Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl

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Like a lot of people we’ve spent many an evening pondering what to have for dinner when not really wanting to cook. Inevitably where we’d end up is that famous line at Chipotle, staring up at the board deciding whether it’s a Burrito or a Bowl kind of night. Personally, I think you get way more food with the Bowl so that’s usually the go to order. After hundreds of Chipotle Bowls consumed we’ve honed the recipe for our own Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl which tastes pretty darn good!

For this Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe, we’re opting for Chicken – the number 1 most consumed meat in America so it feels fitting for this dish. The secret to a perfect Chipotle Bowl is in the Chicken (using Chicken Thighs of course!) and creating a lovely marinade teaming with flavor to pair beautifully with those lovely accompaniments in your bowl

Additions to our Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl

For the additions to this Homemade Chipotle Bowl we’re going with the following:

• Lime and Cilantro Rice: Beautiful Jasmine Rice with a lovely fragrant, zesty kick of flavor
• Pico de Gallo: The classic Pico, is it Mexican food without it?
• Peppers and Onions: I always add these, they’re amazing
  
  

For this recipe we’re not adding Guac, keeping in with the true authenticity of a Chipotle Bowl we’re refusing to pay $2.70 for 1 scoop of Guac. What a rip off! The dish is packed full with enough varying flavors anyway it is honestly amazing without it! If you are a diehard Guacamole fan however, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a link to our simply phenomenal homemade Guacamole recipe we know you’ll just love

How to make a copycat Homemade Chipotle Bowl at Home

This is actually one of the easier copycat recipes you can make, as Chipotle keep their dishes very homely and familiar. There are no real tricks here, I think the biggest challenge is getting a great tasting Chicken Marinade. Otherwise, the rest of the elements of the Chipotle Bowl are quite traditional. Provided you’re getting some good quality ingredients, we guarantee it’s going to taste great

To make the Chipotle Chicken Marine we combine the classic spice combination of Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Coriander Powder, and Salt into a bowl. You want equal parts of all of those spices (perhaps a little bit more Salt depending on your taste)

In addition to some Lime and Olive Oil, the secret ingredient that we add to our Chicken Marinade is the simply wonderful Chipotle in Adobo Sauce. This Sauce is so commonly available everywhere, and features those wonderful, smoky flavored Chipotle Peppers that have been cooked in a Tomato and Onion based sauce

It’s really simple, yet the flavor it brings to the dish is amazing. A wonderful Smoky taste that transports you immediately to Mexico (or your local Chipotle store!)

Marinade the Chicken for 24 hours

Bathe the Chicken Thighs in this delicious marinade to soak up all of the flavors. If you have the time, we recommend marinating the Chicken for 24 hours. Place it in a Ziploc bag along with the marinade. Seal it up, smoosh it all around then pop it in the refrigerator. The longer marinade time will not only deeply flavor the Chicken, but it will get it wonderful and tender too

Cook the Chicken on a hot pan, or if possible, over an open flame

We recommend cooking the Chicken on quite a high heat, as the goal is to get some lovely charring. If you have the means (eg: an outdoor grill) we highly recommend that you cook the Chicken on the open flame. There really is nothing quite like the taste of Chicken that’s been cooked over an open flame

Sure, Chipotle don’t specifically cook their Chicken on the open flame, just a large griddle. So, cooking it in the pan is totally fine and honestly, more authentic. However, the absolute best flavor is always achieved when cooking the Chicken on the open fire

Prepare the Sides, which are just as important to the dish as the Chicken

It wouldn’t be a Chipotle Burrito Bowl without an abundance of wonderful sides to dive into. Our favorites, and what we’re including in this dish are the combination of Lime and Cilantro Rice, Pico de Gallo, and Peppers and Onions

Pico de Gallo

Making a simple Pico de Gallo cannot be easier. All you need are some Tomatoes, an Onion, Lime, and some Cilantro. Oh, and of course a little bit of seasoning to bring it all together. We like to have a ratio of about 2 to 1 Tomatoes to Onions. It is primarily a Tomato-based side, so your ratios will want to reflect that

Simply cut all the ingredients up and put them in a bowl along with the Lime Juice, Cilantro, Olive Oil, and some Salt. We like to set it for about 5 – 10 minutes before serving, as the added time allows the Lime and Salt to extract more flavor from the ingredients. You can always prepare the Pico de Gallo in advance, and head over to our detailed recipe here to dive deep into this wonderful dish

Lime and Cilantro Rice

Sure, you can get the Brown Rice and say to yourself you’re eating Healthy today, but c’mon who are you kidding. It’s Chipotle! Go for the Lime and Cilantro Rice for the clearly optimal flavor. To make the rice is quite simple, we’ve got a foolproof approach. Add 1 cup of Rice into a Saucepan alongside 1 ½ cups of boiling hot water

Stir the rice in well to break it up into the water, drop the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. However, keep the lid on for another 10 minutes! The residual heat will continue to cook the Rice, leaving it perfectly done

Once cooked, stir it around with a spoon to fluff it all up, and finish with Lime Juice, Cilantro, and Salt for the perfect Rice to pair with your Homemade Chipotle Bowl

Grilled Peppers and Onions

Nothing could be easier than this classic side which is mandatory on the line for me when I’m getting Chipotle. Cut up the Onion and Peppers into evenly sized and relatively large pieces. Hit them on the grill at high heat with some Olive Oil and fry for about 4 – 5 minutes. During the last minute, add some Garlic, then season well with Salt. Finish with Lemon Juice and serve them piping hot for the best result

Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless)
• 1 Yellow Onion, sliced
• ½ Red Onion, finely diced
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
• 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
• 3 Limes
• 1 Cup Jasmine Rice
• 1 cup Cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
• 4 Garlic Cloves, Peeled and finely diced
• 1 tbsp. Paprika
• 1 tbsp. Cumin
• 1 tbsp. Coriander Powder
• 4 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
  
  

Instructions

For the Chicken

1. In a large bowl combine the juice of 1 Lime, the Chipotle in Adobo Sauce, Paprika, Cumin, Coriander Powder, half of the Garlic, and 2 tbsp. Olive Oil. Mix well to combine the ingredients then add in the Chicken Pieces. Coat well then refrigerate for 2 hours. For an even richer flavor, marinade overnight
2. When ready to cook, remove the Chicken from the fridge and bring back to room temperature. It’s important to keep the Chicken at room temperature before cooking to ensure an even cook throughout
3. Cook the Chicken in a large frying pan or Cast-Iron pan over medium / high heat. We want a relatively hot pan, so the Chicken gets some lovely, charred parts, which adds plenty of flavor. Be careful not to overload the pan, so you may need to cook the Chicken in 2 batches
4. When the internal temperature of the Chicken reads 160 degrees, remove from heat and rest
5. When ready to serve, cut the Chicken into bite sizes pieces
   
   

Pico de Gallo

1. In a medium size bowl combine the Tomatoes, Red Onion, Juice of 1 Lime, 2 tbsp. Olive Oil, ½ cup Cilantro and some Salt & Pepper
2. Combine the ingredients well and taste for seasoning. Adjust accordingly with either Lime Juice or Salt then set aside
   
   

Lime and Cilantro Rice

1. Combine 1 cup of Jasmine Rice and 1 ½ cups of Boiling Water into a Saucepan over low heat. Stir well then cover and cook for 5 minutes
2. Turn off the heat and leave for another 10 minutes with the lid on
3. Add the Juice of 1 Lime, ½ cup Cilantro, 1 tsp. of Salt and mix together well
   
   

Peppers and Onions

1. In a medium frypan add a drizzle of Olive Oil and Garlic and cook for about 1 minute on medium heat until the Garlic is lovely and fragrant
2. Add the Onions and Peppers, turn the heat up to medium high and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the Onions turn a lovely light brown. Season with a pinch of Salt and set aside
   
   

Assembling the Homemade Chipotle Bowl

The beauty about a Chipotle Bowl is you just need to place all the ingredients into a large bowl together. Best approach: Rice in the middle and place the accompaniments all around the rice. If you like, feel free to add some grated cheese and yes, some Guacamole if you decided to make some! If you want to make a Burrito, get yourself some Tortillas and head over to our YouTube video here on how to properly wrap a Burrito


The other beauty about this bowl is YOU get to decide the portions, not the Chipotle staff member! So for me I’m going to dial up the Chicken serving


This recipe will provide you with an abundance of food so if you have leftovers an amazing lunch is our Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla which we highly recommend you check out

So, there you have it! The amazing Homemade Chipotle Bowl made with Lime Cilantro Rice, Pico de Gallo, Peppers and Onions, and Chipotle Chicken Thighs

If you’re a big fan of Mexican food like we are, you’ll love our Mexican dishes on this website. Check out our top Mexican Recipes here for a full-on Mexican Fiesta!

Happy Cooking!