Mexican Chicken Rice Bowls
Mexican Chicken Rice Bowls are loaded with bold flavors, featuring tender seasoned chicken, spicy street corn, sautéed peppers and onions, and all your favorite toppings for an easy, satisfying meal. Perfect for entertaining or weeknight dinners, they’re hearty, customizable, and full of irresistible Tex-Mex goodness!
Chicken Burrito Bowls
I don’t know of another bowl that we enjoy more than these chicken rice bowls. We normally grill both chicken and flank steak (both with our delicious marinade), and pile on toppings over rice. The leftovers are just as yummy as the original which is why we normally make extra.
Granted, this recipe takes a bit of time to come together, but it’s well worth the effort. I like to marinate the meat the day before when possible and prep the other ingredients ahead of time – every extra layer of flavor pays off in the end. Trust me!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Marinated, well-seasoned chicken builds a bold foundation, infusing the meat with Tex-Mex spices so it stays juicy and flavorful.
- Contrasting textures – tender chicken, fluffy rice, crisp peppers and onions, and creamy toppings – keep every bite interesting.
- Fresh + cooked elements balance each other, with bright toppings offsetting the warm, savory base.
- Customizable assembly lets everyone build their own bowl, making it perfect for entertaining and picky eaters alike.
Ingredients Notes:
These bowls are VERY adjustable. See all the Tex-Mex sides on the blog and choose your favorites!
- Chicken – 3 pounds of chicken breast (boneless, skinless).
- Marinade – Olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, sugar, and freshly squeezed lime. This is the BEST Mexican Marinade full of Tex-Mex flavors!
- Peppers and Onions – Just sauté up a bunch of onions and peppers, along with a little salt and pepper. You could also add a little bit of cumin for a smokey flavor.
- Mexican Street Corn Salad – As long as we’re grilling chicken, add some corn and combine with jalapenos, red onion, cilantro, mayo, lime juice, and seasonings.
- Rice – Go with any kind of rice here, or make some Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Rice and Beans.
- Beans – You could either use canned black beans or make my homemade refried beans (worth it!).
- Use your favorite sauce or dressing. We rotate between Blender Salsa, Chipotle Ranch Dressing, Avocado Crema, or Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing.
- Other – We like adding shredded cheddar cheese, chips, avocado, etc.
How to make Mexican Chicken Rice Bowls:
Step 1
Prep marinade. Combine the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl, and place in a freezer bag along with the chicken breasts. Let sit for at least an hour in your refrigerator.
NOTE: If your chicken breasts are thick, butterfly them so cooking time will be shorter and more even.
Step 2
Grill chicken. Prepare an outdoor grill to medium heat. Grill chicken until done throughout. A digital thermometer should read 160 degrees in the thickest part of the meat, and then allow for a few degrees of carry-over cooking. Let chicken rest for 10-15 minutes and then slice.
Step 3
Sauté veggies. In a large sauté pan, cook the onions and peppers in some olive oil over medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper and cook until softened.
Step 4
Make Mexican street corn salad. In a bowl, combine the chopped jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, Cotija cheese, lime juice, seasonings, and mayo. Add grilled corn and stir to combine.
NOTE: When grilling corn, I normally add a drizzle of olive oil to the kernels. Be careful to avoid over-cooking. You’re just charring the kernels to avoid them turning to mush!
Step 5
Make rice. You can serve this over plain white or brown rice, Stovetop Cilantro Lime Rice, Green Chile Rice, or Mexican Rice and Beans.
Step 6
Prep other toppings. Rinse beans or make our homemade refried beans. Slice fresh avocado or make our Chunky Guacamole.
Step 7
Make dressing. We have a variety of dressings that would work for these burrito bowls. Try our blender salsa, chipotle ranch dressing, creamy cilantro dressing, or avocado crema.
Step 8
Serve. Serve with some tortilla strips, shredded cheddar cheese, extra cilantro, and lots of freshly ground black pepper!
Other Delicious Toppings:
Recipe FAQs:
Well, of course! You can add or subtract whatever you want from these bowls to make them your own. Just like ordering at Chipotle Restaurant!
Some of the sides have a little kick. So adjust as necessary. You can cut back on jalapeños or chipotle peppers to suit your tastebuds! Also, if you are feeding kiddos, just add fresh jalapeños on the side instead of adding spiciness to the bowl.
Yes, instead of grilling the chicken, just sear them on the stovetop, and finish cooking (on the stove or in the oven). Be sure to test for doneness on a digital thermometer. Chicken should be 165 degrees F for safe consumption.
We meal prep these bowls and eat leftovers for about four days.
Yes. I often freeze the raw marinated chicken and then thaw in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the cooked chicken (wrapped up and stored in freezer bags), if desired.
Other Delicious Bowls:
We’re “bowl people” and if you like them too, try one of the following next!
Pro-Tip: A good margarita might also be a good idea. 😀 Try our Fruity Margaritas, Watermelon Margaritas, Skinny Margaritas, or Frozen Pineapple Margaritas.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
- Global 7-inch Knife – My fav kitchen knife.
- Stainless-Steel Grill Tongs 17-inch– These get a lot of use while grilling!
xoxo ~Sue
Mexican Chicken Rice Bowls
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade:
- 3 pounds chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 whole lime – freshly squeezed
For the Mexican street corn:
- 6 ears fresh corn
- 1-2 large jalapeños – chopped (with or without seeds)
- 1/3 cup red onion – chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro – chopped
- 1/3 cup Cotija cheese – crumbled
- 1/4 cup mayo with olive oil – or mayo
- 1 large lime – freshly squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
For the peppers and onions:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion – sliced thin
- 2 large bell peppers – any variety, sliced thin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
For the remaining side ingredients:
- 4-6 cups prepared rice
- 15 oz. black beans – rinsed and drained
- your choice of dressing – chipotle ranch dressing, avocado crema, blender salsa etc.
- sliced avocados, chips, cheese, etc. – for serving
Instructions
- Prep chicken: Butterfly the chicken breasts and put into freezer bag. Combine all ingredients for the chicken marinade and pour into bag with the chicken. Zip the bag tight and massage the marinade around into the chicken. Store in refrigerator for at least an hour. You can also freeze this for a quick future meal.3 pounds chicken breasts, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 Tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1 whole lime
- Cook chicken: Light an outdoor grill (or can be done indoors) and regulate heat to approximately 375 degrees. Grill chicken for approximately 20 – 25 minutes or until done (165 degrees on a meat thermometer). Let meat sit on kitchen counter for 15 minutes and then slice into strips.
- Sauté veggies: Meanwhile, thinly slice peppers and onions and saute in olive oil until soft. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 2 large bell peppers, 1 large onion, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Making this again this week for my two-year-old grand daughter, when she comes to play with Grandma. She likes ALL the ingredients in this bowl except, maybe, the salsa. So it’s a good one for her, and for the rest of us.
I love it! 🙂
This was so good. We made Spanish cauliflower rice for a healthier kick. The chicken marinade here is so good. I’ll definitely be using it again. Thank you!
Hi Kara! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Made this today for my work crew – husband, two grown sons and a third young family friend. They were digging up sod, rock, concrete and dirt, to prepare the ground for a new paver patio. The burrito bowls were a big hit!!! I’ll be making them again soon, maybe for a family camp out on Father’s Day. I made the marinade and put the chicken breasts on the grill. Soooooo yummy!
So glad everyone liked it, Jackie! We love it too!! 🙂
This recipe falls into the classic section and I love it! It is a good week when it makes the rotation!
I wholeheartedly agree!
We have chicken marinating to make these for the third time. We like it with the Spanish rice. I have to tone down the spice for my girls, but they love this dish (as do I).
I’m so glad you like them, Robbie!! 🙂
Another staple for a Tex-Mex loving girl!!
Oh yes!! Bring on the Tex-Mex!