Looking for the BEST chicken burrito bowl recipe? This one is a fan favorite in our house and I know you will love it too!
After going to Mexico in 2018, I have been on a burrito bowl kick! I probably make some form of Mexican food at least once a week for dinner. While burrito bowls aren’t traditional Mexican food, they still classify as an amazing meal in my book. If you’re looking for a simple set it and forget it chicken burrito bowl recipe, keep reading because this is for you! I will be completely honest, I made this recipe up, but I promise it is SO GOOD! I am always looking for minimal effort dinners and this is definitely a simple meal to cook!
This post is all about the BEST Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe, which is thankfully so simple to make!
Slow-Cooked Meat to Perfection
For starters, if you don’t own a slow cooker, you are truly missing out! I never really understood why anyone would need one until I started using it! Slow Cookers are PERFECT to leave cooking meat on low heat all day. One of the benefits is that the meat literally falls right off the fork and turns into shredded chicken immediately! While there are MANY fancy slow cookers out there across various price points, we use the basic 7-quart Crock-pot – which you can often find an insane deal on around the holidays! You can also buy a fancier Crock-Pot which allows you to set a timer for it to turn off when the meal is cooked, however, our Alexa Smart Plug is much cheaper and works just as well! Seriously, I can turn the Crockpot off from my phone while I am miles away at work!
Once you have your Crockpot all set up, pour a bit of salsa to coat the bottom of the pot. We LOVE to use pineapple salsa (especially the one from Trader Joe’s of course) with our chicken burrito bowl recipe – mostly because I can’t handle anything spicy. Feel free to use the salsa of your choice for a smokier or spicier flavor! Place the chicken breasts over the salsa coating. Pour the rest of the jar of salsa on top of the chicken. Turn the setting onto low and leave it for the next 6-1/2 to 7 hours! After 6-1/2 hours of cooking, use a fork to shred the chicken (this should be easy!) and pour half of the second jar of pineapple salsa into the slow cooker. Let this cook on low for another 30 minutes while you prepare the toppings.
All of The Toppings
Anyone who has ever enjoyed a burrito bowl knows that the magic is in the toppings. We ALWAYS have diced tomato, cilantro, shredded Mexican cheese, black beans, corn, lettuce, guac, and sour cream. A burrito bowl station is perfect for having friends over or letting your kids make their own bowls! Once the rice is cooked, layer your bowl with rice topped with beans, corn, and meat, and then all of your other toppings! Similar to above where you can use your own salsa, you can also prepare all of your favorite toppings as well! Some people like peppers and onion, pineapple, salsa, jalapeños, avocado, or Queso Blanco with their burrito bowls. Add in whatever toppings you love! whatever you do, be sure to squeeze half a lime over everything for a little extra flavoring!
Healthy Swaps
While my boyfriend and I prefer to really enjoy our burrito bowls in it’s truest form, there are healthy swaps you can make for a lower-cal meal. You can omit the rice completely or swap out the regular white rice for quinoa or riced cauliflower. If you haven’t cooked riced cauliflower before, it’s so simple! Just throw it in the frying pan with a little olive oil for about 15 minutes on medium heat! You can always skip the cheese (or use it sparingly)! And lastly, I ALWAYS recommend making your own guacamole fresh. This way you skip out on some of those extra preservatives, and get the absolute freshest guacamole!
Make Your Own Guac
I wouldn’t leave you hanging without a guac recipe! Who do you think I am?! We typically pick up a bag of the teeny avocados from Trader Joe’s. For the two of us, I will use 3 of the avocados to make the guacamole. If you’re making the meal the same day you go grocery shopping, be sure to look for ripe avocados. They typically are a bit squishier when you give them a little squeeze. Often, they are darker in appearance as well. If you aren’t cooking for a few days, buy an avocado that is a little harder and leave it on the counter until you are ready to use it. Once you’re ready, scoop all of the avocado (including the pits) into a bowl. Keeping the pits in the guac helps it from turning brown so quickly! Add some diced tomato and cilantro. You can add diced onion, but as a lazy chef, I opt for onion powder and garlic powder. Don’t get too crazy here, just eyeball it! Add a little salt and pepper to taste and the best seasoning – Chile-Lime Seasoning from Trader Joe’s! If you are into spices, feel free to add some jalapeno! Mix it all together and you are good to go!
This post was all about making the most delicious chicken burrito bowls in a crockpot with one simple recipe!
I hope you fall in love with this chicken burrito bowl recipe just like I have! It is tasty and hits the spot every single time. Make it your own with the toppings of your choice and maybe even mix it up with salsa flavors! If you have leftovers, I highly recommend making some nachos! Whatever you choose to do, I would love to hear how you decide to mix it up and make it your own chicken burrito bowl recipe. Enjoy!
