Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl With Lime Cilantro Rice and Your Own Toppings

It is 6:30 on a weeknight, the rice has 12 minutes left on its timer, and four bowls are lined up on the counter waiting to be built. This homemade Chipotle burrito bowl is a home riff on the fast-casual favourite, inspired by the chain and not affiliated with it: lime-and-cilantro rice, seared chicken thighs, warm black beans, pico, guacamole, cheese and sour cream, 40 minutes start to plate. Everything on the counter gets a say, and you get the final swipe.

Cook the parts separately, build the bowls last, and let people choose their own ratios.

Build-your-own is the whole appeal. Sear 1 lb of chicken thighs, cook the rice, heat the rice again with the juice of 2 limes and a little chopped cilantro, warm the black beans, and then stack each bowl with the pieces you want. It serves four. A bowl is a small act of decision-making, and you get to say yes to the guacamole as many times as you like.

How to make it

1. Season the 1 lb chicken thighs with salt and black pepper on both sides.
2. Cook the seasoned chicken thighs in a skillet over medium high heat for 6 minutes per side until cooked through, then slice into strips.
3. Cook the rice according to package directions, about 20 minutes. Keep warm.
4. Heat the 2 cups cooked white rice in a saucepan with the juice from 2 limes and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro from the 1 bunch for 3 minutes.
5. Warm the 1 can of black beans in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
6. Spoon the rice into 4 bowls and top each with portions of the sliced chicken and warmed black beans.
7. Add 1 cup pico de gallo, 1 cup guacamole, 1 cup shredded cheese, and 1/2 cup sour cream evenly across the bowls.
8. Garnish each bowl with the remaining chopped fresh cilantro from the 1 bunch.
9. Serve the bowls right away.

Notes

Cooked leftovers keep three to four days refrigerated, per USDA FSIS. Store the components in separate containers, not assembled: the rice, the chicken and the beans in one set, the pico, guacamole and sour cream in another. A bowl that is built the night before turns watery.

A homemade Chipotle burrito bowl is excellent on day two. The rice picks up the lime, the chicken has settled, and you can assemble a cold or reheated bowl in a minute. Warm the rice, chicken and beans in the microwave with a splash of water, then add the cold toppings after.

The cooked rice and chicken freeze reasonably in portions, but do not freeze the pico, the guacamole or the sour cream.

Season the 1 lb of chicken thighs with salt and black pepper on both sides, then cook them in a skillet over medium-high heat for 6 minutes a side, until cooked through. Slice them into strips. USDA's safe minimum for poultry is 165F, so check the thickest piece, and let the strips rest while you finish the rice.

The rice runs on the longest clock, about 20 minutes to cook according to the package, so start it first. While it cooks, sear the chicken. When it is done, the method heats 2 cups of cooked rice in a saucepan with the juice from 2 limes and 2 tbsp of chopped cilantro for 3 minutes. The bunch of cilantro is split: a little in the rice, the rest as garnish.

Warm the can of black beans in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes. A pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime if you have a spare one, lifts them.

Spoon the rice into 4 bowls and top each with chicken and beans. Then add the 1 cup of pico de gallo, the guacamole, the 1 cup of shredded cheese and the 1/2 cup of sour cream evenly across the bowls. Finish with the rest of the cilantro and serve right away.

Swaps that actually work

In a homemade Chipotle burrito bowl, the lime and cilantro rice is the point. Plain rice makes this a plate of components, and the lime makes it a bowl. Leave it alone.

Chicken thighs can become chicken breast, which is leaner and dries faster, so slice it thin and watch the clock. Seasoning is just salt and black pepper here, so if you want more flavour, add chili powder, cumin or garlic powder to the chicken before it hits the pan.

White rice can become brown rice, which takes longer, or cauliflower rice, which takes far less and is lighter. Quinoa also works. The lime and cilantro treatment suits all of them.

Every extra topping is another swipe right. The bowl does not get jealous, and the agent will not ask why the guacamole got a second helping.

Black beans can become pinto beans. Drain and rinse them if you want a cleaner bowl, or keep a little of the liquid if you prefer them saucy.

Corn, grilled peppers and lettuce all make good additions: a handful of shredded romaine adds crunch, and corn adds sweetness.

If you want a smoky edge, stir a small spoonful of chopped chipotle in adobo into the sour cream. It is a swap that suits the dish.

The swap that costs you the dish is skipping the guacamole and the lime. Without them, you have chicken and rice, and the bowl has lost the bright, creamy contrast that makes it taste like the thing you wanted.

If it goes wrong

The chicken is bland. It only had salt and black pepper, and thighs can take more. Season it properly before it hits the pan, and finish the sliced strips with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt.

The rice is clumpy or dry. It sat too long after cooking. Fluff it with a fork, add a splash of water and the lime juice, and heat it for the full 3 minutes with the lid on.

The bowl is watery. The pico or the beans brought too much liquid. Drain the pico in a sieve for a minute, drain the beans if you can, and put the wet toppings on last.

The guacamole has turned brown. It was exposed to air. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, or squeeze a little lime juice over the top, and scoop away the brown layer.

What to serve with it

The default for a homemade Chipotle burrito bowl is the bowl itself, with a lime wedge on the side and a bag of tortilla chips if you have one.

The better version of the default is a pile of shredded lettuce at the bottom and corn on the side, which adds crunch.

The thing in the fridge that lifts it is hot sauce, pickled jalapeños or a squeeze of extra lime. Put them in a bowl on the table and let people build their own.

It works as lunch the next day. Pack the warm parts and the cold parts separately and put them together when you eat.

Why this one earns its place

A homemade Chipotle burrito bowl is the dinner that lets everyone choose, so the table stays happy. You get the pull of a fast-casual order without the queue, and you can put more of the thing you love into the bowl.

Swipe it into your week and the agent shops all eleven ingredients in one pass. If you like the bowl format, chicken burrito bowls, carnitas burrito bowls and the Mexican street corn chicken bowl are the other three to look at.

More like this: all Mexican recipes in Crave Corner.