similar nutrition-wise, we used brown rice since it has a couple more grams of fiber. (An important nutrient that most of us are not getting enough of in our diet.) Cut down on cooking time by using a minute rice or a rice cooker.
- Black Beans: black beans are mixed with the green chiles and chipotle for tons of delicious flavor. If you don’t like black beans, you could also use pinto beans for these bowls.
- Seasoning: to add lots of delicious flavor to the chicken, you’ll add some taco seasoning and cumin.
- Canned Chiles (green chiles and canned chipotle in adobo sauce):
- Veggies: to add more color, fiber, and nutrients to this chipotle burrito bowl, we also add some sauteed red onion and bell peppers. You’ll use the same skillet as the chicken so no need to dirty an extra dish!
Variations
- Low Carb: If you want to make this dish lower carb, try serving on our cauliflower cilantro “rice” vs regular rice. And don’t forget the homemade guac!
- Vegetarian: Skip the chicken or use a plant-based chicken instead of the meat in the recipe.
- Gluten Free: This recipe is gluten free as written so those with celiac or gluten-intolerance can enjoy these bowls too.
- Dairy Free: Top your bowl with dairy free cheese and skip the sour cream or choose a vegan sour cream instead.
How to Make a Healthy Chipotle Bowl
- Cook the Cilantro Lime Rice: Cook the rice according to package directions. Once it is cooked, stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Set aside.
- Make the Chicken: Chop chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and spices. Saute until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Season with a little bit of salt and set aside.
- Make the Fajita Veggies: In the same skillet you used for the chicken, add another tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced pepper and onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes on medium heat or until tender. Season with a dash of salt.
- Make the Beans: Stir together the black beans, canned green chiles, and pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
- Assemble Your Bowls: Divide the cilantro-lime rice (or cauliflower rice if using), tender chicken, veggies, and beans between 4 bowls. Add toppings as desired and serve! These bowls are the perfect size for this chicken burrito bowl recipe.
Topping Suggestions for Copycat Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
One of the many reasons we love these bowls is that they can be topped with any of your favorite ingredients. Here are some suggestions: homemade guacamole, fresh lime juice, pico de gallo, sweet corn salsa, homemade salsa, sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), fresh cilantro, and hot sauce.
How many calories are in a chipotle chicken bowl?
Inspired by the delicious burrito bowls at Chipotle I decided to create a “skinny” version after discovering the chicken burrito bowl calories were 855 in addition to 34 grams of fat, yup and that’s with the brown rice people!
These lighter homemade Chipotle bowls save you around 345 calories and 19 grams of fat vs. the restaurant version. This “skinny” bowl is just as delicious, more economical, and you don’t have to wait in line!
Meal Prep and Storage
- Meal Prep: cut down on prep time the day you serve these healthy burrito bowls by chopping your veggies and chicken in advance and storing them in separate containers in the fridge until ready to cook. You can also cook the rice up to 3 days in advance and store in the fridge until ready to make these bowls.
- Refrigerator: Allow leftovers to cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. These containers are great for packing this recipe up as a lunch for work!
- Freezer: Allow any leftovers to cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love
Healthy Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
Skip the long lines at Chipotle and make this healthy chipotle chicken bowl recipe at home! It takes about 30 minutes to make a lower calorie bowl at home and you can fully customize it with all your favorite toppings.
Equipment
- Skillet
- Chicken shredder tool
Ingredients
For the Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 cup brown rice, I use organic
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, washed and minced
For the Seasoned Chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
For the Fajita Veggies
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Beans
- 1/4 cup caned diced green chiles
- 1-2 tablespoons blended chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, depending on your spice level
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
For Topping
- 1 cup corn, frozen or fresh
- Shredded monterey jack cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- Jalapeño slices
- Guacamole
- Additional cilantro
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup brown rice according to package instructions. Once rice is cooked, add juice of 1/2 lime and cilantro. Stir so flavors blend and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, taco seasoning and cumin. Saute, stirring often until chicken is cooked through; about 7-8 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
- To the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onion, bell pepper, and chili powder. Sautè 3-5 minutes until softened. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Add black beans to a bowl and stir in the green chile and chipotle. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
- To assemble the bowls, divide ¼ each of the rice, chicken, cooked veggies, and beans between 4 bowls. Top each bowl with toppings of your choice and serve!
Notes
Nutrition information does not include optional toppings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 15g | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
4 servings? This makes nearly 9 1 cup servings!
Hi Kat – We calculated 4 servings at a little over 2 cups each!
Do your math Boo Boo some people eat 2 bowls. Are you angry????? I swear there is a Debbie Downer in every crowd. Debbie Downers will find a reason to be negative over simple things like a simple recipe. SMH
You mention Mexican spice blend in the ingredients. Would Adobo spice be similar? Miss Chipotle but staying away due to their food poisoning issues.
Yes, that should be similar!
Where do u buy your Mexican spice- name/ brand please. Thx L
You can buy whichever one you like! I know McCormick has a Mexican spice blend or you can find Morton & Bassett from Target. There isn’t a specific one I always get, just what you can find at your local grocery store!
how much did all the ingredients cost? did you save money making it at home vs. going to a restaurant?
We didn’t keep track of the cost at the store versus making it at home, but our version serves more than just one person and eliminates the hassle of going to the store, especially with kids in tow!
Hi it says serving size is 4 at 538 cal so does that mean 4 servings is 538 or per serving in 538?
Hi Lindsay – per serving is 538 calories. Sorry for the confusion!
How many grams of saturated fat?
Hi Denise – there are 4g of saturated fat per serving.
There is actually a spice you can buy that says,”Mexican Spice Blend”?
Yes! We usually get the Morton & Bassett Brand but McCormick also has one among others!
Sounds delicious and a great make a head to take for work lunch, thanks!
I always LOVE your recipes, but printing them is not working for me. Unfortunately, it makes me stray away from ther, or I have to copy all and put in a WORD doc.
Anyway to put a hyperlink to print within the receipe? I don’t want to load a third-party pdf maker/printer . Thoughts?
Hi Jackie – glad to hear you like our recipes. When we go to file/print on our computer, the recipe comes right up. I’d maybe check your computer settings? Sorry you’re having trouble…
Sounds delicious but if I calculated right it is 14 WW points, that is a lot.