Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe - Healthy & Gluten-Free Meal Prep Recipe! (2024)

This Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe is perfect for meal prep: quick, easy to make, healthy, gluten-free, and loaded with crockpot chicken, beans, corn, a tangy dressing, and more!

I know we all love to go out to eat for lunch. It’s quick, convenient, and obviously delicious. But it’s also EXPENSIVE. I love a good take-out burrito bowl, but after adding rice, beans, your choice of protein, pico de gallo, guacamole, maybe a little queso, etc. . . . phew. My wallet hurts. 😉

The solution to saving a little money is obviously to make your own burrito bowl at home! I promise it isn’t complicated and bonus: it can all be prepped ahead of time, so then grabbing lunch from your fridge really IS easier than driving somewhere for take out. 😉

This isthe most incredible chicken burrito bowl recipe…EVER! It’s easy, flavorful, gluten-free, healthy, and delicious. AND, it’s the perfect way to use up that leftover Crockpot Mexican Chicken!

What is a burrito bowl?

A burrito bowl is basically a burrito without a tortilla; all your favorite burrito fillings mixed together in a bowl or container and served! You can really put anything and everything into a burrito bowl, but here are some of my favorite burrito bowl additions:

• Lettuce
• Rice
• Beans
• Protein: shredded mexican chicken, ground taco meat, etc.
• Corn
• Pico de gallo
• Guacamole
• Queso

Burrito bowls are awesomefor meal prep lunches because they’re quick and easy to make, last a few days in the fridge, and taste SO GOOD!

Ingredients

As I said before, the sky is the limit for what you can put in your burrito bowl. Keep things interesting and use a different leafy green, protein, grain, and bean each week! If you’re pressed for time, most of this can be purchased pre-made (chicken, rice, pico de gallo, guacamole, etc.) – then all you need to do is assemble!

Bowl Ingredients

• Lettuce – I use romaine for crunch, color, and nutritional value. Shredded iceberg would also be a great choice.
• Protein –I LOVE using the leftovers from my Crockpot Mexican Chicken recipe for some major flavor! Don’t have leftovers? Try using rotisserie chicken instead. Don’t love chicken? The meat from my instant pot turkey tacos is outta this world.
• Rice – the base for the bowl. I prefer brown rice, because I love the hearty texture and health benefits, but you could certainly use white rice. Quinoa would work too!
• Beans– I chose black beans, because they are loaded with nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamin B6, and folate. You could also use pinto beans, which are a classic, and if you’re looking for more flavor, try my easy black beans recipe.
• Corn –adds a subtle sweetness and “pop” of texture. If you’re following a lower carb diet, just omit.
• Pico de Gallo– my homemade version is quick, easy, and super tasty, but feel free to use store-bought to save time.
• Cotija Cheese (optional) – a Mexican cheese with a salty, milky flavor and crumbly texture. This cheese is an incredibleaddition to any Mexican-inspired recipes. Can’t find cotija? Try crumbled feta instead.
• Guacamole (optional) – adds color, texture, and healthy fat.

Dressing Ingredients

The dressing isn’t necessary, but adds a bit of brightness and healthy fat to the bowl. If you don’t feel like making an actual dressing, you can serve the burrito bowl with a generous squeeze of fresh lime!

• Lime Juice– gives the dressing a bite and tang.
• Olive Oil– this healthy fats combines with the lime juice to create a luscious dressing.
• Salt and Pepper – brings out the flavor of the other ingredients and adds some spice.

There is a TON of wiggle room in this recipe. As long as you have a crisp leafy green, a flavorful protein, a hearty grain, and loads of fresh toppings, you’ll be good to go!

What would you put in your burrito bowl? Let me know in the comments below!

How to make crockpot mexican chicken

1. Combine all the ingredients listed in the Crockpot Mexican Chicken recipe in your crockpot and cook on HIGHfor 3-4 hours or onLOWfor 7-8 hours.
2. Shred with two forks and serve!

That’s it, folks! It’s soquick! For a more detailed recipe and ingredient list, go to my Crockpot Mexican Chicken recipe!

Although you can use any chicken recipe you like – or even store-bought rotisserie chicken – this one is my all-time favorite! It’s loaded with yummy spices, orange, lime, and lemon juices, and soy sauce. So. Much. Flavor!

How to make this easy chicken burrito bowl recipe

Make the Mexican chicken, whip up a quick dressing, and assemble! It doesn’t get easier than that making this the perfect recipe for meal prep lunches for all your busy work weeks.

1. Once you’ve made your chicken mix all the dressing ingredients in a mason jar or small bowl until blended well. Assemble the bowl in your favorite Tupperware. Enjoy!

And you’re done! You’ve successfully prepped a super healthy, super delicious meal!

If you’re making this ahead of time, store the dressing in a separate container to prevent soggy lettuce.

Are chicken burrito bowls healthy?

This Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe is absolutely healthy. It’s packed with protein from lean chicken and power house beans, loaded with fresh, crunchy, nutritious veggies and stuffed with hearty brown rice. This is a hearty, flavorful, well rounded meal.

Each bowl has approximately 415 calories, 10 grams of fat, 64 grams of carbs, 10 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein. This should definitely keep you full and satisfied until dinner!

If you’re looking to make this lower in carbs, feel free to try cauliflower rice instead of the brown rice and omit the corn!

How to store

Because this is an easy meal prep recipe, these chicken burrito bowls are incredibly easy to store and keep in the fridge for a few days of grab and go lunches. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

I like to eat these burrito bowls cold, but if you’d like to warm your chicken, be sure to store it in a separate container in the fridge. When ready to eat, warm the chicken in the microwave, then assemble with the rest of the bowl ingredients.

Other meal prep recipe ideas

Meal prep doesn’t have to stop at lunches. Below you’ll find my favorite make ahead recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and even desserts!

• Healthy Meal Prep Breakfasts
• Healthy Meal Prep Lunches
• Healthy Meal Prep Dinners
• Healthy Meal Prep Snacks
• Healthy Meal Prep Desserts

-Jennifer

This post was originally published Mar 13, 2017 and has been updated to provide more detailed content.