Tex-Mex Chicken Burrito Bowl

Tex-Mex Chicken Burrito Bowl

Okay, I like to try different things, so I buy lots of food magazines for ideas! A very recent one this year 2023, Cooking Light magazine, had an assortment of different "power bowls" to make. I decided to try this one with chicken, but you can substitute any type of meat you would like in it, i.e. shredded beef, ground beef, and if you are daring, no meat substitutes! Well, that last one is not for me! 

Below is the actual recipe I used. If you don't subscribe to Cooking Light, you are missing some great ideas of recipes for you and/or your family. When I saw this edition, I knew it was a game changer for me. I can take the recipe and modify it for the fussy eaters in my family and make it their own. 

First, I made it "almost" like the recipe calls for to see what the results would be from everyone. My conclusion was, I loved it just the way it was, but not so with the others. So below is my suggestion on what to do so you don't cook separate meals, just separate bowls by making or subtracting a few ingredients.

Ingredients: 

1/2 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained 
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt, divided 
1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided 
2 (8 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, halved horizontally 
1 Tbsp. olive oil 
1 avocado 
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro 
2 Tbsp. plain fat-free (greek-style) yogurt 
2 tsp. fresh lime juice 
2 c. shredded iceberg lettuce 
1 c. chopped tomato
3/4 c. reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed 
1 oz. shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese (1/4 c.)
2 Tbsp. roasted salted pumpkin seed kernels (pepitas)

I made the quinoa separate with the added ground cumin, 1/4 tsp. black pepper and 1/4 tsp. salt. I set it aside to cool.

I took the chicken as it suggested and put the rest of the black pepper and salt on both sides. I heated the 1 tsp. of olive oil and cooked the chicken after I had halved it horizontally and then sliced it. The recipe said to cook (6-8 minutes when it is no longer pink) after you halved it, but I like to cook it already cut in sliced or smaller chunks for a crispier version. It really can just be your preference. If you just do the halves, then slice it into strips after you have cooked it and let it sit for 5 minutes. 

The avocado, cilantro, yogurt, and lime juice are to make a dressing to go on top. You just put it in a bowl and cream all of it together. I did not do this, because I am the only one who eats avocados, so I gave everyone the choice of dressing to use, and they chose ranch. With beef I would think French - Catalina dressing would be good too! When I have enough avocado eaters invited over, I will have to try this dressing recipe!

To make the bowls, you would put in the quinoa, then layer with the iceberg lettuce and the rest of the toppings. Since I didn't make the dressing, I used my avocado and sliced it for my bowl and added in the cilantro to everyone else's bowl on top and squeezed lime juice over each bowl. I omitted the tomatoes from everyone else's bowl but mine.

The quinoa was only a hit with me! I loved it, but the others, not so much. They would prefer white rice, but next time I will make it with brown rice to see if that would please them first! I also like diverse types of lettuce as well as iceberg lettuce so with my bowl I prefer to add a mixture. I also love tomatoes so mine will be topped with it as well.

This recipe they posted is so good just the way it is except for some fussy eaters who shall not be named. The good thing about making the bowls is that they can be individualized just by using a generalized recipe to get started and making it to each person's specification, whatever they like best!