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!

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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 167 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 the Chipotle bowl hack? ›

Instead of ordering a burrito bowl, order 3 sides of any meat and then a side of guac. You get way more meat and it's actually cheaper than a chicken burrito bowl with guac.

What material is Chipotle bowl made of? ›

Experts conducting the testing with the outlet explained that this find indicates the bowls were treated with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds.

What shredded cheese does Chipotle use? ›

The shredded white cheese that Chipotle uses is commonly known as Monterey Jack. It is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk that melts well when exposed to heat. Chipotle's Monterey Jack cheese is used to make quesadillas and queso dip, and it's happily added to any menu item when asked.

Did Chipotle stop the $3 burrito? ›

A Chipotle spokesperson said the hack "is resulting in a poor experience for our food, our employees and our customers waiting for orders." Chipotle has put the kibosh on a viral hack that enabled customers to drop about $3 for a burrito by using a wasteful bit of order finagling.

What are the forever chemicals in Chipotle bowls? ›

The bowls at Chipotle and Sweetgreen are supposed to be compostable. They contain cancer-linked “forever chemicals.” Testing by The Counter reveals an industry secret: All fiber bowls contain PFAS, a troubling class of chemicals with no known half-life, even when they're certified compostable. It gets worse from there.

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

Your choice of meat or sofritas served with our fresh supergreens lettuce blend made of Romaine, Baby Kale, and Baby Spinach. Add beans, queso blanco, salsa, guacamole, sour cream or cheese and top it off with our signature Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette.

Does Chipotle use real rice? ›

Every morning, we make our cilantro-lime white rice from scratch in each of our restaurants. We steam it with bay leaves to impart their herbal fragrance, then season it with lime and lemon juices and toss it with cilantro for its fresh, slightly tart flavor.

What gives Chipotle its flavor? ›

Our namesake ingredient, the chipotle chili pepper is a dried and smoked jalapeño produced using the age-old craft of smoking them over pecan wood for several days. These intensely smoky, spicy peppers are the foundation for much of the food we serve - from our chicken, steak, and Barbacoa to our beans and vinaigrette.

What does Chipotle put in its 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 can I use instead of chipotle sauce? ›

Smoked Paprika has all the smoky flavor you crave, making it the best substitute for chipotle. Although it is a much milder spice than dried chipotle or even fresh jalapeños, mix in the desired amount of cayenne pepper to dial up the heat.

What is the difference between a burrito bowl and a salad at Chipotle? ›

The Economical Approach To A Chipotle Order

Barring these variables, burrito bowls, at their most basic price, are seemingly more expensive than some other dishes. They are similar to Chipotle salads, but they swap the base of greens with a base of rice, beans, or fajita veggies.

How many calories are in a burrito bowl from Chipotle? ›

For burrito bowls, this is the caloric baseline, clocking in at about 705-1250 total calories, depending on your guac, protein selection, and additional fixings. For burritos, add a flour tortilla (300 calories), and you're looking at a range of about 1085-1550 total calories, depending on topping selections.

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