My favorite part about chipotle is how customizable everything is. The picky-eaters and the I'll-take-some-of-everything eaters can dine and enjoy together. Now that most of us are cooking from home it can be hard to accommodate all these eaters and it is just not realistic to prep customized meals for each family member and expensive to constantly order out.
These copycat Chipotle bowls bring the fun of the Chipotle assembly line to your kitchen!
Building your own bowls makes for a fun activity for kids and an easy dinner for parents!
Plus, almost all of the components can be made ahead of time and popped in the fridge until dinner. I have taken my own spin on all the classics including copycat chipotle chicken marinated in an adobo flavored sauce that takes all of 3 seconds to make. I've kicked up the guacamole with a creamy secret ingredient and even took the classic chipotle corn salad and created a street corn variation that I could literally eat as my meal alone.
In creating this meal I really discovered the secret to flavoring Mexican food, lime and cilantro goes in EVERYTHING! So it was no surprise I loved pumping up my classic jasmine rice with those bright green citrus flavors. If you hate cilantro (I know some people do), simply leave it out, swap it for parsley or basil or punch things up with extra jalapeño!
I haven't made this with steak but that's next on my list, because I'm sure this marinate would make a delicious steak or carnitas burrito too!
I love this meal because it's customizable, easy to prep, makes great leftovers and there's truly something for everything. Mix and match your favorite flavors. Enjoy it wrapped in a burrito, alongside chips, over a bed of lettuce or however you please!
And once your assembling line is prepped and ready you'll have plenty of time for margarita sipping and chips and guac dipping!
Copycat Chipotle Bowls with all the Fixings
4 servings | Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes
Scroll down for Printer Friendly Version and Grocery List!
Ingredients:
Pico de Gallo
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp jalapeno, minced
2 tbsp red onion, chopped
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Juice of half a lime
Salt and Pepper
Street Corn
2 ears fresh corn on the cob or 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 tbsp red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
Juice of half a lime
1 tbsp cilantro
Guacamole
5 oz (or 1-2) ripe avocados
1 oz plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp cilantro
Juice of half a lime
Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp jalapeno, minced
Chipotle Chicken
12-16oz raw chicken breast, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp red onion
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp adobo sauce
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 cup water
Cilantro Lime Rice
1 cup jasmine rice
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1-1 1/2 cups water
Salt
Fajita Veggies
1 bell pepper, sliced thinly, ~100g
1/2 white onion, sliced thinly,~50g
1 tsp taco seasoning
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
Base and Toppings
2 cups lettuce, chopped romaine, spinach, arugula (whatever you prefer)
4 oz plain greek yogurt or nonfat sour cream
1 15 oz can low sodium black beans
2-4 oz shredded cheese
Extra lime and cilantro
Directions:
Preparation
Chipotle Chicken:
Combine all ingredients, with the exception of the chicken, together in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Dice chicken into bite sized pieces and place in a large gallon sized plastic bag.
Pour the blended marinade over the chicken and seal the bag removing any excess air.
Place in the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Pico de Gallo:
Combine all Pico de Gallo ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
Mexican Street Corn:
If using corn on the cob cook the corn according to preference. I prefer to microwave it in the husk for 4 minutes, remove and peel off the husk. Otherwise I like to grill the corn until it gets nice char marks.
Use a knife to cut the corn off the cob into a bowl.
Toss the corn with the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
Guacamole:
Slice the avocados in half, remove the pits (save these) and scoop the flesh out into a bowl. Use a fork to roughly mash the avocado, leaving a few chunks.
Fold in the remaining ingredients.
Return the pits to the guacamole and cover with plastic wrap. Seal the plastic wrap directly against the guacamole leaving no space for air. The pits and lack of air will keep the guacamole from browning. Set aside.
Cooking
Cilantro Lime Rice:
Bring 1-1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot.
Salt the water and stir in the jasmine rice.
Return the mixture to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, fluff the rice with a fork and add in the chopped cilantro and fresh lime.
Cover and set aside for 5 minutes before serving.
Fajita Veggies:
In a bowl, toss the fajita veggies with the olive oil and taco seasoning.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the fajita veggies until they start to soften. If the veggies start to stick or burn, use the water to deglaze the pan and assist in the softening.
Remove the veggies from the pan and set aside.
Chipotle Chicken:
Remove the marinating chicken from the fridge.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat (I used the same one as the veggies were cooked in, no need to wash).
Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the pan.
Cook it for about 5-7 minutes until fully cooked, rotating the pieces every few minutes.
If you prefer more of a sauce with the chicken, pour the remaining marinade over the chicken after about 5 minutes and sauté an additional 3-5 minutes to cook the marinade.
Remove the chicken and set aside.
Assemble
The easiest way to serve this is just like they do at chipotle, an assembly line!
Set up your hot items first: lime cilantro rice, chipotle chicken, fajita veggies and black beans. For the black beans I simply pour them in a bowl and microwave them but you can also heat up in a small pot until warm.
Follow with your salsas: pico de Gallo, Mexican street corn, guacamole.
Finish the lime up with all the other toppings you love: chopped lettuce, shredded cheese, plain greek yogurt or sour cream, cilantro and lime.
If your feeling extra fancy serve these with some warm tortillas, chips or hard taco shells!
Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version:
Recipe Grocery List:
I have compiled all of the ingredients, for the entire assembly line, into a simply grocery list to make things easier! This way you don't have to go through and total how many limes etc. you need, I did it for you!
Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.