Spicy Chicken Burrito Bowl (Printable)

Vibrant Tex-Mex bowl featuring spicy grilled chicken, rice, beans, corn, and salsa—a satisfying meal ready in 45 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
11 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Rice

12 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
13 - 2 cups water
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Beans & Corn

15 - 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
16 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned and drained

→ Salsa & Toppings

17 - 1 cup fresh tomato salsa, store-bought or homemade
18 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
19 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, optional
20 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
21 - Lime wedges for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and lime juice. Add chicken breasts and toss thoroughly to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer if time permits.
02 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
03 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill marinated chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through and nicely charred. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - Heat black beans and corn in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
05 - Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with sliced chicken, warmed black beans, corn, and salsa. Add avocado slices and cheese if desired. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under half an hour, so you can have dinner on the table before you talk yourself into ordering pizza again.
  • The marinade does all the heavy lifting, giving you bold flavors without complicated technique or a long ingredient list.
  • You can prep the chicken and rice ahead, then just assemble bowls throughout the week for lunches that actually taste better than restaurant versions.
  • It's flexible enough to use whatever toppings you have on hand, and every bowl can be customized to each person's heat tolerance.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—I used to think it didn't matter until I ended up with gummy, sticky rice that clumped together instead of staying light and fluffy.
  • Let the chicken rest after grilling or all those flavorful juices will spill out the second you slice into it, leaving you with drier meat than you started with.
  • Taste your salsa before adding it to the bowls because some store-bought versions are much saltier or spicier than others, and you might want to adjust the seasoning accordingly.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before marinating so they cook at the same rate and you don't end up with one end dry and the other undercooked.
  • If you have time, marinate the chicken for a few hours or even overnight in the fridge—the flavor gets deeper and more complex the longer it sits.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness (165 degrees Fahrenheit) instead of guessing, especially when you're still getting the hang of grilling chicken.
  • Toast your spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before mixing them into the marinade if you want an even richer, more aromatic flavor.
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