Spicy Chicken Burrito Bowl (Printable)

Vibrant Tex-Mex bowl with spicy grilled chicken, rice, black beans, corn, and fresh salsa toppings.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tsp chili powder
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
10 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
11 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Rice

12 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
13 - 2 cups water
14 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Beans & Corn

15 - 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
16 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned and drained

→ Salsa & Toppings

17 - 1 cup fresh tomato salsa, store-bought or homemade
18 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
19 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, optional
20 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
21 - Lime wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and lime juice. Add chicken breasts and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, preferably longer.
02 - Rinse rice under cold running water until water runs clear. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
03 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill marinated chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through and nicely charred. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - Heat black beans and corn in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
05 - Divide cooked rice among 4 bowls. Top each with sliced chicken, black beans, corn, and salsa. Add avocado slices and cheese if desired. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks at once so you're not stuck at the stove for an hour.
  • The spice blend makes plain chicken taste like it came from your favorite restaurant.
  • You can prep the chicken ahead and have dinner ready in twenty minutes flat.
  • It's filling enough that no one asks what's for dessert.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or it will turn out gummy and sticky instead of light and fluffy.
  • Let the chicken rest after grilling or all the juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • Taste your salsa before serving because some store-bought versions are way saltier than others and you might need to adjust.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before marinating so they cook evenly and don't dry out on the edges.
  • Toast your spices in a dry pan for thirty seconds before mixing them into the marinade and the flavor will be ten times deeper.
  • If you don't have a grill pan, a regular skillet works fine, just crank the heat and don't move the chicken around too much so it gets those nice charred bits.
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