Mexican · Lunch · Dinner
Chicken Fajita Bowl
Smoky, spice-rubbed chicken and charred peppers and onions served over nutty brown rice with black beans, crisp lettuce and a fresh lime-tomato salsa. It has all the sizzle of fajitas in a filling, tortilla-free bowl.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 52% · Fat 18% · Protein 30%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1 cup200 gBrown rice, dry
- 2 cups480 gWater (for rice)
- 2 large breasts500 gChicken breast, raw, skinless
- 1 tbsp14 gOlive oil
- 2 tsp5 gChili powder (pure, gluten-free)
- 1 tspGround cumin
- 1 tspSmoked paprika
- 1/2 tspGarlic powder
- 1/2 tspDried oregano
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1/4 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 1 large165 gRed bell pepper
- 1 large165 gGreen bell pepper
- 1 large165 gYellow bell pepper
- 1 medium150 gRed onion
- 1 can (15 oz), drained240 gBlack beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 large150 gTomatoes
- 4 tbsp (about 2 limes)60 gLime juice
- 1/2 cup, chopped10 gFresh cilantro
- 2 cups, shredded100 gRomaine lettuce
- 1 medium, flesh only150 gAvocado (optional)
Steps
- 1
Rinse the brown rice, then add it to a saucepan with the 2 cups of water.
- 2
Bring the rice to a boil, cover, reduce to low and simmer for 40 minutes until the water is absorbed; rest it covered for 5 minutes.
- 3
While the rice cooks, mix the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, half the salt and the black pepper in a small bowl.
- 4
Slice the chicken into thin strips, toss with half the olive oil, 1 tbsp of the lime juice and the spice mix.
- 5
Slice the three bell peppers and the red onion into thin strips.
- 6
Dice the tomato and mix with half the cilantro, 1 tbsp of lime juice and the remaining salt to make a quick salsa.
- 7
Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat and add the remaining olive oil.
- 8
Cook the peppers and onion for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly charred; transfer to a plate.
- 9
Add the chicken to the hot pan in a single layer and cook 6–8 minutes, turning, until browned and cooked through to 74 °C / 165 °F inside.
- 10
Return the vegetables to the pan with the black beans and the remaining lime juice; toss for 2 minutes until the beans are hot.
- 11
If using, slice the avocado.
- 12
Divide the rice and shredded lettuce among 4 bowls, top with the chicken, peppers and beans.
- 13
Finish each bowl with the tomato salsa, avocado slices if using, and the remaining cilantro.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a vegan bowl, replace the chicken with extra-firm tofu or a second can of black beans tossed in the same spice mix.
- Swap half or all of the brown rice for cauliflower rice for a lighter bowl with more vegetables.
- Use quinoa instead of brown rice if you want a grain that cooks in about 15 minutes.
- Mash the avocado with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt for a quick guacamole topping instead of slices.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers, keeping the rice, chicken and beans separate from the lettuce, salsa and avocado. Cool the rice quickly and refrigerate it within 1 hour of cooking; eat it within 1 day and reheat it only once. Eat the chicken and beans within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the warm components until steaming hot. The lettuce, salsa and avocado are best fresh and should not be frozen.
Make ahead
Mix the spice rub up to 3 days ahead. Slice the peppers and onion a day ahead, and store them covered in the fridge. You can cook the brown rice up to 1 day ahead if you cool it quickly and refrigerate it within 1 hour. Make the salsa and slice the avocado just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (604 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 506 kcal | 84 kcal |
| Protein | 38.8 g | 6.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 66 g | 10.9 g |
| of which sugars | 6.9 g | 1.1 g |
| Fiber | 6.5 g | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 10 g | 1.7 g |
| of which saturated | 1.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 823 mg | 136 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
