Cilantro Lime Chicken Burrito Bowl

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Chicken Burrito Bowl is the dinner that ended the drive-through debate at my house. Chicken thighs sit in a chili powder, cumin, and lime marinade. Then sear hard in a hot skillet until the spices go dark and smoky at the edges. Everything lands over cilantro lime rice with black beans, charred corn, pico de gallo, avocado. A spoonful of sour cream. Each person builds their own bowl the way they want it.

The rice is where most homemade versions go wrong. Lime juice simmered into the pot cooks flat and slightly bitter, and cilantro stirred in over heat turns dull and army green. Cook the rice plain, take it off the burner, and fold the lime juice and chopped cilantro in while you fluff it. That one change is the difference between rice that tastes like the restaurant version and rice that tastes like a guess.

I use thighs instead of breasts on purpose. They have enough fat to survive a screaming hot pan, which is what those charred spice edges need. They stay juicy even if dinner sits ten minutes while everybody chops avocado. The whole thing takes about 50 minutes and portions straight into containers for the week.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe

• Restaurant rice at home. Folding lime juice and cilantro into the rice off the heat keeps both bright instead of cooked-out and dull.
• Everybody builds their own. Picky eaters can skip the beans, the adventurous ones can pile on hot sauce, and nobody makes two dinners.
• Cheap protein that stays juicy. Chicken thighs cost less than breasts and hold up to the high heat that gives the spices their char.
• Meal prep that actually keeps. The chicken, rice, beans, and corn portion out for five days without turning into a soggy container.

Chicken Burrito Bowl Ingredients

Chili powder and chile powder are different things. The chili powder called for here is the American blend (mild chiles plus cumin, oregano, and garlic), not straight ground chile like ancho or cayenne. Grabbing the wrong jar makes this dish a lot hotter than intended.

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 5 tbsp fresh lime juice, divided (about 3 limes)
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup pico de gallo
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Recipe Variations

• Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts if that’s what you have. Slice them in half lengthwise so they’re thin and even, then sear about 3 minutes per side to 165°F. They’re done in roughly half the time the thighs need, so go by the thermometer rather than the clock in step 4.
• Swap the white rice for brown rice or cooked quinoa, and fold in the lime and cilantro off the heat the same way.
• Add a chopped chipotle pepper in adobo plus a teaspoon of the sauce to the marinade if you want real smoky heat.

How to Make Chicken Burrito Bowl

1. Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Add the chicken thighs, turn to coat, and let them sit for 20 minutes at room temperature or up to 8 hours in the fridge.
2. Cook the rice: Combine the rice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 18 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
3. Finish the cilantro lime rice off the heat: Fluff the rice with a fork and fold in the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice and the chopped cilantro. Do this after the rice is off the burner so the lime stays bright and the cilantro stays green.
4. Sear the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated thighs and cook for about 6 minutes per side, until the spice crust is dark and a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part. Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
5. Char the corn and warm the beans: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the corn for 3-4 minutes without stirring much, until some kernels blister and darken. Stir in the black beans and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and heat through, about 2 minutes.
6. Build the bowls: Divide the cilantro lime rice among six bowls. Top each with the chopped chicken, the corn and bean mixture, shredded romaine, and pico de gallo.
7. Add the cold toppings: Finish each chicken burrito bowl with sliced avocado, shredded monterey jack, a spoonful of sour cream, and a lime wedge to squeeze over the top.

Recipe FAQs

Can I Make a Chicken Burrito Bowl Ahead for the Week?

Yes, and it’s one of the better meal preps out there. Pack the rice, chicken, beans, and corn together and keep the lettuce, pico, sour cream, and cheese separate. Slice the avocado the day you eat it, since it browns fast.

How Do I Keep the Rice from Getting Sticky?

Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear before it goes in the pot, and don’t lift the lid while it simmers. Rinsing washes off surface starch, which is what makes grains clump.

Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken Instead?

You can. Shred about 4 cups, toss it with the marinade ingredients in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes to warm through and pick up the seasoning. You’ll miss the charred edges, but it saves 20 minutes.

Is This Spicy?

Not really. Chili powder blend and smoked paprika bring warmth and smoke rather than heat, so most kids do fine with it. Add hot sauce or a chipotle pepper at the table for the people who want it hotter.

What Can I Use Instead of Pico De Gallo?

Any fresh salsa works, or dice a couple of roma tomatoes with a little red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Jarred salsa is fine too, just drain off some liquid so the bowls don’t go watery.

Cooking Tips

• Get the skillet properly hot before the chicken goes in, and leave the thighs alone for the first few minutes. Moving them around early is what stops the spice crust from forming.
• Rest the chicken 5 minutes before you chop it. Cut it straight off the heat and the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
• Frozen corn works great for the char, but pat it dry with a paper towel first. Wet corn steams in the pan and never browns.

Storage and Freezing

To store: Keep the chicken, rice, beans, and corn in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Store the lettuce, pico, sour cream, cheese, and avocado separately.

To freeze: Freeze the cooked chicken and the plain rice for up to 3 months. Skip freezing the avocado, lettuce, pico, and sour cream, since they all break down badly once thawed.

To reheat: Microwave the rice and chicken together for 1-2 minutes with a splash of water and a damp paper towel on top, then add the cold toppings after.

How to Serve Chicken Burrito Bowl

Chicken Burrito Bowl is a whole dinner in one dish, but tortilla chips and guacamole on the table make it feel like a spread. Warm flour tortillas on the side let anyone turn their bowl into a burrito. This is one of the recipes in our August dinner collection, and more build-your-own weeknight dinners like it are on the way.

Loved This Recipe?

Chicken Burrito Bowl puts a full customizable dinner on the table in about 50 minutes, and it beats the drive-through version on both flavor and price.

Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Burrito Bowl

Chicken burrito bowl with chili-lime seared chicken thighs over cilantro lime rice, black beans, charred corn, and fresh toppings.

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Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Total Time:50 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican-American

Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

• Large Skillet
• Instant-Read Thermometer 165°F in the thickest part, checked in two spots. Color is not a reliable read.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 3 tbsp olive oil divided
• 5 tbsp fresh lime juice divided, about 3 limes
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp salt divided
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup pico de gallo
• 2 avocados sliced
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 lime cut into wedges, for serving

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Instructions

• Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Add the chicken thighs, turn to coat, and let them sit for 20 minutes at room temperature or up to 8 hours in the fridge.
• Cook the rice: Combine the rice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 18 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Finish the cilantro lime rice off the heat: Fluff the rice with a fork and fold in the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice and the chopped cilantro. Do this after the rice is off the burner so the lime stays bright and the cilantro stays green.
• Sear the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated thighs and cook for about 6 minutes per side, until the spice crust is dark and a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part. Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
• Char the corn and warm the beans: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the corn for 3-4 minutes without stirring much, until some kernels blister and darken. Stir in the black beans and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and heat through, about 2 minutes.
• Build the bowls: Divide the cilantro lime rice among six bowls. Top each with the chopped chicken, the corn and bean mixture, shredded romaine, and pico de gallo.
• Add the cold toppings: Finish each chicken burrito bowl with sliced avocado, shredded monterey jack, a spoonful of sour cream, and a lime wedge to squeeze over the top.

Notes

Fold the lime juice and cilantro into the rice after it comes off the heat so both stay bright rather than cooking flat. Sear the chicken thighs over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 165°F, then rest 5 minutes before chopping.

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