Chicken burrito bowl

Spiced seared chicken over brown rice and black beans, with salsa, lettuce, avocado and lime.

  • Have some energy
  • Vegan option
  • Gluten-free
  • Mexican
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Chicken
  • High protein
  • High fiber
Hands-on
20 min
Total time
58 min, show breakdown
  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 40 min
  • Clean up 8 min
Pans
2
Ingredients
10
Cost/serving
$3.43

Per serving

Calories
548
Protein
43 g
Fiber
10 g
Net carbs
43 g
Fat
18 g

High in (% Daily Value per serving): Niacin (B3) 114%, Vitamin B6 101%, Selenium 85%, Vitamin K 54%, Thiamin (B1) 42%, Magnesium 39%, Folate 36%, Riboflavin (B2) 35%, Vitamin A 28%, Potassium 26%, Zinc 26%, Vitamin E 24%, Iron 23%

Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.

Already dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.

Ingredients for 2

Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.

  • 1½ breasts chicken breast, boneless skinless (300 g)
  • ½ cup brown rice, dry (92 g)

    Same amount as: 120 mL.

  • ½ can canned black beans, drained and rinsed (120 g)

    Same amount as: about ¾ cup.

  • ¼ cup jarred salsa (65 g)

    Same amount as: 60 mL.

  • 2 cups lettuce leaves (94 g)

    Same amount as: 480 mL, about 9 large.

  • ½ medium avocado (68 g)
  • 1 tsp chili powder (2.7 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • 1 tsp ground cumin (2.1 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • 1 tbsp lime juice (15 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL, ½ lime squeezed from fresh limes.

  • 1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL.

  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Find alternative ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings. Cooked rice and chicken keep 4 days in the fridge, so this packs well for lunches.

Nutrition Facts

2 servings per recipe

Serving size 1 plate (387 g raw)

NutrientPer serving% DV*Whole recipe
Calories548
Total fat18 g23%
Saturated fat3 g15%
Cholesterol110 mg36%
Sodium618 mg27%
Total carbohydrate54 g20%
Dietary fiber10 g37%
Total sugars2.9 g
Net carbs†43 g
Protein43 g86%
Vitamin D0.15 mcg1%
Calcium78 mg6%
Iron4.1 mg23%
Potassium1,216 mg26%
Vitamin A248 mcg28%
Vitamin C8.9 mg10%
Vitamin E3.6 mg24%
Vitamin K65 mcg54%
Thiamin (B1)0.5 mg42%
Riboflavin (B2)0.45 mg35%
Niacin (B3)18 mg114%
Vitamin B61.7 mg101%
Folate145 mcg36%
Vitamin B120.32 mcg13%
Magnesium166 mg39%
Zinc2.9 mg26%
Selenium47 mcg85%

Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.

* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.

Steps

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the rice and boil 30–35 minutes, until tender. Drain.

    Done looks like: Grains soft all the way through, with a little chew.
  2. While the rice cooks, rub the chicken with the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Shred the lettuce. Rinse and drain the beans.

  3. Heat the oil in the skillet on medium-high. Cook the chicken 5–6 minutes without moving it. Flip and cook 5–6 minutes more.

    Done looks like: Browned on both sides. Thickest part reads 74 °C / 165 °F.
  4. Rest the chicken 3 minutes, then slice it. Warm the beans in the same pan for 2 minutes.

  5. Divide the rice, beans, lettuce and chicken between two bowls. Top with salsa, sliced avocado and lime juice.

Equipment

Medium pot with lid, about 2 L (2 qt) $15–35

What to look for

  • Lid that fits snugly
  • Thick base so it does not scorch

Skip: Glass lids that fog up are fine; copper is not needed.

Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60

What to look for

  • Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
  • Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat

Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.

Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30

What to look for

  • Reads in 5 seconds or less
  • Thin probe tip
  • Shows °C and °F

Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.

Silicone spatula $5–12

What to look for

  • One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
  • Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick

Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.

Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50

What to look for

  • Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
  • Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years

Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.

Cutting board $10–30

What to look for

  • At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
  • Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher

Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.

What goes wrong

WhatCauseFix
Rice still hardBrown rice takes longer than white.Taste at 30 minutes and keep boiling until soft.
Dry chickenCooked past 74 °C / 165 °F, or sliced right away.Check with a thermometer and rest 3 minutes before slicing.

Versions

VersionChangesPer serving
OriginalAs written. Hands-on 20 min, total 58 min.548 kcal
43 g protein
10 g fiber
43 g net carbs
18 g fat
VegetarianFirm tofu instead of chicken. Also vegan. Hands-on 20 min, total 58 min.582 kcal
35 g protein
14 g fiber
44 g net carbs
27 g fat

Notes

Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.

Pregnancy: Cook chicken to at least 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part.