Skip ordering out and make copycat Chipotle chicken burrito bowls at home. Easy to assemble with seasoned chicken breast, rice, beans and toppings for dinner or meal prep!
Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl
Making Chipotle chicken burrito bowls at home has become a favorite meal at our house! Each family member can customize their bowl just how they like it and it’s so fresh, healthy and delicious.
Once I learned how to make Chipotle chicken these Mexican burrito bowls have been on repeat for dinner and meal prep. The chicken is flavorful, tender and making it at home means I can control the freshness and quality of the Chipotle burrito bowl!
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Chipotle chicken: Made with a flavorful marinade inspired by Chipotle’s flavorful, tender chicken, it can be baked, grilled or cooked on the stovetop. Swap the boneless skinless chicken breasts for chicken thighs if preferred.
- Cilantro lime rice: A Chipotle copycat recipe that is so flavorful!
- Black beans: Canned black beans that have been rinsed and drained.
- Pico de Gallo: You could also use fresh homemade salsa or even store-bought to keep it easy!
- Optional bowl ingredients: Extras to include in the chicken burrito bowls include sour cream, guacamole, sweet corn, romaine lettuce, cheddar cheese and lime wedges.
How to Make Chipotle Burrito Bowls
Make marinade by combining red onion, garlic, ancho chile powder, olive oil, ground cumin, oregano, salt and water in a blender until well mixed and smooth. Add chicken breasts and marinade to a zip top bag and for best flavor marinate for 30-60 minutes.
Prep other ingredients including cilantro lime rice and pico de gallo. Cook chicken using preferred method then rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.
Assemble chicken burrito bowls by adding a 1/3 cup each of rice and beans in the bottom of a large bowl (base). Top with the sliced chicken (protein), add pico de gallo (salsa) and then garnish with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips and Variations
The best part about homemade burrito bowls is customizing them how you like!
- Instead of chicken burrito bowls, swap the meat for slow cooker carnitas, Instant Pot shredded beef or this tender shredded crockpot Mexican chicken.
- Use brown rice or instead of chicken rice bowls, use cauliflower rice or quinoa.
- Add in ingredients such as Chipotle corn salsa, pickled onions, sour cream, fresh cilantro, Cotija cheese or fresh lettuce for a salad bowl.
- Drizzle the Mexican rice bowl with cilantro lime crema or salsa ranch dressing.
- Add homemade tortilla chips with restaurant style salsa on the side.
Make Ahead and Storage
Once assembled this chicken burrito bowl recipe need to be served immediately, but you can make ahead many of the ingredients and then serve them later.
- Make ahead: I love to meal prep these Chipotle bowls ahead of time! The chicken can be marinated overnight or can be frozen in the marinade. Up to a day ahead of time, prep all other ingredients and store separately covered in the refrigerator. To rehydrate the rice when reheating it, add a splash of water.
- Store: Store the copycat Chipotle chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
More Mexican recipes to try include baked chicken burrito recipe, Mexican chicken and rice bake and green chili burritos.
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Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
Video
Ingredients
Chipotle chicken
- ¼ red onion
- 3 – 4 cloves garlic (1 Tablespoon)
- 1 Tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup water
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Burrito bowl
- 2 cups cilantro lime rice
- 2 cups black beans
- 1 cup pico de gallo
For serving: lettuce, cheese, guacamole, corn salsa, cilantro
Instructions
- Make marinade: In a blender, add the 1/4 red onion, 1 Tablespoon garlic, 1 Tablespoon ancho chile powder, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water. Blend until well mixed and smooth.
- Marinade chicken: In a large zip top bag, add chicken and marinade. Close the bag and allow to sit in the fridge for at least 30-60 minutes (up to overnight).
- Bake chicken: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a 9×13 inch casserole dish by spraying with non stick cooking spray. Place chicken in a single layer in the dish. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F. Remove from pan and cover with foil. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Chop into pieces before serving.
Serving
- Place 1/3 cup rice and 1/3 cup beans in the bottom of your bowl. Then top with chicken, pico de gallo and your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Grill chicken: Heat grill to medium high heat. Grill chicken 8 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest 10 minutes.
- Skillet: Add 2 Tablespoons oil to skillet. Cook chicken for 8 minutes on each side or until done. Remove and cover to rest for 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Chicken, Cinco De Mayo, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Grilling, Meal Prep, Mexican, Reader Favorites
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
The chicken was very flavorful with a smokey flavor! The bowls were a perfect way to present and serve the dish! – recipe tester
So happy to hear you love the Chipotle burrito bowls with chicken as much as we do!