Chipotle Burrito Bowl (Copycat Recipe) (2024)

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This Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe combines the best of the famous restaurant recipes you love in one delicious meal. Make it a Chipotle night without leaving the house!

Chipotle Burrito Bowl (Copycat Recipe) (1)

We are all Chipotle lovers in this house. It’s been our go-to takeout restaurant for ages and I’ve had a blast recreating a growing list of their recipes at home. The famous Chipotle chicken burrito bowl was my initial motivation for creating make at home versions of these recipes.

I decided it was time to bring these recipes together to show you how to make a seriously delicious copycat Chipotle bowl in your own kitchen that rivals the takeout version.

Table of contents

  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Chipotle Burrito Bowl Ingredients
  • How to Make a Chipotle Burrito Bowl
    • Prep the Ingredients
    • Assemble the Burrito Bowls
  • Make-Ahead Tips
  • Variations

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Customization: Each person can customize their copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl to their liking and, the varieties are endless. See the variations I’ve included below for lots of ideas.
  • Quality: Cooking at home allows you to take control of the quality and freshness of the ingredients.
  • Portion Control: You can add as much or as little of each ingredient as you’d like to build a bowl that suits your diet.
  • Meal Prep: Prepare the recipes in advance and store them separately so you can assemble a quick Chipotle Burrito Bowl to take to work or for a quick dinner when you’re short on time.
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Chipotle Burrito Bowl Ingredients

Chipotle Burrito Bowl (Copycat Recipe) (3)
  • Chipotle Chicken – My version of Chipotle’s flavorful chicken was inspired by the restaurant’s ingredient list. The marinated boneless skinless chicken breasts can be cooked either on the grill or stovetop because we need our burrito bowls rain or shine!
  • Cilantro Lime Rice – This is the first copycat Chipotle recipe I published. It’s super easy to make at home.
  • Easy Corn Salsa – Chipotle’s corn salsa is made easy with frozen corn. It takes minutes to put together and tastes so much like the restaurant version.
  • Fresh Tomato Salsa – I’ve included the recipe for this super fresh salsa in the recipe card below. It’s basically pico de gallo and adds great flavor and color contrast to the bowls.
  • Chipotle Guacamole – I used Chipotle’s ingredient list to whip up this easy guacamole.
  • For the rest – Canned black beans, chopped romaine lettuce, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and sour cream. I like to serve the bowls with lime wedges and tortilla chips on the side.
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How to Make a Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Before assembling the bowls, prepare the recipes and prep the other ingredients. I’ve included some make-ahead tips below.

Prep the Ingredients

  1. Prepare the Cilantro Lime Rice and cook the the Chipotle Chicken. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into bite-size pieces.
  2. Mix together the Easy Corn Salsa, Fresh Tomato Salsa (see recipe card), and Chipotle Guacamole.
  3. Drain and warm the black beans in a small saucepan.
  4. Shred the cheese and chop the lettuce.

Assemble the Burrito Bowls

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  1. Base – Divide the rice and lettuce between the bowls to create a base for the other ingredients.
  2. Protein – Add the Chipotle Chicken and warmed black beans.
  3. Salsas – A spoon full of Easy Corn Salsa and Fresh Tomato Salsa.
  4. Garnish – Add a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.

Make-Ahead Tips

Most of the ingredients for the Chipotle bowls can either be made or prepped in advance to save time.

  • Chicken: The chicken can be marinated for up to 8 hours or even frozen in the marinade.
  • Salsas: The corn salsa and fresh tomato salsa can both be made up to a day in advance. Just transfer them to airtight containers and refrigerate until needed.
  • Rice: I suggest cooking starting the rice just before you cook the chicken. If you want to make it in advance. Sprinkle it with a little water to refresh and rehydrate it before gently warming in the microwave or on the stove.
  • Lettuce and cheese: Chop the lettuce and shred the cheese, transfer them to zippered plastic storage bags and pop them in the fridge up to a day in advance.
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Variations

Meat: Instead of chicken burrito bowls, try this recipe with crispy Carnitas, Instant Pot Barbacoa, or my Mexican Shredded Beef. They are also excellent with the tender shredded chicken from my Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos recipe.

Rice: For a healthier bowl, substitute cooked whole grain brown rice. We also love them with my Restaurant Style Mexican Rice.

Beans: I switch back and forth between using black beans and pinto beans. If you love refried beans, those work too!

Cheese: Add some shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled cotija for more authentic Mexican flavor.

Salsa: Easy Blender Salsa, Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, or Creamy Tomatillo Avocado Salsa are all delicious choices. Or substitute your favorite store-bought salsa.

Low Carb: If you’re eating low-carb, eliminate the rice and add more greens. Sometimes I will use a bagged mixed lettuce blend or whatever I’ve got growing in my veggie garden!

Veggies: Create easy fajita veggies by sautéing thinly sliced onions and bell peppers in a skillet with a a little olive oil until tender. For a little heat, add a chopped jalapeño.

Make it a Wrap: Toast some tortillas in a dry skillet and load them up with all of the ingredients for a super satisfying wrap.

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Chipotle Burrito Bowl (Copycat Recipe) (7)

Chipotle Burrito Bowl (Copycat Recipe)

5 from 171 votes

This Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe combines the best of the famous restaurant recipes you love in one delicious meal. Make it a Chipotle night without leaving the house!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Keyword: chipotle burrito bowl, copycat chipotle bowl

Print RecipePin RecipeRate Recipe

Prep Time:35 minutes minutes

Cook Time:25 minutes minutes

Marinating/Resting Time:1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time:2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Chipotle Chicken
  • 2 cups Cilantro Lime Rice
  • 1 recipe Easy Corn Salsa
  • 15 ounce can black beans, lightly drained
  • 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 recipe Chipotle Guacamole
  • ½ cup sour cream, garnish
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Fresh Tomato Salsa

  • 2 to 3 medium tomatoes, 1 to 1½ pounds, cut into ¼ -inch pieces
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients

  • Prepare the individual recipes listed above according to the directions. See below for the Fresh Tomato Salsa instructions.

  • Warm the black beans in a small saucepan over LOW heat.

For the Fresh Tomato Salsa

  • Combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño peppers in a small bowl. Squeeze the lemon and lime juice over the top and season with salt, to taste. Toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Assemble the Bowls

  • Assemble the bowls by dividing the cilantro lime rice, lettuce, chicken and beans between 4 salad bowls. Garnish each bowl with cheese, guacamole, corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, and sour cream. Serve the bowls with lime wedges, if desired.

Notes

Make-Ahead Tips

  • Chicken: The chicken can be marinated for up to 8 hours or even frozen in the marinade.
  • Salsas: The corn salsa and fresh tomato salsa can both be made up to a day in advance. Just transfer them to airtight containers and refrigerate until needed.
  • Rice: I suggest cooking starting the rice just before you cook the chicken. If you want to make it in advance. Sprinkle it with a little water to refresh and rehydrate it before gently warming in the microwave or on the stove.
  • Lettuce and cheese: Chop the lettuce and shred the cheese, transfer them to zippered plastic storage bags and pop them in the fridge up to a day in advance.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bowl · Calories: 836 kcal · Carbohydrates: 84 g · Protein: 48 g · Fat: 38 g · Saturated Fat: 15 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 17 g · Trans Fat: 0.01 g · Cholesterol: 108 mg · Sodium: 1486 mg · Potassium: 1974 mg · Fiber: 20 g · Sugar: 7 g · Vitamin A: 6015 IU · Vitamin C: 65 mg · Calcium: 378 mg · Iron: 6 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.

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More Ideas

Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
Corn Guacamole
Blender Salsa
Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

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Chipotle Burrito Bowl (Copycat Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What's in a burrito bowl from Chipotle? ›

Your choice of freshly grilled meat or sofritas served in a delicious bowl with rice, beans, or fajita veggies, and topped with guac, salsa, queso blanco, sour cream or cheese.

What is Chipotle bowl made of? ›

What is in a burrito bowl at Chipotle? Cilantro lime rice, pinto beans, grilled chicken, charred corn, pico de gallo, guacamole, and shredded cheese.

Is a burrito bowl healthy Chipotle? ›

Burrito bowl, with steak or chicken, brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, guacamole, and green salsa: The best meal at Chipotle is one that skips the tortillas. This burrito bowl is a square 510 calories, 17 grams of fat, and an impressive 22 grams of fiber.

What kind of cheese does Chipotle use in their bowls? ›

Chipotle's choice of Monterey Jack cheese is no coincidence. This cheese's smooth and creamy nature enhances the overall flavor profile of their dishes, complementing the bold and zesty flavors of Mexican cuisine.

What kind of rice does Chipotle use? ›

Around here, all you need to know is that we use long-grain white rice. We have always been committed to preparing real food made with real ingredients. You know, the kind you can recognize and pronounce.

What kind of lettuce does Chipotle use? ›

Your choice of meat or sofritas served with our fresh supergreens lettuce blend made of Romaine, Baby Kale, and Baby Spinach.

How much rice is in a Chipotle bowl? ›

Chipotle says a serving size of rice should be 4 ounces. But even after subtracting the weight of the bowl (. 038 ounces) from this, our serving was still bigger than what Chipotle describes. The rice weighed roughly 6.59 ounces, suggesting a serving of white rice could easily be well above the advertised 185 calories.

Does Chipotle use real rice? ›

Every morning in each of our restaurants, we make our cilantro-lime brown rice from scratch. We simmer the whole-grain rice with bay leaves to add savory flavors, then season it with lemon and lime juices and toss it with cilantro for a slightly tart, fresh taste.

What are the forever chemicals in Chipotle bowls? ›

Chipotle stated in its 2020 sustainability report it had completed the transition away from PFAS in burrito bowls and anticipated replacing kids trays by the end of 2021. Several news articles have reported that the company has pledged to switch to PFAS-free packaging by early 2021.

What is the healthiest thing to get at Chipotle? ›

The Healthiest Chipotle Orders We Recommend
  1. The Wholesome Bowl. Courtesy of Chipotle. ...
  2. Kids Quesadilla With Steak. ...
  3. The Grain Freedom Bowl. ...
  4. Three Steak Tacos. ...
  5. Barbacoa Salad With Guacamole. ...
  6. Chicken Salad With Queso. ...
  7. Vegetarian Burrito Bowl. ...
  8. Steak Burrito Bowl With Cheese & Sour Cream.
Apr 10, 2023

Is it better to get a Chipotle burrito or bowl? ›

The Economical Approach To A Chipotle Order

Despite the price differences, the savviest Chipotle enthusiasts have concluded that ounce for ounce, a burrito bowl is the most cost-effective order a customer can make.

Are McDonald's and Chipotle owned by the same company? ›

Founded by Steve Ells on July 13, 1993, Chipotle had 16 restaurants (all in Colorado) when McDonald's Corporation became a major investor in 1998. By the time McDonald's fully divested itself from Chipotle in 2006, the chain had grown to over 500 locations.

What oil does Chipotle use? ›

Rice bran oil is our primary cooking oil at Chipotle.

What can I put on my Chipotle bowl? ›

Your choice of freshly grilled meat or sofritas served in a delicious bowl with rice, beans, or fajita veggies, and topped with guac, salsa, queso blanco, sour cream or cheese.

Can you do two meats at Chipotle? ›

But those who are extra hungry or looking to stretch their leftovers even further should consider this convenient trick. All you'll need to do is ask to split your meat between two different choices. It might not seem like it would make a difference, but it makes sense once you consider how Chipotle operates.

How to make Chipotle more filling? ›

We present you Grosz's tips:
  1. Order a burrito bowl with a tortilla on the side. ...
  2. Order two tortillas on the side to increase total weight by 85 percent. ...
  3. Order both kinds of rice for 93 percent more rice. ...
  4. Order both types of beans for 92 percent more beans. ...
  5. Go half and half on meats.
Dec 3, 2020

How do I get a bigger portion at Chipotle? ›

Get to know the staff. If they like you, they will be more generous with you and joke around with you more. If you are at a Chipotle that you have not been to before, joke around with the staff and make conversation with them. If you get half steak and half chicken, they will typically accidentally give you more.

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