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These Chicken Burrito Bowls are the ultimate meal prep solution – seasoned chicken, cilantro lime rice, black beans, and fresh toppings portioned into six ready-to-eat lunches. Spend just one hour on Sunday to set yourself up with healthy, flavorful meals that stay fresh for five days and reheat perfectly.
Chicken Burrito Bowls
Seasoned chicken, cilantro lime rice, black beans, and fresh toppings in convenient meal prep bowls. Make a week’s worth of healthy, flavorful lunches in just one hour.
Equipment
Saucepan
Meal prep containers
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 2 cups white rice or brown rice
- 3 cups water or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Seasoned Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Black Beans
- 2 cans black beans 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Toppings
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup corn fresh or frozen
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 avocado sliced, add fresh when serving
- 1 cup shredded cheese cheddar or Mexican blend
- sour cream for serving
- salsa for serving
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Cook rice: In a saucepan, bring water or broth to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork and stir in chopped cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, and salt. Set aside to cool.
- While rice cooks, prepare chicken: Pat chicken dry with paper towels on cutting board. In a small mixing bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Rub seasoning mixture all over chicken pieces. Heat olive oil in grill or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken for 6-7 minutes per side using tongs until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F on meat thermometer. Transfer to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
- Warm black beans in a small saucepan with cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Stir and heat through for 3-4 minutes.
- Assemble meal prep containers: Divide cilantro lime rice among 6 meal prep containers (about 3/4 cup each).
- Add diced chicken, black beans, cherry tomatoes, corn, and diced bell pepper to each container, keeping ingredients in separate sections.
- Top each bowl with shredded cheese. Store toppings like avocado, sour cream, and salsa separately to add fresh when serving.
- Seal containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To serve: microwave for 2-3 minutes, then add fresh avocado, sour cream, salsa, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
These bowls stay fresh for 5 days in the fridge. Store avocado separately and add fresh to prevent browning. Brown rice adds more fiber but takes longer to cook. Chicken thighs are more flavorful and stay moister than breasts during reheating. You can meal prep the components on Sunday and assemble bowls as needed throughout the week. For extra flavor, cook rice in chicken broth instead of water. Add jalapeños for heat or swap in pinto beans for black beans. These freeze well for up to 3 months – thaw overnight in the fridge. Customize toppings based on preferences. Vegetarian option: substitute chicken with extra beans, roasted sweet potato, or seasoned tofu. This recipe easily doubles for larger batch cooking.
ALLERGEN INFORMATION: Contains dairy (cheese, sour cream). Naturally gluten-free. Always check ingredient labels if you have food allergies.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 42gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 680mgFiber: 8gSugar: 4g
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