Chicken Burrito Bowl

Bursting with smokey and spicy flavors, this Easy Chicken Burrito Bowl is a quick Tex-Mex dinner you’ll love! Tender juicy chicken thighs on top of fluffy rice, beans, grilled corn and a zesty chimichurri, it’s a fiesta in a bowl. Garnish with all your favorite toppings for the most epic bite ever!

If you’re a bowl lover like me then you definitely need to try out my Steak Fajita Burrito Bowl or my Baja Fish Taco Rice Bowl!

Easy Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe

If you love bowl-dinners, you’ll be a fan of this chicken burrito bowl! With juicy grilled chicken coated in a smokey spice rub and served over jasmine rice, you and your guests will down bowl after bowl of this quick Tex-Mex dinner.

There’s grilled corn for sweetness, pico de gallo for crunch, sliced avocado for creaminess…Every bite is a texture-filled symphony of fresh veggies, black beans, and (possibly) queso fresco. To brighten things up, a drizzle of the easiest chimichurri you’ll ever make.

Whether you keep it simple or decide to invite more ingredients like shredded lettuce and tortilla chips to the party, you’ll never grow old of this 30-minute chicken rice bowl. Don’t believe me? Make it once and watch the flavors inspire you to add more toppings the next time around.

Why You’ll Love This Tex-Mex Chicken Rice Bowl

You might start implementing a burrito-bowl night to your weekly dinners after you try this recipe.

• Perfect for work. Pack the bowls in containers that you can grab-and-go for the week.
• Prep-friendly. Make everything in advance so you just have to throw everything together and reheat it for dinner.
• Great for gatherings. Place all of the ingredients in bowls and let everyone assemble their own burrito bowls. They’ll be a hit!
• Versatile. Change the toppings and some of the ingredients in this recipe to switch things up.

What You’ll Need

From the chimichurri to toppings, these burrito bowls are packed with Tex-Mex flavors like garlic, cumin, and paprika. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

For the Chimichurri

• Fresh cilantro – Don’t use parsley.
• Garlic – No garlic powder.
• Red wine vinegar – Please don’t use white or apple cider vinegar instead.
• Lime juice – Feel free to use lemon juice.
• Olive oil – Don’t use any other kind of oil.
• Smoked paprika – Use any kind of paprika.
• Red pepper flakes – Remove this if you can’t take the heat.
• Salt

For the Chicken

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Cumin – Don’t use cumin seeds.
• Smoked paprika – Use your favorite kind.
• Chili powder – Cayenne pepper is great for this.
• Garlic powder – Onion powder is a good swap.
• Ground coriander
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil – Vegetable, corn, and canola oil are good alternatives.
• Avocado oil – Feel free to swap it for more olive oil.

To Make the Burrito Bowls

• Jasmine rice – Use your favorite long-grain white rice or Mexican red rice recipe for this.
• Black beans – Use canned or homemade.
• Fresh corn – You can also use canned corn.
• Avocado
• Homemade Pico de Gallo

How To Make A Chicken Burrito Bowl

Blend the sauce, whisk the spice mixture, rub it onto the chicken, and the grill it. That’s it! Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.

For the Chimichurri

• Blend it. Add all of the chimichurri ingredients to a blender. Process them until the cilantro is finely chopped. Set it aside.

To Grill the Corn

• Prepare the grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat or 350F. You can use a grill thermometer to check the temperature.
• Grill it. Cook the corn for 2 minutes on each side or until slightly charred. Remove it from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes.
• Cut the kernels off. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the kernels from the cob. Set them aside.

For the Chicken

• Mix the seasoning. Whisk the cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, ground coriander, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add the olive oil and whisk it in until well combined. The mixture should be a runny paste. Pour it over the chicken in a large bowl.

• Season the chicken. Rub the mixture into the chicken until completely coated.
• Cook the chicken thighs. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil and let it heat for 2 minutes. Add the chicken thighs. Cook them for 4-5 minutes per side. Remove them from the heat and set them aside.
• Cook the chicken breasts. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook them for 6-7 minutes per side. Remove them from the heat and set them aside.
• Slice it. Let the chicken rest for 4-5 minutes before slicing. Set it aside.

To Assemble the Bowls

• Fill them. Add 1 cup of rice, 1-2 tablespoons of black beans, grilled corn, sliced chicken, pico de gallo, and sliced avocado to each bowl. Drizzle it with chimichurri and enjoy.

Recipe Tips & Variations

This section will help you add more personality to any Tex-Mex chicken rice bowl recipe:

• Use guacamole. Add leftover guac to your bowl so that you still get a creamy avocado flavor while reducing food waste.
• Use Mexican red rice. Swap the jasmine rice for leftover Mexican rice if you want to give this recipe an extra Mexican twist.
• Add cheese. Diced panela cheese, crumbled cotija or queso fresco are great if you want to add something cheesy to your bowls.
• Swap the protein. Grilled turkey or shrimp makes a great swap for chicken in this recipe.
• Add more toppings. Sour cream, shredded lettuce, and crushed tortilla chips add amazing flavor and texture.
• Use a meat thermometer. Cook the chicken until it reads an internal temperature of 165F. If it’s lower than this, it’s undercooked.
• Flatten it. To ensure even cooking, cover the raw chicken with plastic wrap and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to flatten it out until it’s an even thickness.

Serving Suggestions

This chicken burrito bowl recipe is perfect on its own for dinner. If you’re having lots of people over, you can place the rice, chicken, chimichurri, and toppings in separate bowls so everyone can assemble their own. It’ll be a hit! On the side you can serve a refreshing cocktail like a Skinny Margarita or a Cadillac Margarita.

Can These Chicken Burrito Bowls Be Prepared In Advance?

Absolutely! Prepare them up to 3 days in advance and keep everything in the fridge until it’s time to reheat it. You can also assemble the bowls in individual containers without any heat-sensitive toppings like avocado, lettuce, or pico de gallo. This way you can just grab them from the fridge on your way to work.

Proper Storage

Once fully cooled, refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Store the chimichurri, chicken, and burrito elements separately. Assemble the bowl without avocado or pico de gallo and microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. Add the remaining toppings and enjoy as usual. Keep the bowls and their ingredients away from direct heat and sunlight when on the counter for reheating or serving.

More Tex-Mex Recipes To Try

• Tex-Mex Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Tex-Mex Chickpea Salad
• Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Healthy One Pot Mexican Quinoa Casserole

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