Chipotle Chicken Bowl Recipe (VIDEO)

This homemade Chipotle Chicken Bowl Recipe is loaded with juicy grilled chicken and all of your favorite burrito bowl toppings. It’s such a perfect summer meal.

Instead of the salsa shown, you can easily whip up some of our Homemade Pico De Gallo Recipe or even add some authentic guacamole for a fresh flavor!

Recipe Details

If you’re a Chipotle fan, then this recipe is for you! This Chipotle Chicken Bowl is outrageously good. I could eat the grilled chicken all by itself. It’s that delicious!

• TASTE: Smoky, savory, and spicy, the chicken in this recipe is delicious. The adobo sauce plays a huge role in giving it that smoky heat.
• TEXTURE: Tender, juicy chicken combined with fluffy rice, creamy sour cream and avocado, plus refreshing salsa. This Chipotle Chicken Bowl is scrumptious.
• TIME: This dish takes 30 minutes to make and 3 hours to marinate.
• EASE: It’s really easy to put this recipe together. With simple ingredients and a short cook time, it’s really a breeze.

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs– You can use chicken breast to make it healthier and less fat.
• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce- Can be found in the ethnic foods aisle. Usually in a can.
• Cumin– The spice that you don’t want to skip in this recipe.
• Garlic cloves– Adds amazing aromatic flavors to the juicy chicken.
• Olive oil– To prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill.

Add-ins and Substitutions

• Add vegetables– Try these bowls with fresh avocado, lettuce, fajita vegetables, onion, or guacamole.
• Substitute the chicken- You can use chicken breasts for this recipe, or ground beef, steak, or pork.
• Add sauces– Add some salsa, pico de gallo, corn salsa, Mexican roasted salsa, sour cream, or salsa verde to this recipe as a topping.
• Substitute the rice– Cooked brown rice, cilantro-lime rice, wild rice, or plain white rice all work here.

How to Make Chipotle Chicken Bowls

• Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, add the chicken thighs, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, cumin, pressed garlic, salt, and olive oil. Then use tongs to mix everything together. Cover and marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

• Cook the chicken. Now fire up your grill to medium-high heat and cook the chipotle marinated chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side.
• Let it rest and assemble. Once the chicken is done, let it rest on a plate covered in foil. Then chop it into pieces and serve with all your favorite burrito toppings.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to let the meat rest so that the juices can reabsorb. Otherwise, you’ll land up with dry chicken.

Recipe Tips

• Pat the chicken thighs dry- Oil and water don’t mix so use paper towels to dry the chicken thighs so the marinade will adhere to the meat.
• Marinate for at least 2 hours- The longer the meat marinates, the more flavor and moisture that is absorbed into it. Preparing this the night before will give the thighs great flavor.
• Check doneness- Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is fully cooked. It should have an internal temperature of at least 165ºF.

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

This Chipotle Chicken Bowl is full of flavor and absolutely delicious. Serve it with salads, sides, or meats, and finish it with a brilliant dessert.

• Meats: Pair this tasty dish with some Grilled BBQ Meatballs, BBQ Chicken Wings, Smoked Ribs, and Chipotle Burgers with Avocado Sauce.
• Salad: Enjoy this main dish with some cold salads, like Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Avocado Corn Salad, Cucumber Radish Salad, or Tomato Garlic Salad.
• Sides: Serve it alongside some Potato Salad with Baked Salmon, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, coleslaw, or macaroni salad.
• Desserts: Finish the meal with a great dessert, such as this Fruit Pizza, Lemon Pound Cake (VIDEO), Strawberry Bundt Cake, or Blueberry Pie.

Make This Recipe in Advance

Make ahead: If you know you will be tight on time the day you plan on making these burrito bowls, just marinate the chicken the night before. All you have to do is grill the chicken and cook the brown rice.

Storing: If you have leftovers, make sure to store the chicken separately from the fresh vegetables. Just place the chopped chipotle chicken into an airtight container. It should last up to 4 days. To reheat, you can place the chicken on a skillet with a few teaspoons of olive oil and mix with a spoon until it’s warmed through. Or you can microwave it, just make sure to microwave the chicken and rice only.

Freeze: Freeze the chicken in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months once it has fully cooled.

More Tasty Chicken Dishes!

Watch a video on how to make it

Full Recipe Instructions

Chipotle Chicken Bowl Recipe

This Homemade Chipotle Chicken Bowl is loaded with juicy grilled chicken and all of your favorite burrito bowl toppings. It’s such a perfect summer meal.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Marinate time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 8

Calories: 484kcal

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine chicken thighs, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (with the sauce), cumin, salt, grated garlic, and olive oil. Mix thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

• Once the chicken has been marinated, grease your grill and bring the temperature to high heat. Grill both sides of the chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side.

• Let the chicken cool slightly, then chop into small pieces. 

• Build your burrito bowl with your desired amount of brown rice, black beans, avocado, chopped lettuce, salsa, and sour cream. Then enjoy. 

Notes

• Pat the chicken thighs dry- Oil and water don’t mix so use paper towels to dry the chicken thighs so the marinade will adhere to the meat.
• Marinate for at least 2 hours- The longer the meat marinates, the more flavor and moisture that is absorbed into it. Preparing this the night before will give the thighs great flavor.
• Check doneness- Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is fully cooked. It should have an internal temperature of at least 165ºF.

Nutrition

Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 836mg | Potassium: 939mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1396IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3mg

Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!