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

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  • 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 146 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 at 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 are Chipotle bowls made of? ›

The "compostable" bowls at Chipotle, Sweetgreen, and your favorite food hall are made with PFAS | The Counter.

How do I make my Chipotle bowl bigger? ›

This strategy is for maximizing the amount of food you get at Chipotle for minimal cost:
  1. Get the burrito bowl, not the burrito. ...
  2. Ask for a tortilla on the side! ...
  3. When they're doing the beans and rice, ask for the fajitas as well. ...
  4. While you're at it, ask for a little extra rice and beans.
Feb 20, 2017

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 cheese do they use at Chipotle? ›

What cheese does Chipotle use? In most of their dishes, Chipotle Mexican Grill uses a shredded blend of two kinds of cheese: White cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. On their menu, the cheese blend is referred to as "shredded cheese," and it is used in burritos, tacos, and salads.

How to get Chipotle for $2? ›

There's a TikTok video from a food vlogger named Kelsey Lynch that's going viral … which shows you how to get a burrito at Chipotle for $2. You order a tortilla, then a side of beans and a side of cheese. And ask the person working, very nicely, to put the beans and cheese inside the tortilla.

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.

What is the main ingredient in Chipotle? ›

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.

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.

How to get free Chipotle hack? ›

6 Chipotle Hacks for Getting FREE Chipotle
  1. Smile and greet the staff. ...
  2. Get a bowl. ...
  3. No rice, extra beans. ...
  4. FREE double meat. ...
  5. Never say the word “double” or “extra”
  6. “Double” and “extra” are code for “charge me more.” We want none of that. ...
  7. Buy the gift cards. ...
  8. UPDATE: The best Chipotle hack yet – all sides.

How much rice do they put in a Chipotle bowl? ›

But, prices are based on prescribed serving sizes of every ingredient.” Those prescribed serving sizes are four ounces of meat and rice, two ounces of green or red salsa and a one-ounce pinch of cheese or lettuce, according to an employee handbook that describes the “art of portioning.”

Which rice is better at Chipotle? ›

Choose your rice

The brown rice contains less sodium and more fiber than the white rice. If you did choose the burrito or tacos, you might want to skip the rice (210 calories) altogether since you're getting your grains in your shell. That said, white rice can also be a healthy choice if that's what you prefer.

Is a burrito bowl healthy Chipotle? ›

“You can order a bowl with steak, vegetables, lettuce, salsa, a sprinkle of cheese, black beans and guacamole for around 400 calories and 30 grams of carbohydrates,” says Leonard. “This would be fine for anyone following a regular healthy-eating plan.”

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

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.

Do you get more food in a Chipotle bowl or burrito? ›

Business Insider tested this claim, comparing the weight of a burrito bowl's contents with those of its wrapped namesake. Sure enough, for the same price, ordering a burrito bowl means ordering significantly more food. In that specific case, the bowl's weight was astoundingly almost 71% more than the burrito's.

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