Sometimes you get that hankering for a Chipotle bowl, but you just can’t bring yourself to leave your house and wait 30 minutes in line. Instead, one-up that Chipotle bowl by swapping out that soggy cardboard for a delicious bell pepper bowl. The nice thing about this dish is that you can use anything you want, exactly how you pick out your preferred ingredients at Chipotle. Below is my favorite recipe for you to get some ideas from.
Ingredients*
- 5 de-seeded, de-veined bell peppers
- 3/4 cups of rice
- 1 cup of black beans, drained
- 2/3 cup of your favorite shredded cheese
- 2 marinated chicken breasts, diced
- Salsa or pico de gallo
Ingredients for pico de gallo**
- 1 pack of grape tomatoes or 2 regular tomatoes
- 1/2 a red onion
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 2 limes
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro
* All the ingredients are optional, so feel free to use whatever you like** Adjust the amounts to your liking
Directions for the stuffed peppers:1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.2. Now you want to make the rice. Cook the rice according to the directions listed on the package you used.3. While the rice is cooking, boil the peppers for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Make sure to drain them well because soggy peppers are gross peppers.4. For the chicken, you’re going to want to marinate it or at least season it. If you’re marinating, let the chicken sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits in the marinade the better it’ll taste.5. Once you’re ready to start cooking the chicken, heat up a skillet to medium-high heat, add oil and place the chicken in the skillet. Cook it, flipping occasionally, until done. 6. Once all of your ingredients are prepared, fill up your peppers! But don’t add the cheese just yet. 7. Place your peppers in an oven-safe tray or dish, cover it with foil, and let it bake for around 30 minutes or until the peppers are soft. Remove the foil, sprinkle the tops with cheese, and let it sit long enough for the cheese to melt.
Directions for the pico de gallo:If you’re feeling bold, make your own pico de gallo. The freshness of this topping will give the dish an incredible boost. A little scoop of pico de gallo goes a long way. 1. Finely dice up tomatoes, red onions and jalapeño peppers.2. Chop up a good amount of cilantro and add it to the mix.3. Toss it all in plenty of lime juice, salt, pepper and olive oil.
My secret to making great salsa is adding a splash of vinegar! I usually go for either champagne vinegar or pear-infused vinegar. Also, if you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for marinades, have no fear. My favorite marinade is a combination of pineapple juice, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. If you go with seasoning, some great spices that go well with Mexican style foods are cumin, chili powder and paprika. Once all of that is done you can add anything else you love on your bowls. Some suggestions are sour cream, cilantro, corn salsa, guacamole, sautéed onions, hot sauce and lettuce. Enjoy your new favorite meal, ladies!
Photo credit: www.johnsonville.com