Recipe: 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. 

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.

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

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• 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. We cook our chicken on the stovetop but you could also use grilled chicken in these bowls. 
• 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

• Low Calorie Southwestern Chicken Soup
• Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
• Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas
• Southwestern Red Pepper Nachos