Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
Makes: 3-4 large bowls
Prep: ~20 minutes
Cook: ~30 minutes
Total: ~50 minutes
Cilantro-Lime Rice
1 cup long-grain white rice
1¾ cups chicken broth or water
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of ½ lime
Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear. Bring the broth, rice, butter, salt, garlic powder, pepper and cumin to a boil. Cover, reduce to low and cook about 15–18 minutes, or according to the rice package.
Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5–10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then fold in the cilantro and fresh lime juice.
Roasted Corn & Black Beans
1½ cups corn, frozen or drained canned
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Juice of ½ lime
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and corn and let the corn cook without stirring constantly so some kernels develop a little char, about 4–5 minutes.
Add the black beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and garlic powder. Cook another 2–3 minutes, just until the beans are hot. Finish with lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Saucy Chipotle Chicken & Peppers
This looks like the star of your bowls.
1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1 medium yellow or white onion, sliced
1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
2 tbsp adobo sauce from the can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup chicken broth
1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
Juice of ½ lime
Cut the chicken into roughly 1-inch chunks. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the oil. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for about 3–4 minutes before turning. Continue cooking until the exterior has good color. It doesn’t need to be completely cooked yet.
Remove the chicken temporarily and add the onion and red bell pepper. Cook 4–5 minutes, leaving them slightly crisp.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook about 30 seconds. Stir in the chopped chipotles, adobo sauce, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder.
Pour in the chicken broth and add the honey. Stir everything together, scraping the browned bits from the pan.
Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Simmer 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce reduces enough to thoroughly coat the chicken, peppers and onions.
Finish with the lime juice. Taste and adjust the salt, lime or adobo sauce. You want it smoky, tangy, moderately spicy and slightly sweet.
Lime Crema
The white drizzle in your finished bowls looks perfect for a simple crema.
½ cup sour cream or Mexican crema
1–2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp water
Pinch of salt
Whisk until smooth. Add just enough water to make it thin enough to drizzle.