Burrito Bowl
This Burrito Bowl is colorful, hearty, and fresh, with nutty brown rice, smoky chicken, sweet charred peppers, creamy guacamole, and zingy lime throughout. It delivers the comfort of a burrito in a lighter, fork-friendly form that's perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Rice base
- 140 gbrown rice
- 360 mlwater
- 1/2 tspsalt
Chicken and roasted vegetables
- 180 gchicken breast
- 1 medium (160 g)red bell pepper
- 1 medium (160 g)yellow bell pepper
- 120 gcorn kernels
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
- 1/2 tspdried oregano
- 1/2 tspsalt
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
Beans
- 240 gblack beans, drained
- 1 tbsplime juice
- 1/2 tspground cumin
- 1/4 tspsalt
Quick guacamole
- 1 large (200 g flesh about 140 g)ripe avocado
- 1 tbsplime juice
- 15 gfresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 tspsalt
To finish
- 5 gfresh cilantro leaves
- 1, cut into wedgeslime
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the brown rice well under cold water. Put it in a saucepan with the water and salt, bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 22-25 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes so the grains finish steaming and stay fluffy.
- 2
While the rice cooks, preheat a large frying pan or grill pan over medium-high heat. Slice the chicken breast into thin strips for fast cooking. Cut the red and yellow bell peppers into strips. Toss the chicken, peppers, and corn with the olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- 3
Cook the chicken and vegetables in the hot pan for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the peppers sit undisturbed for a minute or two at a time so they char slightly rather than steam. The chicken is done when it is lightly browned and the thickest piece reaches 74°C or is opaque all the way through.
- 4
Warm the black beans in a small pan or in one side of the skillet for 2-3 minutes with the lime juice, cumin, and salt, stirring gently so they stay mostly whole.
- 5
Mash the avocado in a bowl with the lime juice, chopped cilantro, and salt until creamy but still a little chunky. Taste and adjust lime or salt if needed.
- 6
Fluff the rice with a fork. Divide the rice between 2 bowls, then top with the black beans, chicken and roasted vegetables, and a generous spoonful of guacamole.
- 7
Finish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over at the table.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •To keep this within 30 minutes, use quick-cook brown rice if available; standard long-cooking brown rice will take longer.
- •If you prefer, swap the chicken breast for leftover cooked chicken and fold it into the pan just long enough to heat through.
- •For extra heat, add chopped jalapeño or a pinch of chili flakes to the guacamole or beans.
- •This bowl is great for meal prep; store the guacamole separately with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to reduce browning.
Background
Burrito bowls are a modern, casual adaptation of the classic burrito, inspired by the flavors of northern Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking while skipping the tortilla. They reflect the core burrito combination of rice, beans, meat, vegetables, and bright garnishes in a customizable bowl format popular in home kitchens and taquerías alike.
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