Lunch

Chicken Burrito Bowl

<p>Rice, black beans, chicken and avocado in a bowl — 47 g of protein, no tortilla.</p>

Chicken burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, avocado, romaine lettuce and Greek yogurt
612kcal per serving
42.8gprotein
54.3gcarbs
25.5gfat

Estimated; may vary.

Prep15 min
Cook15 min
Total30 min
Makes1 serving
Difficultyeasy

A burrito bowl built on a proper marinade — olive oil, lime and six dry spices — rather than on a sauce poured over at the end. One bowl is 612 calories with 43 g of protein and 12 g of fiber.

Two details separate this from a pile of ingredients in a bowl. Season the rice with lime and cilantro while it is warm, and rest the chicken five minutes before slicing it.

Greek yogurt stands in for sour cream: same tang, a little less fat, and it adds protein instead of taking it away.

Ingredients

Ingredients

Cook’s tips
  • Season the rice, not just the chicken. Lime and cilantro stirred through it is the difference between a bowl and a pile of ingredients.
  • Rest the chicken five minutes before slicing, and cut against the grain.
  • Greek yogurt in place of sour cream saves around 40 calories per bowl and adds protein instead of removing it.
  • Contains: milk (Greek yogurt).
  • Naturally gluten-free. For meal prep, build everything except the avocado — slice that fresh, it browns within about twenty minutes.

Method

  1. Wash your hands and all surfaces before you start.
  2. Mix the olive oil, half the lime juice, paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper in a bag or bowl. Add the chicken and turn it until evenly coated.
  3. Leave it 15 minutes if you have time. The acid and oil do most of their work in the first quarter of an hour.
  4. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 5 to 7 minutes per side, until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
  5. Rest the chicken on a board 5 minutes before slicing. Cut straight off the heat and the juice ends up on the board.
  6. Stir the remaining lime juice, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper through the warm rice. Seasoning the rice is what stops the bowl being bland underneath.
  7. Layer the greens in a bowl, add the rice, then the sliced chicken.
  8. Divide the beans, tomatoes, red onion and avocado between the bowls. Finish with the Greek yogurt, jalapeño and more cilantro.