These chicken burrito bowls are one of my go-to easy dinners. It comes together in no time and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. I love the spices that the chicken gives, but my favorite part of the dish is actually the black beans. The cumin mixed with the lime that goes into the beans produces a flavorful and comforting dish.

Chicken Burrito Bowls

Total Time: 30-40 minutes Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• Black Beans:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 1/2 onion, chopped

  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

  • 1 lime, zest and juice

• Chicken:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 1 pound ground chicken*

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 jalalpeno*, seeds and core removed, diced

  • Optional: 1 red bell pepper*, chopped

• Rice, lettuce, or quinoa for serving

• Optional Toppings:

  • avocado, sliced

  • tomatoes, chopped

  • cotija cheese, crumbled

  • sour cream

  • cilantro

Instructions:

1. Prepare the beans. In a medium skillet, heat the teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 5-6 minutes, or until softened. Add the black beans, cumin, and some salt & pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the broth. Allow the beans to simmer over medium to medium low heat while you cook the chicken.

2. Cook the chicken. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned. This takes about 5-6 minutes. Once cooked through, add the cumin, chili powder, and salt & pepper. Push the chicken to the back of the pan or transfer to a bowl if you don’t have enough room. Add the bell pepper and jalapeno to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the chicken back to the pan if you removed it and stir to combine the chicken and peppers. If the chicken mixture gets dry, you can add a little bit of chicken broth. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. Using the back of a spoon or a potato masher, mash about half of the black beans in the pan. Add the lime zest and juice and stir to combine. Taste and add salt & pepper as needed.

4. Plate the bowls. Place your rice, lettuce, or quinoa in the bottom of your bowls. Top with some of the chicken mixture and then the beans. Add on your optional toppings: avocado, tomatoes, or cilantro. Top with crumbled cotija cheese and/or sour cream. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Bell Pepper: The optional bell pepper is a great way to add in vegetables without altering the taste/texture. I used red bell pepper in the recipe, but you can use whatever veggie you have on hand or leave it out completely. Chopped zucchini works really well too.

• Jalapeno: If you’re not a fan of spicy foods, omit the jalalpeno and you can use less chili powder.

• Ground Chicken: if you don’t have ground chicken, any kind of lean ground meat will work well.

• Low FODMAP: omit the onion if you are sensitive.

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