Whole30 Chicken Burrito Bowls (Keto, Paleo)
Posted: 12/28/21
Updated: 01/19/22
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These chicken burrito bowls layer cauliflower rice with moist chipotle-spiced chicken breasts, topped with lots of guacamole and pico de gallo. Whole30, paleo, keto, and low carb, these Mexican bowls are packed full of flavor and easy to throw together!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- I love burrito bowls because they’re so easy but they’re packed full of delicious ingredients and mouth-watering flavors. This Whole30 chicken burrito bowl, for example, has an easy, creamy guacamole; moist, chipotle-seasoned chicken; a simple lime-cauliflower rice; and bright, fresh pico de gallo. If you want a sauce for your burrito bowl, try my chipotle dressing from my Whole30 Bell Pepper Nachos recipe.
- This is a great meal prep option. The chicken reheats well, and you can make the guacamole fresh really quickly since it’s only 3 ingredients mashed together. I like to store the components separately just to keep everything as fresh as possible, and then throw it all together and dig in! If you don’t mind cold chicken or cold cauli rice, you can pack everything together in the same containers and eat it straight out of the fridge.
- Chicken burrito bowls are super easy to customize. If you’re not paleo or on a Whole30 round, sprinkle a little shredded cheese on the top before serving. You can swap out the romaine with fajita-style peppers and onions. Add a dollop of sour cream (again, if you’re not paleo or on a Whole30).
Key Ingredients
Chicken – I used chicken breasts here but chicken thighs would work, too! You could also shred a rotisserie chicken if you’re not in the mood to cook.
Cauliflower Rice – For a super easy Whole30 chicken burrito bowl, use frozen cauliflower rice that can be steamed in the microwave. You can also thaw the frozen rice overnight in the fridge, then cook it in the skillet as instructed below, or you can use freshly riced cauliflower.
Chef’s Tips
- You can cook the cauliflower in the same skillet you used for the chicken! The rice will pick up a little of the flavors from the chicken and spice mixture. You may need to add a little water first and scrape up any browned bits of chicken that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan, but then you’re good to go!
- Don’t skip the “resting” step after you’ve cooked the chicken! If you cut up the chicken too soon after cooking, it won’t retain as much of the moisture and it’ll dry out faster. Keep in mind, too, that it’ll cook a little bit more as it rests. Since the food safe temperature for chicken is 165° Fahrenheit, I like to take it out of the skillet when it’s around 160°F internally. It usually reaches that 165° point while it rests.
Whole30 Recipes You Should Try Next
- Whole30 Creamy Taco Soup
- Egg Roll in a Bowl Meal Prep (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
- Whole30 Fried Chicken and Mashed Potato Bowl with Gravy
- 65 Delicious Whole30 Recipes for the New Year
- Cheeseburger Soup (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy-Free)
- Brussels Sprouts Salad (Whole30, Paleo)
Whole30 Chicken Burrito Bowls (Keto)
These chicken burrito bowls layer cauliflower rice with moist chipotle-spiced chicken breasts, topped with lots of guacamole and pico de gallo. Whole30, paleo, keto, and low carb, these Mexican bowls are packed full of flavor and easy to throw together!
burrito bowls
Ingredients
For the Chipotle Chicken
- 2 medium chicken breasts approximately 1-1 ½ pounds
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- plenty of salt and pepper to taste
For the Burrito Bowls
- 24 ounces cauliflower rice fresh or frozen
- juice of one half of one lime approximately 1 tablespoon
- 1 head romaine lettuce thinly sliced
- pico de gallo optional, for topping
- lime wedges optional, for garnish
For the Guacamole
- 2 large avocados peeled, seeded, mashed
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- juice of one half of one lime approximately 1 tablespoon
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Small bowl
- Large non-stick skillet with lid
- Sharp knife
Instructions
- Liberally season both sides of each chicken breast with plenty of salt and pepper. In small bowl, combine chipotle chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder, then sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast.
- Heat large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once skillet is very hot, add chicken. Cook 3 to 5 minutes without disturbing chicken, until chicken is nicely browned (or blackened, if you prefer) on one side.
- Flip chicken over, cover skillet with lid, and reduce heat to medium. Cook approximately 5 to 7 minutes more, depending on thickness of chicken breasts, until chicken is completely cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat frozen cauliflower rice following instructions on package. If using fresh cauliflower rice, place in large skillet with 1 tablespoon water. Cover skillet with lid and cook over medium heat until cauliflower rice is fully cooked through.
- Drain liquid from cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen), then toss cauliflower rice with juice of half of one lime (approximately 1 tablespoon) and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- In small bowl, stir together mashed avocado, juice of other half of lime (approximately 1 tablespoon), and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Split cauliflower rice evenly into 4 serving bowls. Top rice with chicken, shredded lettuce, guacamole, and pico de gallo (optional). Garnish with additional lime wedges, if desired, and serve burrito bowls warm.
Notes
- You can cook the cauliflower in the same skillet you used for the chicken! The rice will pick up a little of the flavors from the chicken and spice mixture. You may need to add a little water first and scrape up any browned bits of chicken that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan, but then you’re good to go!
- Don’t skip the “resting” step after you’ve cooked the chicken! I like to take it out of the skillet when it’s around 160° Fahrenheit internally. It usually reaches the food-safe 165°F point while it rests.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1burrito bowl, Calories: 395kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 211mg, Potassium: 1828mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 13967IU, Vitamin C: 102mg, Calcium: 112mg, Iron: 3mg, Net Carbs: 9g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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