Come summer my family always asks for fun food, by that I mean DIY meals where we lay out everything on the table and everyone assembles their own plates or bowls. Growing up ‘Chipotle’ was one place my kids would love to stop for burritos, it was a Friday night treat after their swim practice and I would bring a bowl for my hubby too. At some point we got kinda bored of the same old flavors and started making it at home. It was so much fun to assemble all the little components and make our own version of salsas and grilled protein. The easy part is you can always make it semi homemade by buying store made salsas and guacamole, defrost roasted corn, open a can of great quality beans, so technically this is a semi homemade recipe if you wish. And even if you want to make this recipe all at home, you can have this meal ready in under a hour. I can guarantee it will be a hit for a regular weeknight dinner or weekend entertainment with margaritas and beers. It sure is a crowdpleaser. The point is to minimize cooking time and enjoy the great summer outdoors.
Simply make or buy the parts and neatly arrange them on the table. Place bowls around and everyone can make their own. DIY Chipotle Style Fajita Burrito bowl!
Chipotle Style Burrito Bar
Equipment
- Skillet
- bowls
Ingredients
Grilled Chicken or Protein
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs or meat protein of your choice
- 2-4 pieces chipotle peppers in adobo + 1-2 tbsp sauce
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Fajita Veggies
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper or 2 poblano peppers sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Cilantro Rice
- 1 cup raw basmati rice, rinsed white or brown
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ cup cilantro, loosely packed finely chopped
- salt and pepper to season
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Add Ons
- 1 can organic black or pinto beans, drained rinsed and warmed you may not need all of it
- 2-3 cups cilantro rice, ingredients above and recipe follows
- 1 cup frozen roasted/charred corn defrosted and warmed
- 1 cup Pico de Gallo, homemade or store bought
- 1 cup guacamole homemade or store bought
- 1 cup pickled cabbage, optional
Extras
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1-2 jalapeño, sliced
- 1-2 sliced limes
- ½ head shredded romaine
- ½ cup Monetary Jack cheese shredded
Instructions
Grilled Chicken
- To marinate, combine the olive oil, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken and allow it to marinate for at least a hour in the fridge.
Fajita Veggies
- Heat the skillet and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sliced peppers and saute for 7-8 minutes until slightly charred. Remove and transfer to a plate.
- Wipe and heat the same skillet or use a grill. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place the chicken on the skillet or grill, and grill 5 to 7 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked. This will depend on the thickness of the pieces. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Chop the chicken into small bite sized pieces and use as needed.
Cilantro Rice
- In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the rinsed rice and gently sauté for a few seconds to toast the rice until it starts to get opaque.Add the water and bring the rice to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes undisturbed.Open the lid and add in the cilantro. Fluff rice with a fork gently.
Serving Suggestion
- To Assemble: Arrange all the parts in bowls and lay them out on a table neatly. Allowing each diner to make their own bowl.Alternatively divide equal parts of the cilantro rice and chopped grilled chicken in 4-5 bowls. Top with equal parts of the fajita veggies, beans, corn, guacamole, pico. And let the diners choose their own extras. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Choose brown rice or quinoa to make the bowl more wholesome.
- Choose chicken thighs or breast, both work well. Â You could also make it with thinly sliced or cubed steak. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian tofu works well too.
- Serve DIY style by laying out all the components on a table and allow each diner to make their own bowl.
- Alternatively divide equal parts of the cilantro rice and chopped grilled chicken in 4-5 bowls. Top with equal parts of the fajita veggies, beans, corn, guacamole, pico. And let the diners choose their own extras. Enjoy!
- You make have extra fajita veggies leftover, which make an excellent lunch.
Love this twist on chipotle! Looks a lot healthier too.
Thanks Krisha, happy you liked it too.