So I don’t know about you guys, but I freaking love a burrito.  I mean, carbs wrapped in more carbs?  That’s right up my alley.  KC, being ever so health conscious (and not that into tortillas), started ordering the burrito bowls at Chipotle recently; and while I still opt to have my rice and beans smashed together into a tortilla, KC’s burrito bowl gave me an idea — I could probably recreate these at home.  And so I did.

And yes, while it’s not the authentic, bacon-fat simmered pinto beans deal of the actual Chipotle, it’s pretty darn good for satisfying that omgineedmexicanfood craving I seem to have, um, like, daily.

Below is the list of things I put in my burrito bowl, but this is totally customizable, obviously.  My advice is to use a base of the cilantro-lime rice, beans of your choice, the corn salsa (this is really what makes it taste like Chipotle to me), and then whatever else you like.

My goal was to make these a little more on the healthy side, which is why I opted to use brown rice, baked boneless-skinless chicken breasts, and greek yogurt.

My Burrito Bowl:

• cilantro-lime brown rice (recipe below)
• refried beans
• chili-rubbed chicken (recipe below)
• corn salsa (recipe below)
• red and green salsas (just two I happened to have in the fridge)
• greek yogurt (I use this instead of sour cream)

Cilantro-Lime Rice

makes 4 large servings

• 1 cup brown or white rice (I used brown basmati)
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp butter
• zest of one lime
• juice of two limes
• 1/4-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• salt

1. Rinse your rice in cold water, until the water is no longer murky.
2. Combine rice, water, butter, and a big pinch of salt in a pot.  Cover and bring water to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let simmer, covered, until all water is dissolved (your rice package should indicate how long this should take, generally it’s about 20-30 min).
3. Once rice is done cooking, transfer to a bowl and toss with lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro.  Add salt to taste.

Chili-Rubbed Chicken

serves 4

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest
• olive oil
• salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil, then season both sides generously with salt.
3. Combine chili powder, sugar, and orange zest, then rub mix onto both sides of the chicken breasts.
4. Bake in oven until fully cooked through, 30-35 min.

Corn Salsa

makes a crapload

• 1 12-16oz bag frozen corn, defrosted and drained (I used TJ’s frozen fire-roasted corn)*
• 2 medium jalapenos, diced small**
• 1/2 large red onion, diced small
• large bunch cilantro, chopped (1/2-1 cup)
• fresh lime juice from 2-4 limes
• salt and pepper

1. Combine all ingredients and toss.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

*Obviously, fresh corn would be amazing in this.  You could use fresh corn raw, boiled, roasted, or grilled in this  (you better believe I’m going to make this with fresh grilled corn this summer — YUM).  But alas, corn is not in season at the moment, (and I want y’all to know you can make this year-round) so frozen works just fine.

**The jalapeno will determine the heat factor of this salsa.  For the most heat, dice both jalapenos with the ribs, seeds, and all.  For less heat, remove ribs and seeds of one or both jalapenos.  For even less heat, use only one jalapeno and remove the ribs and seeds before chopping.  (I used one jalapeno without ribs and seeds, one with in mine).

Other Ideas for the Burrito Bowl:

• white or brown rice — cilantro-lime or spanish rice, if you’ve got a recipe for it
• refried, black, or pinto beans
• grilled steak with a smoky seasoning (seriously, just drown me in cumin.  I love it.)
• slow-cooker pulled pork
• roasted or grilled veggies (bell pepper, onion, etc.) — you could add fajita-type seasoning to these (cayenne, paprika, cumin, chili pepper, garlic)
• so many salsa options — roasted, chipotle, verde, habanero-lime… I mean, go crazy
• pico de gallo (tomato + onion + cilantro + s&p)
• fresh avocado or guacamole
• cheese (cheddar, jack, pepper jack, cotija)
• tortilla chips or pieces of fresh corn tortillas

I mean, get crazy.  Or should I say, loco.