Chicken burrito bowls are my absolute favorite lunch. They’re packed with rice, beans, and plenty of fresh toppings, and with my recipe for copycat Chipotle chicken, they’re just as good as the real thing. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to your Chipotle addiction, this is the recipe for you. I love that I can make my favorite fast-food meal at home for less and eat it all week long!

a burrito bowl with copycat Chipotle chicken, rice, corn, beans and sour cream.

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I’m a long-time Chipotle stan, but I’ve really been feeling the crush on my wallet lately. The last time I was there, I decided to treat it like an experiment and really deconstruct my chicken burrito bowl to figure out what the “secret sauce” was. I think I nailed that mouthwatering flavor with this copycat Chipotle chicken, and the rest came together so easily!

What’s in This Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe?

  • Copycat Chipotle Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are seasoned with lime juice, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
  • Cilantro Lime Rice: One of our favorite rice recipes creates the perfect Chipotle-inspired base for these burrito bowls.
  • Corn: Fresh or canned corn works well to add a pop of sweetness to these bowls.
  • Black Beans: Add an extra kick of protein and have a creamy texture that contrasts with the chicken.
  • Lettuce: Adds vitamins, minerals, and a fresh crunch!
  • Avocado: A great source of healthy fat and creamy texture.
  • Cheese: We like freshly shredded cheddar cheese, but Mexican blend or pepper jack would also work well.
  • Pico de Gallo: Adds moisture and freshness to these bowls. You can use any kind of salsa you like, though.
  • Sour Cream: Adds a fresh and tangy contrast to the veggies and meat.
chicken burrito bowls inspired by Chipotle
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Tips For Success

  • I highly recommend an overnight marinade for the chicken, so do yourself a favor and prep it the night before.
  • If you totally space on prepping the chicken, even just 30 minutes of marinade time makes a difference, so don’t give up!
  • When I’m looking for an even easier (and lower calorie) option, I skip the rice and toss everything with some chopped Romaine lettuce.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover burrito bowls with Chipotle chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cooked/warm components can be stored together, separately from fresh ingredients like lettuce and avocado, so they’re easy to reheat in the microwave, without heating the fresh components.

close up on a bowl filled with marinated chicken, cilantro lime rice, cheese, and other burrito ingredients.

Serving Suggestions

These chicken burrito bowls are a complete meal by themselves, but when I want the full Chipotle-at-home experience, I like to serve them with tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole. When I’m really feeling spicy, I also serve with a batch of my famous margaritas.

Recipe Card

Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe (Copycat Chipotle Chicken)

5 from 2 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Marinade Time: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 4 bowls
Author: Laurel Perry
mexican chicken rice bowl with sour cream and guacamole.
The real secret to Chipotle's burrito bowls is that delicious chicken, so I made my own version to toss in with rice, beans, and all my favorite toppings.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients 

For the Chicken

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + 2 tablespoons of the sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the Bowls

Instructions 

  • In a bowl, stir together the olive oil, lime juice, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce from the can, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Add in the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours and up to overnight.
    3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    two chicken breasts in a glass dish with sauce.
  • Before you cook the chicken, prep the toppings and cook the rice. Drain the corn and black beans. Chop the romaine. Dice the avocado. Shred the cheese.
    4 cups cilantro lime rice, 1 cup corn kernels, 1 cup canned black beans, 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce, 1 avocado, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
    a pan with rice in it on a marble countertop.
  • Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess marinade from the chicken and place it on the grill. Grill on each side until nice grill marks appear, 3-5 minutes. Then lower the grill to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the grill and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
    two grilled chicken breasts in a pan.
  • Assemble the bowls with rice, chicken, corn, black beans, romaine, cheese, salsa, avocado, and sour cream.
    1 cup pico de gallo, ¼ cup sour cream
    a bowl of mexican food with sour cream, guacamole and tortilla chips.

Video

Becky’s Tips

  • You can use an equal amount of boneless skinless chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts.
Storage: Store chicken burrito bowls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend storing the warm/cooked ingredients separately from the cold/fresh ingredients.
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 696kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 28gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1179mgPotassium: 814mgFiber: 9gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2800IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 278mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Chicken Burrito Bowls Step by Step

Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, 2 minced chipotle peppers, 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce from the can, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Add in 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and toss to coat. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

two chicken breasts marinating in a chipotle pepper sauce.

Cook and Prep the Ingredients: Before you cook the chicken, prep the toppings and cook the cilantro lime rice (1 full recipe should be plenty for these bowls). Drain 1 cup of corn and 1 cup of canned black beans. Chop 2 cups of romaine lettuce. Dice 1 avocado. Shred 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

a pot filled with cilantro lime rice.

Grill the Chicken: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess marinade from the Chipotle chicken, then place it on the grill. Grill each side until grill marks appear, about 3-5 minutes. Then lower the grill to medium heat and continue until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove chicken breast from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

two grilled chicken breasts in a pan.

Assemble the Burrito Bowls: Assemble the bowls with rice, chicken, corn, black beans, romaine, cheese, 1 cup of pico de gallo, avocado, and ¼ cup of sour cream.

a chicken burrito bowl on a table, surrounded by limes and a bowl of pico de Gallo.

More Bowls To Try

Meet Laurel Perry

Laurel Perry has been a professional food videographer and recipe developer since 2014. Her work can be seen across the internet and on The Cookie Rookie. When not cooking, she spends her time with her husband and sons, wanders as many farmers markets as she can, and sneaks in a fitness class as often as possible.

5 from 2 votes
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4 Comments
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Mary
Mary
June 14, 2024 6:38 pm

Do you warm your beans or your corn?5 stars

Samantha Marceau
June 17, 2024 11:33 am
Reply to  Mary

We did not, but you certainly could!

Mary
Mary
June 10, 2024 12:26 pm

Loved this recipe. I am expanding it to use for a crowd of 70 people. However, there is not enough sauce in the can for the number of peppers it calls for. What can I use in its place? I can buy adobo sauce, but it is not very spicy. there is also chipotle sauce, but not sure how much to use…5 stars

Samantha Marceau
June 11, 2024 9:23 am
Reply to  Mary

Hi Mary, if you use about 6 (7-oz.) cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, it should be sufficient!