Cinco de Mayo is an interesting holiday. It was actually a holiday to celebrate a victory of Mexico in a battle against the French. But for some strange reason, we celebrate it in the United States with tacos.
Either way, who isn’t up for an excuse to eat some good Mexican food?
A homemade Chipotle bowl is not exactly true Mexican food. But it does have some Mexican flavors and is a wonderful meal prep idea for all you busy people out there!
So if you’re looking for a healthy Cinco De Mayo recipe, you’ve found it! There is the blend of Mexican seasonings and spices, as well as the zing of the creamy cilantro sauce.
Components of a Homemade Chipotle Bowl
- seasoned/marinated chicken
- salsa (pico de gallo or jarred salsa)
- veggies (bell peppers, onions, lettuce, tomato)
- beans
- rice
- avocado
- cheese
Marinade for Mexican Chicken
For this Cinco de Mayo Mexican recipe, you’ll need a delicious protein. I chose to go with marinated chicken thighs. But you can do soyrizo if you want to go plant-based. For Latin recipes, the flavor is all in your Latin seasonings. You want to season chicken with:
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Lemon juice
- Orange juice
- Lawry’s seasoned salt
- Pepper
For another tasty Mexican dish, check out my recipe for albondigas soup.
How to Make Creamy Cilantro Dressing
OMG! So excited that I get to share. This creamy cilantro dressing is literally my favorite home-made dressing ever and I think it will become yours too!
It’s healthy, easy, and super delicious! You can use it as a sauce on your tacos, a dip for your veggie sticks, a spread on your sandwiches, or as a salad dressing. So refreshing and flavorful.
To make the creamy cilantro sauce, you blend up all the following ingredients:
- cilantro
- lime juice and grated lime zest
- full fat Greek yogurt
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- pinch of sugar
- pinch of salt
- black pepper
- cotjia cheese!!! A lot of it!
- roasted jalapeno
You’re welcome! 🙂
How to Sear Chicken
- Let your pan or grill get really hot
- Use lots of oil (at least 2 tbsp)
- Pat dry your chicken before putting it in the pan/on the grill
- Let your chicken sear in the pan 3-5 minutes each side on medium high heat
- DO NOT TOUCH YOUR CHICKEN! (I mean it)
- Turn chicken only once and allow to cook on the other side another 3-5 minutes
- Then put the cap on your pan and allow to cook in its own juices for another 3-5 minutes
- If you are grilling, remove the chicken from the direct heat and place it in a cooler part of the grill. Then close the lid to cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Price Comparison
A chipotle bowl costs $6.50 and is good for 2 servings for me. I spent $1.50 on the chicken, $.50 on the beans, $1 on the veggies, $.50 on the avocado, $1 on yogurt, $.75 on cotija cheese, and $.25 on cilantro. This made me two servings.
Restaurant ($3.25) vs. Homemade ($2.75). To be fair, the savings on homemade chipotle bowls is not astronomical. But, the cool part is that you get to control how much salt is in your home-made version. Who else gets dry mouth after eating at Chipotle? Don’t get me wrong-their bowls are delicious, but I know that the salt levels are sky-high. Sometimes the savings are not necessarily your wallet, but your health, when you cook at home.
Homemade Chipotle Bowl
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken
- 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 orange juiced
- 1 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp oil
Creamy Cilantro Dressing
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 lime juice & zest
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese
- 1 handful cilantro
Toppings
- 1 jar salsa or pico de gallo
- 1/2 bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 zucchini thinly sliced
- 1/2 can black beans
- 1/2 head of lettuce thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare chicken marinade by combining lemon juice, orange juice, Lawry's seasoned salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika. Mix thoroughly with chicken thighs. Allow to marinade at least 4 hours to overnight.
- Make creamy cilantro dressing by putting Greek yogurt, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, salt, sugar, cotjia cheese, and cilantro into a food processor or blender. Blend until smoothy and creamy, with small pieces of cilantro still showing. Set aside.
- Sear chicken. Have pan on medium high heat. Add in oil when pan is hot. Pat dry chicken. Add onto pan and allow to sear without touching it. Sear 3-5 minutes on each side. Then place a lid on the chicken and allow to steam for another 5 minutes.
- Heat another pan and place oil into the pan when hot. Saute zucchini, onion, and bell peppers on high heat until slightly softened.
- Assemble the homemade chipotle bowl: Place a bed of chopped lettuce, some canned black beans, grilled veggies, and chicken into a bowl. Top with jarred salsa and creamy cilantro dressing.
Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! Enjoy the homemade chipotle! Happy cooking!
Tag me on Instagram @Jennskitchendiary if you’ve made this recipe. 🙂
