October 18, 2020

Chicken Burrito Bowls

Name: Chicken Burrito Bowls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 1 pound); 1 c. uncooked quinoa; 1/2 c. black beans; 1 avocado, diced; 1/4 c. plain Greek Yogurt; 1 oz. low fat cheddar cheese, shredded; 1/2 c. salsa; Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder chili powder; Other toppings: chopped black olives, jalapeno slices, pickled jalapeno, cilantro, scallions

Jump to recipe

I have been on a “bowl” kick lately, usually when we get take out and usually at Moe’s. So of course, I set out to make my own version at home! Today I am going to share my take on Moe’s bowls with my Chicken Burrito Bowls. Filled with clean ingredients, this wholesome and filling bowl will delight your family.

Reasons I love bowls (in case you wanted to know):

Bowls make a quick and easy weeknight meal.
The ingredients can be prepped ahead of time to easily throw together during the week.
They travel well, so you can prep at home and eat on the run.
Did I mention the make a great lunch too?!

The ingredients for the Chicken Burrito Bowls are simple and can be customized to your liking. Start with 2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound. (If you are short on time, a cooked rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store will work well too!) You will also need 2 cups of cooked quinoa and 1/2 c. of black beans. You can top the bowl with whatever you like, my favorite toppings are avocado, low fat cheddar cheese, Greek yogurt and home made salsa. Black olives, fresh or pickled jalapenos, cilantro, scallions, diced tomato and lime juice are great toppings too!

I prefer to eat my Chicken Burrito Bowls warm, especially with the cooler weather here. And it only takes about 20 minutes to cook the chicken and quinoa, so I usually make everything at dinner time. You can also cook the chicken and quinoa ahead of time and heat up when ready to ear or you can eat the bowl cold.

To start cooking the chicken, preheat your over to 350 degrees. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Place in baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and cook for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reached 350 degrees. While the chicken is baking, cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions. I also use this time to prep my toppings. Dice 1 avocado, and shred 1-2 ounces of cheddar cheese.

Now let’s talk about black beans, You can use standard black beans or you can spice it up with some flavored beans. My two favorite to use in bowls are Wegmans Caribbean Black Beans or Bush’s Fiesta Black Beans. They are packed with flavor and give the bowls an extra layer of flavor.

One of new favorite kitchen gadgets is this avocado slicer, not that an avocado is difficult to dice. But if I can get away with only dirtying one utensil instead of 2 I am a fan!

Once the chicken is fully cooked and cooled a little, chop into bite size pieces.

Now you are ready to assemble your bowls. Place 1/2 c. of cooked quinoa in the bottom of your bowl. Top with 1/4 of the chopped chicken and 1/8 c. black beans. Top with avocado, cheese and Greek yogurt. Serve and enjoy!

Seriously these are so quick and easy. I line everything up on my kitchen counter and let everyone prepare their own bowls. That way I don’t have to listen to anyone groan that they don’t like black beans or wanted more cheese. I still have one kiddo that is a pretty picky eater so anything that can be “customized” is a win in my book. If there is something here that doesn’t resonate with your family switch it up. Don’t like quinoa, use brown rice instead. Watching your carbs, use a bed of lettuce instead of quinoa. Chicken not your favorite meat, sub in some lean ground beef. The possibilities are endless.

Not only is this delicious, but it looks pretty too. Wouldn’t it be fun to set up a Chicken Burrito Bowl Bar for your next gathering?! This recipe is easy enough to double or triple. Your guests will have fun preparing their own Chicken Burrito Bowls and comparing their creations!

We usually have leftovers so I use the leftovers for lunches. No one in my house is a big fan of leftovers and I have a thing about throwing food away. So I am usually the one that ends up taking the leftovers for lunch, and in the case, I am more than happy to.

If you are looking for more quick weeknight meals checkout my Hawaiian Chicken Wraps. If you use a pre-bought rotisserie chicken, you can use it with this recipe too.

Now if I could perfect my own version of Moe’s burritos!

Enjoy!