Chicken Enchilada Bowl
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This Chicken Enchilada Bowl features enchilada sauced shredded chicken over a fluffy bed of cilantro lime rice topped with bell peppers, onions and black beans. Topped with melted cheese, avocado, sour cream, fresh cilantro and a hint of lime. It’s a hearty, delicious meal.
What You Will ❤️ About Chicken Enchilada Bowl
- Better than Chipotle – seriously!!!! I gobbled this bowl two days in a row because it was so delicious!!!!
- Juicy Chicken – poaching the chicken in the enchilada sauce is a game changer!
- Toppings!!! There’s nothing better than grabbing your favorite toppings – and it’s great because tomorrow’s bowl can have different toppings!
Chicken Enchilada Bowl Ingredients
Think about walking up and down the topping line at your favorite burrito place – it’s all here!!!!! The addition of enchilada sauce makes it so much more comforting!
- Uncooked rice, white or brown – brown is healthier than white rice but I used Jasmine because it’s what I had. You can also cook in chicken broth instead of water for more flavor.
- Red enchilada sauce – I get a big can of the red Old El Paso sauce
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – use 1-2 lbs – depending on how many folks you’re serving. You could also use chicken thighs which I think have more flavor!
- Yellow onion – I love to add the fajita flavors into it with onion & peppers
- Bell Pepper – I used red because it’s sweeter than green
- Black beans – one of the few times I will drain them is this recipe
- Shredded Mexican cheese – you can go authentic and use a queso but I just went with a regular Mexican style shredded cheese which is a mix of Cheddar, Jack, Queso & Asadero cheeses.
- Fresh cilantro – Fresh is best! And it makes the rice perfect!!!!
- Avocado – I had some and it cools off the dish and adds texture
- Sour cream – the creaminess can’t be beat! If I could have only 1 topping this would be it!
- Limes – use some in your rice, use some on top, use a bunch!
Optional Toppings: corn kernels, guacamole, lettuce, salsa
Recipe Variations
Sometimes you host an exchange student and find out she’s a vegetarian. So sometimes – you have to have variations to everything you make!!! hahahaha Here are some ideas:
- Vegetarian – I have a house guest that is vegetarian (but hates peppers) so I air fried cauliflower and she had cauliflower & onion instead of chicken! I sprinkled Tajin & Cumin on the cauliflower for additional flavor. She loved it!
- Steak – you’re not going to want to poach the steak in the enchilada sauce like the chicken – but still sear it up and top it!
- Keto-Friendly – swap the rice for cauliflower rice or just romaine
- Burrito It Up – serve it all in a tortilla and make a burrito out of it
How to make Chicken Enchilada Bowl
This is such an easy recipe to make! The rice & chicken sort of start the process and then you finish off with your favorite toppings! So Yum!
- Cook the rice according to the package directions. Once rice is done, move to a large bowl. Add salt, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and juice from one lime. Toss with fork until combined and set aside.
- While rice is cooking, in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, pour enchilada sauce and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Add chicken and reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Shred chicken in sauce with a fork.
- While rice & chicken cooks, in a large skillet, over medium high heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add onions and peppers. Saute until softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Spoon 2/3 cup cooked rice into bowls and top with chicken and pepper/onion mixture. Top with cheese, black beans, avocado, sour cream and remaining cilantro (if using). Serve with lime wedges.
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can freeze the chicken for up to three months. Reheat rice and chicken in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and add fresh toppings. This is a great recipe for meal prep too as you can separate everything out into bowls for the week!
Add some hot green chiles to the enchilada sauce while cooking chicken for more spicy flavor!
Sure!!! Use what you love!
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Chicken Enchilada Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup uncooked rice white or brown
- 3 cups water
- 19 ounce red enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1.5-2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into large chunks
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup Mexican cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 Avocado diced
- 1/2 cup Sour cream
- 2 lime
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package directions (with 3 cups water). Once rice is done, move to a large bowl. Add salt, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and juice from one lime. Toss with fork until combined and set aside.1.5 cup uncooked rice, 3 cups water, 2 lime, 1 tsp salt
- While rice is cooking, in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, pour enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.1/2 cup water, 19 ounce red enchilada sauce
- Add chicken and reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Shred chicken in sauce with a fork.1.5-2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- While rice & chicken cooks, in a large skillet, over medium high heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add onions and peppers. Saute until softened. Remove from heat and set aside.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion, 1 bell pepper
- Spoon 2/3 cup cooked rice into bowls and top with chicken and pepper/onion mixture. Top with cheese, black beans, avocado, sour cream and remaining cilantro (if using). Serve with lime wedges.1 cup canned black beans, 1 cup Mexican cheese, 1/2 cup Fresh cilantro, 1 Avocado, 1/2 cup Sour cream, 2 lime
