Chipotle Chicken Bowls

5 from 13 votes

Chipotle Chicken Bowls are a spicy delight. Juicy marinated chicken, fresh veggies and a homemade chipotle crema. These bowls are banging!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time44

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Author: Bailey

Equipment

large skillet
sauce pan to make rice

Ingredients

Chipotle Chicken

1 lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless or chicken thighs
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup lime juice
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp sea salt
1-2 Tbsp chipotle pepper in adobo about 1-3 peppers based on heat level
2 garlic cloves, minced

Toppings

1 cup rice uncooked
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup canned black beans
½ cup cherry tomatoes
1 Jalapeño optional
4 Tbsp red onion, or pickled onions
4 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
lime wedges for garnish

Chipotle Crema

¼ cup sour cream
3 Tbsp lime juice
½ Tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo
1½ Tbsp cilantro, fresh
1 garlic clove
1 tsp honey *see notes

Instructions

Start with marinating the chipolte chicken breasts. Cut the breasts in half if they are large, this will help with a quicker, more even cook. Mash chipotle peppers with a fork before adding to marinade.
Add chicken to a large bowl, add lime, seasoning, oil and chipotle peppers. Mix everything together well, let the chicken sit in the mix while you prep everything else. Be sure to turn the chicken a little in between steps.
Make the chipotle crema, add all the ingredients to a high speed blender for food processor, pour into a bowl and set aside. Rinse and drain beans and thaw corn kernels if using frozen. Slice the tomatoes, and start the rice according to the package.
Heat a large skillet on medium high heat on the stove. You can use extra oil if needed, but the marinade has oil and it should be enough for cooking the chicken.
Add the chicken to the heated skillet. Cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes each side or until the chicken is cooked through (165º). One the chicken is finished cooking, let it rest for about 5 minutes.
Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces and assemble the bowls.
When rice is finished cooking, add lime juice and chopped cilantro *this is optional, you can also enjoy the rice plain. I like to put rice in first, then add the fresh veggies, chicken, and sauce.

Notes

Don't overcook the chicken! It's always best to have a digital meat thermometer. This will help keep the chicken nice and juicy.
If you are sensitive to heat, skip the jalapeño and use half the chipotle peppers.
Chicken can be left in the marinade for up to 24 hours if needed.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.

Optional Homemade Pickled Onions:

1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
½ cup water
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup apple cider
1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup ½ teaspoons salt

Pack the onions in a jar that has a lid. Simmer all other ingredients together for about 5 minutes, let it cool for 3 minutes, pour over the onions in the jar, seal the jar and let the onions sit for an hour or up to 24 hour.

Nutrition