Chicken Burrito Bowls

 

The words “healthy” and “Mexican food” are almost never used together in the same sentence, and for good reason. Mexican food is typically loaded down with processed carbs in the form of a giant tortilla and spoonfuls of white rice, obscene amounts of sodium, and lots of fat from too much cheese. A quick lunch run to the nearest Qdoba or Chipotle may seem like an easy go-to meal, but you could be eating your own homemade Mexican-inspired chicken burrito bowl without any of the guilt or bloating you’ll get at the fast-food joints.

 

I created this recipe to serve as a dual purpose meal. It can be a filling family dinner, or a bulk recipe that you can reheat for lunch all week. If you are like me and can’t stand the idea of eating the same thing 5 days in a row,  just freeze 2-3 portions and eat for lunch the following week! This is a very straightforward recipe you can make Sunday afternoon, and it will reheat wonderfully when you are ready to eat it.

 

Unlike your typical Mexican inspired menu, this burrito bowl contains only the healthiest of ingredients: lean chicken, brown rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and fresh peppers. No giant white tortilla, globs of cheese, or chips to make you feel like you’re going to explode a few hours later. You can make this a vegetarian meal by omitting the chicken, throwing in an extra can of pinto beans, and cooking the rice in vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

 

Don’t forget–you can save time by cooking your protein in bulk. I baked the chicken breast for this recipe at the same time I was baking chicken for a different recipe. Don’t make cooking more time consuming than it needs to be!

 

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{Chicken Burrito Bowls}

This healthy Mexican inspired meal works great for dinner, or as a reheatable lunch. It’s full of colorful vegetables, and contains lots of protein to get you through the rest of the work day without feeling overly sluggish or stuffed. 

 

Servings: 5 (about 2 cups each)

 

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp packaged taco seasoning

3/4 cup brown rice, dry (regular or instant)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained

1 14.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup corn, canned or frozen

3 peppers in different colors (I used red, orange, and green), chopped

1 tbsp dried cilantro

 

Directions

Coat chicken with olive oil and bake at 375F until cooked through, about 25-35 minutes. Dice cooked chicken and coat with taco seasoning. Set aside.

Cook rice and chicken broth together according to package directions. Set aside.

Drain liquid from diced  tomatoes in a colander, and combine in a large bowl with rinsed and drained black beans, corn, chopped peppers, and cilantro, stir to combine. Mix in diced chicken and rice.

 

If you are eating this meal right away, you’ll want to heat the whole mixture through on the stovetop in a large pot. If you are using this meal for lunches, divide mixture into 5 servings (about 2 cups each) into tupperware or freezer bags to reheat later. I recommend storing a few in the freezer to be used at the end of the week or the following week. Just place the frozen meal in the fridge the night before to thaw, and reheat for lunch in the microwave at home or work!

 

 

Nutrition info per serving: 380 cal, 5 g fat, 53 g carb, 31 g protein, 9 g fiber

 

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