A week’s worth of lunch made in just 1 hour. This time-saving meal-prep chicken burrito bowls recipe will help you get healthy lunch on the table at work, school or home quickly without sacrificing flavor or your hard-earned money!
A new year calls for new small lifestyles changes that can help us live better and longer. My new obsession is meal-prepping. Prepping your whole week’s worth of lunch has never been easier. It not only saves you money but allows you to cook healthy meals at home so you can avoid last-minute fast food.
BOWLS are the answer. They are packed with protein, grains and plenty of veggies. They heat up easily in the microwave with minimal clean-up or waste.
This weeks meal prep recipe is chicken burrito bowls. The meat, rice, beans, and fajita veggies are all loaded in 1 bowl for easy heating up, and the cold ingredients are placed in a separate bowl. When you are ready to have a fresh burrito bowl, you simply heat up the chicken bowl then top it with the cold salad, guacamole, and sour-cream. This is the BEST and ONLY way to have burrito bowls. You will feel like your eating a bowl straight out of chipotle.
If you’re counting your calories, opt-in for brown rice instead or if you’re feeling a little generous, go ahead and add a handful of cheese on top of the lettuce and treat yourself.
Meal-Prep Chicken Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
- For the Chicken
- 4 small-medium boneless (or 1 pound), skinless chicken breasts, pounded (or thighs)
- 1 packet taco seasoning *, or 2 tablespoons homemade
For the Rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup white basmati rice
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
- kosher salt to taste
For the guacamole and salsa
Add-Ins
- 2 Bell Peppers, sliced into strips (colors of choice)
- 1/2 onion, sliced into strips
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup light sour-cream
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 6 meal prep containers
Instructions
- For the Chicken: In a large bag or bowl, combine the chicken and taco seasoning along with 1 tablespoon oil. Marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes or up to 48 hours. Heat a large pan to medium-high heat. Cook chicken breasts for 5-7 minutes per side or until fully cooked. Remove from pan and rest for 10 minutes then chop into bite-size pieces.
- In the same pan, add a teaspoon of oil along with sliced bell peppers and onion. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
- For the Rice: While the chicken is cooking, boil 2 cups water in a large pot over high heat. Once the water has boiled, add the rice and 1 teaspoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed. Add in the cilantro and fluff rice with a fork.
- To make guacamole and tomato salsa; While the rice and chicken are cooking, mash the avocado in a small bowl. Add half the minced cilantro (1 tablespoon), half the minced onion (1 tablespoon), and half the minced jalapeno. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and juice of 1/2 lime. Stir until the avocados are fully mashed. Set aside. In another small bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, and the remaining minced cilantro (1 tablespoon, minced onion (1 tablespoon), and half of the minced jalapeno. Please note, the recipes for the guacamole and salsa and lettuce only makes enough for 2 days so they don't go bad. for the
- To assemble: Divide the rice, chicken, bell peppers, and beans into 4 meal-prep bowls. Divide the romaine lettuce, a tomato salsa, a scoop of guacamole and scoop of sour-cream into the remains 2 bowls. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 4 days and the cold ingredients (salad, guac, salsa) for 2 days. To re-heat. Heat ONLY the chicken and rice bowls for 2-3 minutes in the microwave. Top with the salad bowls when ready to eat. Prep more of the cold bowls when you run out. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, just wondering for the chicken is 1 pound total. Also for the rice is it 1 cup uncooked rice?
Hi. Silly question…. are both the salad bowl and chicken/rice bowl a serving or one or the other?
Thank you
Both are serving combined!
Amazing! Definitely a keeper! So filling and tasty. Really easy to make
it looks delicious.
I should eat about 3200 calories a day so you think I can make them double, or it will be a whole mountain of a meal.
serving you the best of your healthy fresh delicious pulp Teju healthy wise.
I need low sodium recipes and don’t think your count is correct. 1 teaspoon of salt in the taco seasoning alone is 2300 mg. In 4 servings, that alone is 575/serving and that’s before the beans, and seasoning with salt in the other places you mention. I will decrease the salt and still try it because it sounds great but you should try and correct so it is accurate.
You can make your own taco seasoning and ditch the store bought. And omit the salt from the recipe completely. I make my own taco seasoning all the time and it tastes zestier!
Do you have to warm this up don’t have a microwave at work that’s all and look really nice
Doesn’t show how to prepare the black beans
You open the can, you heat the black beans in a pot on medium heat for about 5-8 minutes and it’s done. what more do you want?
What’s your problem? It’s not described in the recipe so what’s the deal with asking.
Does anyone know what the calorie count, sugar, fat, protein etc are for this?
I scrolled through the page a couple times and cannot locate the recipe. I searched for a make-at-home burrito bowl and this one is definitely the most appealing so I am REALLY excited to try it but can’t locate the recipe!
I also cannot locate a recipe for any of the dishes listed. I’ve scrolled the page, “pinned” them then opened it in Pinterest and still no recipe. Please let me know what I’m missing. I would love to make several of these recipes but can’t find the actual recipe anywhere…just pictures and nutrition facts.
Sorry about that. We’ve fixed the issue. The recipe should show up now!
Sorry about that. We’ve fixed the issue. The recipe should show up now!
There is an ingredient missing in the guac. 2 tbsp, minced of what? Thank you!
It’s cilantro! I’ve updated the recipe.
Excellent recipe!!
Can i know where do get the ‘light sour-cream’ from? Or can you suggest a product where i can find it at a retail store or order online.
Thanks, Avinash – It’s low-fat sour-cream! They have it in most supermarkets.
Any specific brand you suggest?
Any brand will work fine. I usually buy the supermarket brand!
In the ingredients for the rice you list a lime, but in the method there is no mention of lime – is it squeezed into the cooking water?
The lime is squeezed at the end just before eating.
Come on people do you want her to tell you what fork or spoon she prefers to eat the meal with, ALSO???? Use some of your brain.
Thank You Shanina! Oh My Goodness I guess they want her to come cook and prep for them.
Did anyone figure the Weight Watchers points on this meal? Thanks
With all the ads on this post I actually had only 4 inches of space to see the recipe. I will be making it by the way because it looks amazing.
Where do you get the containers shown in the pictures?
The link for the exact containers is in the recipe box above!
I just made this recipemail for me and my husband. He is extremely picky and he loved it!! We made a few substitutions (i.e. Chipotleven taco seasoning and jasmine vs. Basmati rice), but otherwise made the recipe as is. Thanks so much for a great workweek lunch option!
By any chance do you have the “macros” for this? Carbs, fats and protein?
The nutritional info can be found under the recipe box. It’s 3rd party so sometimes it may take a minute to load.
How do you make the guacamole last a week with out it turning brown?
Covering the guacamole tightly with plastic wrap usually helps keep it from browning.
Hi Margaret – if you leave the pit in the guacamole it will help to keep it green longer.
It would really help me to do lunch prep – this looks great! Will try this!
Ok. Silly question. Do you cook the beans first? Any chance this wouldn’t be awful cold?
You can cook the beans if you want but we like our beans washed and rinsed and on the salad cold.
Hey there!
This looks so delicious! But I am always wondering, how long do they last? Like if I prepare them Sunday arvo, will they keep fresh the entire Week? OR do you meal prep like twice a week or so?
Never the less, even without meal prep this is a great recipe!!
I like to meal prep mine every 3 days but it’s totally up to you. I wouldn’t prep more than 5 days.
These look fantastic! Can’t wait to try!
Hi, I know this will be a silly question. I’m just looking into getting into meal prep. Are these for just dinner? So each container is one each day? Or you eat 3 containers a day?
The bowls are one per day for lunch but you can eat them whenever you want!
This looks great! Do you know how many calories per serving?
The nutritional info box is under the recipe. It may take a minute to load which explains why you are not seeing it. There are about 455 calories in each bowl. The hot and cold items combined!!
Can you freeze these? Just the “hot” items part?
You can freeze the hot items.
This sounds like an excellent meal…Mexican food is my favorite! I don’t think the cold items would be very tasty after 5 days. I eat my share of Mexican…there would be liquid in the bottom and the guacamole will turn brown (even with the lime juice) I love the idea and will definitely use it for the meat/peppers/beans/rice idea and prepare the cold items separately on the day I will eat them. Thanks!
You are so kind!
Thank you so much!
Looks yummy!
Can you give me the saturated fat grams so i can figure weight watcher points on this?
Just added it. There’s 1.8g of sat fat per serving. Enjoy! 🙂