This Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl is a fun way to make a favorite take-out meal at home! Enjoy!
Do you have a favorite restaurant meal that you always crave whenever you go out to eat? I do! In fact, I’ve got several…but one of my favorites is the Chipotle Burrito Bowl. I used to order the burrito at Chipotle, but then my wife taught me to order the bowl and ask for the tortilla on the side. Then you just tear off pieces of the tortilla and make a bunch of mini-burritos. (Just typing this is making me crave a Chipotle Burrito Bowl now!)
I really enjoy cooking at home, so I decided to take on the challenge of re-creating the Chipotle Burrito Bowl at home. I had a blast tweaking the recipes until I found a version that got pretty darned close to what you get at Chipotle. My sister-in-law is straight addicted to Chipotle, and she was the first one to introduce me to the wonders of a Chipotle burrito bowl many years ago. I knew she would make a great judge, so I bribed her to do a taste test for me. And the result? Two thumbs up! I’ll take it…and I’ll also take a burrito bowl for dinner tonight please!
These burrito bowls do take a bit of time to make simply because of the various elements of the recipe. There’s the corn salsa, grilled chicken, rice and guacamole. But trust me when I say the time will be well spent! These burrito bowls are a favorite around here…for good reason!
If you make a these burrito bowls at home, make sure to swing back by and leave a comment. Or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog)!
Looking for more burrito and taco ideas? Check out some of these favorites!
Coconut Rice and Madras Lentils Burritos
Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 can chipotle in adobo sauce
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- ½ medium red onion coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ Tbsp cumin
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
For the Rice
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups water hot
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
For the Corn Salsa
- 3 medium poblano peppers deseeded
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups frozen corn
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 1 medium jalapeño deseeded and diced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For Toppings
- 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- guacamole (store-bought or homemade)
- romaine lettuce
- sour cream
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Remove one chipotle chile and 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can. Coarsely chop chile and place in a medium bowl with the adobo sauce. (Note: Extra sauce and chipotles can be frozen and used for other recipes.)
- Add all remaining ingredients except for chicken breasts (black pepper, oregano, garlic, onion, cumin powder, and olive oil). Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree mixture until smooth.
- Place chicken breasts in a glass dish and coat both sides with the marinade. Cover dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Heat grill to medium high heat. Grill chicken until done, approximately 4-5 minutes per side.
- Coarsely chop grilled chicken.
For the Rice
- Using a medium saucepan, add butter and heat over low heat until melted.
- Add the rice and juice of 1 lime, and stir for approximately 1 minute.
- Add water and salt. Stir gently and then bring pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cover and remove pot from heat. Do not uncover or stir again.
- Allow rice to rest until all of the water is absorbed (~18-20 minutes). Once rice is cooked, add the chopped cilantro and fluff rice with a fork.
For the Corn Salsa
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Brush the peppers with olive oil and place on grill skin side down. Roast until skin becomes well-charred (~5-6 minutes). Allow peppers to cool slightly, then peel and discard the charred skin. Dice and set aside. (Note: ensure that all of the seeds are removed from the peppers at this stage.)
- Place the corn in a stockpot of boiling water. Boil 4-5 minutes, or until corn is tender. Allow corn to cool slightly. Set corn aside.
- Using a medium bowl, combine the diced peppers and corn with all remaining ingredients (onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper); stir until well mixed.
For Toppings
- Layer rice and lettuce in a bowl.
- Add black beans, grilled chicken, guacamole, corn salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream, and any additional toppings of your choice.
We love chipotle, but we don’t have one locally. We can only have it when we are traveling. Love the idea of recreating at home. Thanks.
You definitely need to add this to your list of things to make, Laura! It’s one of my favorites…and we always make a bunch so we can eat it for leftovers, too.
What? What? No way!! I love love Chipotle and the bowl is the only thing I order. We didn’t have one in Syracuse my first year here and when they showed up I was there for months. So glad you got this recipe pretty close to theirs. I will make this ASAP and report back 🙂 Thank you! Happy New Year
Haha…same here, Zainab! It’s a bit of work to make all of the recipes for the bowl…but it is SO worth the effort. Just make a ton of it and then have easy leftovers for several nights. 🙂 Happy New Year!!
You’ve been busy blogging during the holidays David! This sounds amazing. Who doesn’t love a chipotle burrito bowl? YUM! 🙂
Haha…indeed I have been, Anne! Too bad the 12+” of snow outside has blocked in my grill for a couple of days….or I might be out there making more of this Chipotle Burrito Bowl!
Hmm, I haven’t been to Chipolte yet, and it’s right down the road at the mall. I will have to put it on the list of places to visit for date night!
If you like Tex-Mex food, then you’ll love Chipotle! I always get the burrito bowl with either chicken or barbacoa…and then just load it up with all sorts of delicious toppings. Let me know what you think if you make it over there!
Thanks so much for this recipe! Due to my husband’s job we usually live overseas and there’s no Chipotle in the places where we have been posted. This recipe quickly became a favorite and have made it more than a dozen times – we simply love it!
Hey Monica! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving this comment…you really made my day! 🙂 This recipe is a bit involved since it includes so many parts, but it really is delicious, too. I’m so glad you enjoy it! Hope you have a great week ahead…and thanks again!