This recipe is so versatile!
Design your own bowl to your taste and eating plan. Make a plant-protein-rich version by eliminating the meat and shredded cheese and generously adding the beans and even some fresh slices of avocado! OR use any other meat protein you'd like with this recipe. Grilled chicken, Adobe pork, shredded chicken, or even ground meat.
This post will take you through the different dishes I make to create our favorite bowl dinner, the Barbacoa & Beans bowl.
Cooking this entire meal at once could be overwhelming to a new cook..
…so please know that you could try just one of the included recipes to start, or prep some of the dishes ahead of time to make it easier.
For instance, I make the pico and slice the peppers and onions ahead of time! I often cook the beans in the slow cooker during the day, and the rice in a rice cooker, so that we only have assembly to do later in the day. One tip is to store the pico and peppers/onions mix in glass containers in the fridge - they’ll retain their crunchiness and fresh taste better!
The different recipes in this post, complete with how-to’s & hacks, are:
Ranchero Beans
FRESH Pico de Gallo
Barbacoa (flavored shredded beef)
Fajita Veggies
Cilantro-Lime Rice (just like Chipotle’s!)
How to Make Easy Ranchero Beans:
Canned pinto beans, rinsed in a strainer, (use 1 can per 2-3 people)
2-3 cups chicken broth
¼ sweet onion (thrown in whole if you want to remove it after cooking, or sliced to eat)
Either 2 pcs bacon, chopped or ¼ pound ground sausage, cooked
2 smashed cloves fresh garlic or 1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp onion powder
½ tsp sea salt
Optional: Half Jalapeno for heat
In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients to a soft boil, then turn heat to low simmer, and cook for at least 30 minutes.
OR keep it even easier, and place all ingredients in a slow-cooker and leave it on low for 4-6 hours.
Fresh Pico - this is an essential part of the meal, in my opinion, as it adds a FRESH and crunchy taste and texture to any bowl you create! Link to my Pico De Gallo recipe HERE!
Barbacoa You can make it yourself in the Slow Cooker with this easy recipe HERE. OR you can just get it store-bought and use that for your bowl. My favorite brand to use when I can’t make it homemade is pictured.
Fajita veggies - This is another necessary dish to include, in my opinion - again, because of the natural, crunchy, delicious FLAVOR!
Here’s how to make them:
Slice 2 colorful bell peppers for a sweet, mild flavor or you can use Poblano (also called Ancho Chile peppers) Just know they are definitely going to lend some heat to your fajita veggie mix! Choose your colors/types of peppers by your preferred taste or just to use what you have on hand.
Add a FULL sweet or red onion, sliced. (Just use 1/2 of one if they are large.)
Drizzle olive oil into large frying pan over medium heat, and add in the peppers and onions once the first slice sizzles in the hot oil.
Saute the colorful, fragrant mixture over medium to high heat for about 5-8 minutes (or until desired texture) stirring only a couple times. If you prefer crunchier veggies, saute until 6 minutes, tops. If you like a more caramelized finish, cook 8-10 minutes and only stir them a couple times.
You’ll end up with these beauties…
Cilantro-Lime Rice
Cook your choice of rice to your taste, using a rice cooker or a saucepan.
Per 2 cups of cooked rice, chop ½ bunch fresh cilantro and stir in with 1-2 limes, squeezed (depends on your taste and how zesty you prefer it)
Stir in a sprinkle of Himalayan or Sea salt, and let sit for a few minutes.
Serve to your happy eaters!
My tip for the fluffiest rice ever!
Take 1 cup dry Mahatma Basmati (I use white OR brown, depending on your taste) and 1 ¾ cups water and soak them together in a medium saucepan for 15 minutes. (No heat yet.) When 15 minutes is up, put heat on high and bring the mixture to a boil, then lower heat to lowest temp and simmer rice, covered, for 10 minutes.
Remove rice from heat, bring to almost room temp. Roughly chop a large handful of fresh cilantro and sprinkle into the room temp rice. Squeeze 2-3 limes into the rice, stir all ingredients together. Serve immediately.
Other add-ins you may like for your bowl:
Lettuce or other bed of greens (we prefer romaine with this recipe!)
Shredded cheese
Sweet Corn relish or roasted sweet corn kernels
Sour cream
Guacamole or avocado slices
Once you have all the ingredients you want to add to your Homemade Chipotle Bowl, you can lay them out to let each person assemble to their taste!
You may also like to serve with a dressing of some kind - ranch or a vinaigrette - we tend to eat it without, just because there’s already so much flavor in this meal!
Can’t wait to hear what you think once you’ve tried your hand at this dinner!
It’s not one of the easiest I’ve shared with you, but SO delicious and filling - and plenty leftover to eat or make differently the next day. (Cook tonight, take next night or 2 off!) Cook extra, and you can easily turn the leftovers into a burrito, taco salad, or other dinner!
What do you think? Tell us and post pics on our Community page on Facebook HERE.