Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bols
32It isn’t very often that I look to fast food restaurants for cooking inspiration. I don’t think you’ll really be seeing any recipes on here for Big Macs or Quizno’s sandwiches any time soon. Maybe a frosty, though…
At any rate, I admit I love Chipotle. Just like any other fast food, though, I rarely eat it. Maybe 2 times a year. Most of the time I eat fast food, I end up feeling like a giant greaseball afterward and it totally wasn’t worth the many calories I spent. But, I don’t feel that way about Chipotle. From the rice (which I like despite not even liking cilantro!) to the hot salsa, I love it.
If you remember, a few months back I was on a mission to organize my recipes. Well, I did (at least most of them). I put them in a binder, tabbed by main ingredient/course, and have been flipping through it a lot lately, looking for things that could be made on the stove or grill. I’ve had this copycat recipe for Chipotle’s chicken marinade saved for a long time, so I decided to make it. I soaked the chilies overnight, made the marinade before work, and Tom threw them on the grill when he got home. I reduced the amount of oil a bit and used dried oregano (because I had it around). Otherwise, everything stayed the same. I COMPLETELY forgot to salt the chicken pre-grilling, though, so don’t make that mistake. We salted it after, and it still tasted great but not quite the same.
I went with brown for the rice to make it a little more healthful. All the copycat recipes for rice I was finding asked that you actually boil the rice in broth and lime juice but I didn’t. I know I’ve seen them add the lime after the rice is cooked, so I went that route.
These were a great way to cure the chipotle craving in a somewhat healthier way.
Copycat Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bols
Serves 4
1 batch Chipotle chicken (recipe follows)
1 batch cilantro-lime brown rice (recipe follows)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed, heated & seasoned (I simply heated mine with a little salsa, salt & pepper)
toppings of your choice (for us: queso fresco, lowfat sour cream, taqueria salsa, lettuce & tomato)
Spoon the rice into each bowl, followed by the beans, then the chicken. Top with your garnishes, and enjoy!
Chipotle Chicken
Adapted from Chipotle Fan
2 oz. dried ancho chilies
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/4 red onion, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. canola oil
4 chicken breasts
Soak the dried chilies overnight in water. Remove stems and seeds, and chop coarsely. Add all ingredients except chicken to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
Rub the marinade into the chicken and marinate at least one hour, up to 24. Season the chicken with salt to taste. Grill the chicken for about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice
1 cup brown rice
1-2 limes, juiced
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Cook your rice like you would pasta, using this method here. I promise for things like this (as opposed to pilafs, etc.) you will never go back to your normal method. 🙂
Stir in the lime juice to taste (add the zest if you want it more lime-y), cilantro, and a good pinch of salt. Fluff with a fork.
I love chipotle! I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Nice!
Oh yeah…I can taste & smell those Anchos…you sure you don’t have some Latina in ya?
Oh yeah…I can taste & smell those Anchos…you sure you don’t have some Latina in ya?
i’LL HAVE TO GO AND HUNT FOR THOSE CHILIES BEFORE i CAN ATTEMPT THIS…I’D LOVE TO GIVE THIS A GO THOUGH!
I have never been to Chipotle, but this looks delicious! Especially the cilantro-lime rice, yum!
good seasonings for the chicken and, for me, the addition of lime juice takes everything to a new level!
I am sure I would love this recipe although.
Looks great and a burrito bowl is the only way to go at Chipotle!
I am not a fan of cilantro and love Chipotle’s rice. I may just have to try this at home.
I had chipotle on Saturday for the first time in at least a year. It was SOOOOOO good! I love the tortillas they have there, though, so I never get a bowl. But I’d love to try to replicate their chicken, and teh yummy rice!
I had chipotle on Saturday for the first time in at least a year. It was SOOOOOO good! I love the tortillas they have there, though, so I never get a bowl. But I’d love to try to replicate their chicken, and teh yummy rice!
Yum! I love Chipotle and have managed to convince myself it’s pretty healthy… Your version looks SO good AND healthy!
Love the sounds of the chicken. I’m a chili beginner — I’ll need to keep an eye out for the dried ancho chilies
FYI Here is the “real” Chipotle marinade recipe.
Puree this up in a blender…
1/2 can of 7 ounce chipotles in adobo
4 cloves garlic
3/4 cup vinegar
1/2 onion
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lime juice
4 teaspoons of cumin
2 tablespoons of paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
For Chipotle’s chicken, marinate chicken thighs
For Chipotle’s steak, marinate sirloin/new york strip steak
Let your meat sit in a marinating vessel of your choice, with a lid for at least 8-12 hours. Grill to perfection and enjoy!
I realize I am a bit late with my post – but how many chicken thighs can your marinade using your instruction above. Thanks
I’d guess 6-8 but it depends on the size.
I love Chipolte!!! I have duplicated the bol pretty well but we can’t get the corn relish at all. Can anyone help with that?
I actually haven’t had the corn relish before to be honest! I’ll have to try it next time. Hopefully you can find the recipe somewhere.
I love Chipolte!!! I have duplicated the bol pretty well but we can’t get the corn relish at all. Can anyone help with that?
I actually haven’t had the corn relish before to be honest! I’ll have to try it next time. Hopefully you can find the recipe somewhere.
Chicken turned out pretty good but was missing something. Not sure what. Also used basmati rice for the cilantro lime rice and it rocked. Made the fresh tomato salsa to go with and had a great burrito bol. Yum!!!
Has anyone tried the “rice” cooking instructions for long grained white rice? Just wondering if this method would work – maybe slightly decreasing the boiling time?
Thanks
for the rice, you need to steam it with a bay leaf. And after that, you need to add soy oil (not just any oil) which gives it the unique taste. Use kosher salt. Citrus juice– lemon & lime.
While I appreciate people think they have the “real” Chipotle restaurant recipe, we have tried just about every recipe that is on the web and I’m convinced that there is a lot of mis-information going around out there so people don’t get it right.
The Ancho peppers don’t taste right, and the recipe with the chipotle in adobo tastes way too smokey. We have not found one recipe that is right.
I’m not saying they don’t taste good, because they do. But it’s not like Chiptole’s chicken.
BTW, the rice, we have found the right recipe. And it does NOT include basmati rice (it’s long grain white) and you don’t cook it with broth or lime. You add the lime and cilantro after the rice is cooked.
Cook the long grain white with a bay leaf (this is the secret according to my wife) when the rice is done, add the oil, cilantro, and lime juice and salt and mix. we didn’t use lemon at all.
here’s the link http://www.ehow.com/how_4988332_rice-like-chipotle-mexican-grill.html
Now if we can only find the real Chipotle chicken recipe.
GREAT recipe! Closest thing to Chipotle I have tried. One twist…a shot of tequila and some salt in the rice when you are stirring it up was a hit at my house.
Oh this is awesome – I am from india and the day I landed in US, my husband took me to chipotle for my first meal here. He chose mexican coz i come from the land of spices (India) and he said this is the closest you can get to our indian taste buds in America. I loved it and went again and again to Chipotle for their chicken burrito. Today almost a year later, i ran into your website with the recipe and thought to give it a try. This is “The perfect recipe for the chipotle burrito” Thank you so much !! You rock !!! 🙂 I am surely gonna make this again and again and again 🙂
Here we are in 2023, and I have been using your recipe for this chicken for over a decade. One of my favorites in my family cookbook. Making this again tonight! Thank you so much Elly.