Chipotle Chicken Bowls
These capital “B” Bowls are off-the-charts tasty and wonderfully easy to make. The chicken and rice cook together in a savory chipotle broth, and the accompanying Citrus Simmered Black Beans are done in 15 minutes or less. All together, they’re pretty healthy too—actually, really healthy in my book (tons of protein and fiber). If the use of white jasmine or basmati rice is not for you, then give quinoa a try and check-out TIP A below.
- 2.5 c. water, divided
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp. salted butter
- 3-4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (no larger than 8 oz. each)
- 1.5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 3/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided
- 1.25 c. white jasmine or basmati rice, thoroughly rinsed (be careful about substitutions, see TIP A below)
- 1-2 medium chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tbsp. adobo sauce
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 3/4 tsp. granulated garlic (coarse garlic powder)
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 batch Easy Citrus Simmered Black Beans (click for recipe)
- grated cotija cheese and/or fresh cilantro to finish (optional)
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Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan and keep simmering until ready to use.
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In a dutch oven, braising pan, or large, oven-safe sauté pan with tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts completely. Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper over both sides of the chicken breasts and gently place them in the pan in a single layer. Cover (to prevent splattering) and cook the chicken breasts on each side for 3-4 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Reduce heat beneath pan to low.
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In the same pan that you used to brown the chicken, add the rice and chopped chiles plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce. Stir to combine and let cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Then add 2 cups of the boiling water (reserve remaining off the heat), lime zest and juice, granulated garlic, and remaining salt (3/4 teaspoon) and pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Stir briefly to combine.
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Bring rice mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat (1-2 minutes). Then nestle the browned chicken breasts in the rice so that they are evenly spaced around the pan and touching the bottom. Cover the pan and put it in a pre-heated 350° oven to bake for 30-35 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through.
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Remove the chicken breasts from the pan and cut or pull them apart them into rough chunks. Spoon the rice into four medium-size bowls. Add a heaping spoonful of Citrus Simmered Black Beans to each bowl. Top the beans and rice with pieces of chicken and avocado slices. Finish with a sprinkle of cotija cheese and/or fresh cilantro if desired.
TIP A: Because the rice and chicken cook together in the same pan, it's important to choose a rice (or grain) variety that has at least a 1.5:1 recommended liquid-to-grain cooking ratio and a cook time of around 20 minutes (give or take 5 minutes). White jasmine, basmati, or jasmati rice work perfectly every time. You could also give quinoa a try. These are my recommended varieties. Brown rice often takes too long too cook and will not yield optimal results. Similarly, any quick-cooking rice or grain varieties are not recommended either.