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Easy Meal Prep Chicken Burrito Bowls

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A quick, freezer-friendly chicken burrito bowl recipe featuring zesty seasoned chicken, fluffy rice, and colorful veggies. Perfect for meal prep and busy days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chipotle powder (optional)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice or brown rice
  • 2 ½ cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen, thawed)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 avocado, diced (add fresh when serving)
  • Chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
  • Optional: shredded cheese, sour cream, or salsa for serving

Instructions

  1. Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Let sit for 10 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
  2. Cook the rice: Rinse rice under cold water until clear. In a saucepan, combine rice, water or broth, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 18-20 minutes for white rice or about 40 minutes for brown rice until tender. Remove bay leaf and fluff with fork.
  3. Cook the chicken: Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook 6-8 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice or dice.
  4. Sauté the veggies: In the same skillet, add a splash of olive oil and cook diced bell pepper and corn for about 5 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Stir in black beans and warm through. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Assemble the bowls: Divide rice into meal prep containers. Top with sautéed veggies, chicken slices, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Add avocado fresh when serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
  6. Cool and freeze: Let bowls cool to room temperature before sealing with airtight lids. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Marinate chicken for at least 10 minutes for flavor, but up to 2 hours for best results. Add avocado fresh when serving to avoid browning. Let bowls cool completely before freezing to prevent sogginess. Reheat from frozen by thawing overnight or microwaving on medium power for 4-6 minutes, stirring halfway.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken burrito bowl, meal prep, freezer friendly, easy dinner, healthy, Mexican, chicken recipe, quick meals

Find it online: https://sunnysavory.com/easy-meal-prep-chicken-burrito-bowls-5-freezer-friendly-recipes/