Looking for a delicious and easy meal prep option that’s also gluten-free? You’ll love this Chicken Burrito Bowl recipe! Packed with proteins and tons of veggies, this tasty dish is about to be your favorite workday lunch.
Haven’t you heard? Sad desk lunches have been banished for good! At least in my life, anyway, thanks to the magic of meal prepping.
These chicken burrito bowls, for instance, are not only super portable and easy to make, but they’re packed with delicious ingredients that will give you the energy you need to get you through the rest of your work day.
Trust me when I tell you this chicken burrito bowl is about to become a permanent addition to your weekly lunch rotation.
Why You Will LOVE This Recipe
- Full of spice and zest, this burrito bowl is easy to make but complex in taste and texture, the way Mexican food should be.
- Just when your mouth starts tingling with the bursts of tangy lime and creamy avocado, another bite of your burrito bowl will mix in taco spices, creating all the elements you need for a lunchtime fiesta for your mouth.
- Chicken Burrito Bowls are easy to prep ahead of time, store, and transport, making it the perfect meal for people short on time. Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to treat yourself.
INGREDIENTS
For The Rice:
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- water
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 3 1/2 tbsp FRESH lime juice (about 1 large lime)
- pepper
For The Chicken:
- 1Â lb chicken breast
- 4 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For The Chip Strips:
- 1Â flatout gluten-free OR light flatbread
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
For The Bowls:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large red pepper, sliced
- 1/2 large onion, sliced
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup avocado, mashed (about 1 small avocado)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup salsa, of choice
- 1/2 cup corn (thawed if frozen)
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook
Preheat your oven to 350°F. While your oven is warming, cook 1 cup of rice according to the package directions, adding a pinch of salt. Or you can also try my Instant Pot version. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of pepper and fluff with a fork.
Heat
After patting the moisture from the chicken, rub it with taco seasoning. I use this Taco Seasoning recipe. Heat the oil up in a large, oven-proof pan over high heat. Place the chicken breasts in and cook until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Once both sides are done, place into the oven until no longer pink inside, about 20-25 minutes.
Place
Lay Flatout or Flatbread on a cookie sheet and rub it with oil. Sprinkle on the taco seasoning and gently rub it in evenly. Slice the Flatout in half width-ways and then slice each half into 1/2 inch strips. Place onto the cookie sheet and bake until crunchy, about 10 minutes.
Brown
Finally, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pan over medium/high heat. Add in the peppers, onion, and garlic and cook until tender and golden brown, about 7-10 minutes.
How to meal prep Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Place the avocado, lime juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a bowl and mash together. Divide between 4 storage containers, followed by the corn and the salsa.
- Divide the rice between the storage containers. Then, slice the chicken and divide it between the containers as well.
- Divide the chips between 4 small, snack-sized Ziploc bags (this prevents them from getting soggy) and place them on top of each container. If desired, add a wedge of lime to each container to use when you eat it.
The Best Variations for Chicken Burrito Bowl Ingredients
Just because you’re vegetarian doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this burrito bowl. With so many meat alternatives on the market, substituting chicken for a different ingredient is easy.
When I’m looking for a meat substitute, I want something that has a similar taste and texture to the real thing. Jackfruit is a great option because of its taste and texture. To add jackfruit to your bowl, you shred it, just like chicken. Tofu and Tempeh are other great choices.
But if you want to keep your bowl gluten-free, make sure you avoid Seitan. This meat substitute is high in protein but is made from wheat gluten.
How to Store Chicken Burrito Bowls
The best way to store your leftover chicken bowls is actually keeping them separated as if you were prepping them for the week.
Keep all of your ingredients in separate, airtight containers. This will help keep your food fresh and flavors from mixing together. Just be sure to get leftovers in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking to eliminate the chances of harmful bacteria growth. Your burrito bowls will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Or, you can also freeze your leftover chicken burrito bowls. After your food has completely cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag. After labeling and dating the container, simply put it in the freezer. Your leftovers will stay fresh for up to 4 months.
When you’re ready to eat your leftovers, you can put the frozen ingredients in the microwave or onto the stove until thoroughly heated.
For step-by-step instructions on this recipe, watch my video tutorial below:
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Ingredients
For the rice:
- 1 Cup Uncooked white rice
- 1 Pinch of salt
- 1/2 Cup Cilantro, roughly chopped
- 3 1/2 Tbsp FRESH lime juice (about 1 large lime)
- 1 Pinch of Pepper
- (Click here to see my Instant Pot version!)
For the chicken:
- 1 Pound Chicken breast
- 4 tsp Taco Seasoning (click for the homemade recipe I use)
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
For the chip strips:
- 1 Flatout Gluten Free OR Light Flatbread
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Taco seasoning
For the bowls:
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Large Red pepper, sliced
- 1/2 Large Onion, sliced
- 2 tsp Garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 Cup Avocado, mashed (about 1 small avocado)
- 1 Tbsp Fresh lime juice
- 3/4 Cup Salsa, of choice
- 1/2 Cup Corn (thawed if frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the 1 cup of rice according to package directions, adding a pinch of salt. Once cooked, stir in the cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of pepper and fluff with a fork.
- Lightly pat the moisture off the chicken and rub with the taco seasoning. Heat the oil up in a large, oven-proof pan over high heat. Place the chicken breasts in and cook until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Once both sides are done, place into the oven until no longer pink inside, about 20-25 minutes.
- Place the Flatout on a cookie sheet and rub with oil. Sprinkle on the taco seasoning and gently rub in evenly. Slice the Flatout in half width-ways and then slice each half into 1/2 inch strips. Place onto the cookie sheet and bake until crunchy, about 10 minutes.
- Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil up in a large pan over medium/high heat. Add in the peppers, onion and garlic and cook until tender and golden brown, about 7-10 minutes.
- Place the avocado, lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper into a bowl and mash together. Divide between 4 storage containers, followed by the corn and the salsa.
- Divide the rice between the storage containers. Then, slice the chicken and divide between the containers as well.
- Divide the chips between 4 small, snack-sized Ziploc bags (this prevents them from getting soggy) and place on top of each container. If desired, add a wedge of lime to each container to use when you eat it.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PER SERVING: SMARTPOINTS: 12Â POINTS+: 12Â OLD POINTS:Â 10
(For 1 bowl)
Wow, impressive recipe!!!
Glad you like it!