My family loves Chipotle. Their chicken burrito bowls are our default food choice when we’re out in town and in a pinch. There are both good and bad aspects of our relationship with Chipotle. The good is that we’re able to find quick meals that are within our dietary parameters and with relatively naturally-raised ingredients. The bad is that while Chiptole is pretty upfront about their standards towards raising animals, they have not released a list of their ingredients to the public. There’s actually a petition (right here) to ask Chipotle to reveal their ingredients. My personal concern is that they are cooking with oils that are high in Omega-6 fatty acids, like soybean oil.
My other issue is that we like Chipotle so much that sometimes it becomes our dinner even if we’re not out in town and in a pinch; it’s so tasty that we find ourselves wanting it even when we have a fridge full of food.
So I decided to do something about it and re-create our beloved chicken bowls so we can enjoy them in the comfort of our own home and know exactly what ingredients go into the meal. Also, I am sure that this recipe isn’t 100% authentic, especially in its use of chipotle powder (as opposed to whole dried chipotles and/or canned chipotles) but I made a couple shortcuts to make the process a little easier. I pieced this recipe together using my taste buds and some rumors I found floating around on message boards, so if you have intimate knowledge of some of Chipotle’s ingredients, leave me a comment below!
You’ll Need:
for the chicken -
2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp ground chipotle powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt
1 tsp each black pepper and paprika
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
for the rice -
2 cups rice, cooked (add two whole bay to the water leaves when cooking)
2 tsp expeller-pressed coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, or high-oleic sunflower oil (i.e. a healthy, unflavored cooking oil)
4 tsp lime juice
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
To prep the chicken, blend all of the chicken ingredients (minus the chicken!), then mix them with the chicken and marinate overnight.
Grill the chicken on direct, medium heat, until cooked through. Should take about 10 minutes.
Let the chicken rest for five minutes, then chop it up into bite-sized chunks.
For the rice, add the cooked rice to a big bowl. Mix in the oil, stirring together. Add the lime and lemon juices, and the salt, mixing together. Finally, stir in the cilantro, and it’s ready to go. Taste it and add more salt or lime juice as needed.
That’s about it. For the sour cream, I just added 1 tsp cream to every 2 tbsp of sour cream, to get that creamy consistency like what you find at Chipotle. For the cheese, I used a mixture of white cheddar and jack cheeses (50/50 split). The lettuce is just chopped romaine.
Add other toppings as you see fit, then go to town. I didn’t add instructions for their salsas and guacamole, but chipotlefan.com has pretty comprehensive lists on their site (be sure to read the comments, many of which are from former employees).
In making this recipe, I came to realize why Chipotle’s signature icon is a burrito wrapped in foil – it’s damn hard to take a flattering picture of a burrito bowl! That’s okay, because the authentic taste more than makes up for its non-photogenic appearance.
Oh, I like this idea. And I think the pic is great.
Thanks Jan!
That’s some good lookin’ chicken!
Thanks Gary!
Looks delicious, and just reinforces my belief that chicken thighs>>>>>>>>> chicken breast
I agree, dark meat over white meat any day :)
I think chicken is now on the menu for dinner. You have my mouth watering. Maybe some chicken quesadillas since I have all the ingredients on hand.
Cool, thanks for checking it out!
i have some chicken thighs in the fridge right now…i can’t wait to try this!! I’ll def take pics and let you know how it comes out!!
I made this tonight with turkey, instead of chicken, and it was fantastic! I cut the chipotle amount in half for the kids and it was a big hit with everyone. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Laura, thanks for sharing! Glad you guys enjoyed it.
Can’t wait to try this!!! I am cooking the eye of round roast tonight using your recipe, and can’t wait till it is done!
I was looking for something different to do with my whole pasture raised bird. I frequently go to The Perfect Health Diet site and your link was there. Thank goodness! I made your recipe tonight and it was so good! It was just what I was looking for! My husband enjoyed it as well and we thank you so much for sharing it!
Great recipe, thanks! I’ve made it a couple times now…it’s officially on my biweekly menu. Thanks again for sharing your wonderful blog and recipes!
Thanks Elle, glad you like it!
Reblogged this on A Mélange of Contradictory Tendencies and commented:
Made this last week, and it was REALLY good.
My only changes:
I didn’t have oregano, so I used parsley.
Didn’t have charcoal, so I baked it.
I didn’t make the rice. Instead, I chopped up some romaine and topped it with the chicken, grated cheese, and sliced avocado.
I can’t wait to make this recipe on the grill when warmer weather hits!
I just went YES! I LOVE Chipotle too! So this recipe is next on my list to make! :) Will let you know how it turns out!
I did this tonight it was sooooo good..Thank you
This is serious the yummiest!! Made it last night…kids and hubby loved it. I used riled cauliflower and it worked great!! Next up your Garbage-Free Chick-fil-A Nuggets!! Thank you for such great recipes :)