This Chipotle Chicken Burrito is a copycat Chipotle menu chicken burrito recipe that's filling, versatile, and just as good as the original. It's the perfect meal for entertaining, meal prep, or a busy weeknight meal. It doesn't get better than chipotle on repeat!
Chipotle has a cult following and for good reason. Their healthy and delicious chipotle menu keeps people coming back again and again. I will show you how to create your own chipotle burritos, right in the comfort of your own home. No more standing in line and there's always a double scoop of chicken.
This burrito is made with tender adobo spiced chicken, cilantro-lime rice, black beans and so much more.
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Copycat Chipotle Burrito Recipe
If you are anything like our family, during a crazy busy month you may find yourself wondering if there is a chipotle near me and ordering carryout more than you would care to admit. While it’s convenient, it can also begin to add up. These copycat Chipotle Chicken Burritos were born out of an “aha” moment when I realized that our family’s favorite menu item is actually perfect for meal prepping.
We make ours with chicken breasts or chicken thighs and marinate them in a blend of adobo sauce and Mexican spices. You could just as easily sub the chicken to make them veggie burritos, with chicken tenders, or substitute Chipotle Steak or these Chili Steak Bites - yum!
Since every component can be made ahead of time, and the finished burritos can even be frozen for up to two months, I tend to make these recipes in large batches.
If you're looking for some Healthy Chicken Recipes, Be sure to check out my list here for some dinner inspiration.
Ingredients in Chipotle Chicken Burritos
- Chipotle Black Beans - these are cooked with onions, cumin, garlic, chili powder, oregano and bay leaves, then finished with a splash of fresh lime juice. The recipe calls for dried black beans, but in a pinch you can also use canned beans.
- Chipotle Chicken - we usually use chicken breast, but chicken thighs would make a great substitute. The marinade is made from a blend of onions, garlic, adobo sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and a blend of spices.
- Cilantro Lime Rice - for maximum flavor, we cook white rice in chicken broth along with green chilis, butter and garlic. Once it’s cooked, fluff and stir in lime juice, cilantro and salt. You can also substitute brown rice if you’d like, or eliminate the cilantro if you aren’t a fan.
- Guacamole - this recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients like red onion, cilantro, cayenne, tomatoes and lime juice. Make it as chunky or creamy as you want! If you are short on time, go ahead and grab some premade from the grocery store.
- Salsa- This is a quick and easy salsa recipe you will be making on repeat!
Toppings
- Flour Tortillas - try and find either “burrito” or medium size.
- Shredded Cheese - we usually use shredded cheddar but you could also use a cheddar blend, pepperjack or any other type of shredded cheese that you like. Mexican queso also tastes great!
- Sour Cream - either full fat or lite.
- Salsa - use your favorite brand of salsa, pico de gallo or hot sauce (or both).
How to Make a Chicken Burrito (Chipotle Copycat)
- Prepare each component. Make the Chipotle Black Beans, Copycat Chipotle Chicken, Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice, and Homemade Guacamole per the instructions in each recipe and set each aside in separate containers as you prepare to build your burritos.
- Warm tortillas. Heat a large griddle over medium high heat and add a tortilla. Let warm for about 1 minute, then flip and warm the other side for about 45 seconds. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm, then repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
- Assemble the burritos. Place one tortillas on a flat surface. Add rice, chicken, guacamole, beans, and any combination of other toppings that you like, such as shredded cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, salsa or hot sauce.
- Roll. Begin rolling by tucking in the sides of the tortilla and then rolling from one side as you tuck the toppings in.
- Serve. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm, or eat immediately. Enjoy!
What to Stuff Inside a Burrito:
- Chicken
- Shredded Pork Carnita
- Carne Asada
- Lime Rice
- Spanish Rice
- Refried Beans
- Black Beans
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Pico De Gallo
- Pepper Jack Queso
- Lettuce
- Fresh Tomatoes
Chipotle Burrito Bowl
If you or someone in your house is more of a Chipotle bowl menu fan, easy peasy! Just scoop a portion of each into a bowl or wide-rimmed plate. You could even transfer each ingredient to its own separate bowl and let people build their own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yup - you can make both the finished burritos and all of the components ahead of time. Finished burritos can be made, wrapped in foil and stored in the fridge for 24 hours, then reheated just before serving.
Yes! Burritos freeze amazingly well. Just make sure they are completely cool, then wrap in aluminum foil and place into freezer bags. You can keep them stored this way for up to 2 months!
You can reheat as many or as few burritos at a time as you would like. Just pull from the freezer, remove the aluminum foil, place on a microwave-safe dish and cover the burrito gently in a paper towel.
Microwave for about 3-4 minutes, or until warmed through. You will probably want to stop and check after about 2 minutes.
Chipotle Burritos Tips and Tricks
- Rather than grilling or roasting your chicken, save some time by substituting rotisserie chicken. Toss it into a medium bowl and flavor it with some of the same ingredients that you would have used in your marinade. It won’t be as close to the original, but still delicious.
- For easy meal prep, freezer burritos are the way to go. If you know you are going to have a busy month, these are a great meal prep item to make and freeze for later.
- Feel free to swap out any of the components and toppings depending on what you like and what you have on hand.
- If you are serving a larger group and want to provide a gluten free option, try making a build-your-own-burrito station. Put all of the components and toppings into separate bowls with the tortillas on the side in a warm towel.
- Use leftovers to make Chicken Tacos, Chicken Quesadillas, Taquitos, or a Burrito Bowl.
Copycat Chipotle Chicken Burrito Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Chipotle Chicken or 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Rice or 2 cups flavored rice
- 1 recipe Chipotle Black Beans or 2 cups rinsed canned beans
Toppings
- 6 large Flour Tortillas burrito size
- 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- Salsa your favorite kind
Chipotle Chicken Recipe
- 2 lbs Chicken Breasts boneless, skinless
- ½ med Red onion chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce from canned adobo chilies
- 3 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
- 2 teasspoons Minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon Salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 large Lime juice on chicken before serving
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 2 cups White Rice
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 4 ounce Green Chiles
- ½ bunch Cilantro Minced
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Minced
- 1 large Lime Juice, add after the rice is cooked before fluffing.
Black Beans
- 1 lb Dried Black Beans or 4 cans prepared black beans
- 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
- 2 cups yellow onions white will work too
- 6 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Oregano Dried
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 large Bay Leaves
- 1 large Lime juiced, add juice before serving.
Instructions
- Prepare the Chipotle Black Beans, Copycat Chipotle Chicken, Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice, and Homemade Guacamole per the instructions in each recipe and set each aside in separate containers as you prepare to build your burritos.
- Heat a large griddle over medium high heat and add a tortilla. Let warm for about 1 minute, then flip and warm the other side for about 45 seconds. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm, then repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
- Place one tortillas on a flat surface. Add rice, chicken, guacamole, beans, and any combination of other toppings that you like, such as shredded cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, salsa or hot sauce.
- Begin rolling by tucking in the sides of the tortilla and then rolling from one side as you tuck the toppings in.
- Wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm, or eat immediately. Enjoy!
Chipotle Chicken
- In a food processor or blender, add the onion, adobo sauce, avocado oil, brown sugar, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Blend until smooth, then set aside.
- Lay chicken on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and pound chicken to an even thickness using a meat tenderizer or the bottom of a glass jar. You want to pound the chicken to about ½" - ¾" thickness.
- Add pounded chicken to a large resealable plastic bag, then pour marinade ingredients over the chicken. Seal the bag and massage until all the chicken is covered in marinade. Marinate in the fridge for as little as 2 and up to 24 hours
- Preheat grill and remove the chicken from the marinade. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then place on the grill and cook over medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until the chicken is caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest spot.
- Take chicken off the grill and tent with foil for 5 minutes. Cut chicken into small, bite-sized pieces, then season to taste with salt and fresh squeezed lime juice just before serving.
Cilantro Lime Rice
- In a rice cooker or instatpot, on rice setting, add the rice, chicken broth, green chilies, butter and garlic.
- Turn on the rice cooker, or Instatpot on rice setting, and cook like you would plain, normal rice.
- When the rice is finished cooking, let it sit for a couple minutes to cool and then add the juice from one lime. Fluff and stir the rice a little with a fork.
- This lime rice is perfect as a side dish to just about anything, in a burrito bowl, salad, or taco. Enjoy!
Black Beans
- Pour dried beans into a large bowl and sort out the broken beans. Rinse, drain and add to a large pot. Cover with cool water about 1" above the beans. Place a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours, or until the beans are soft. (Note: if using canned beans, you can skip this step)
- In a large pot, add the avocado oil and heat over medium heat. Add the minced onions and sauté until golden brown, or about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until garlic is soft and tender, or about 2 more minutes.
- Next, add in the cooked (or canned) black beans, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and a bay leaf or two. Add water until the beans are barely covered and continue to cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and beans are tender.
- Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Squeeze lime juice into the beans and serve immediately as a side dish or in burritos, tacos, quesadillas, salads or nachos. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Here are more of our favorite chicken recipes:
- Red Chicken Enchiladas
- Honey Soy Chicken Thighs
- Healthy Chicken Recipes
- Easy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Southwest Chicken Breast
- Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
- Frank's Buffalo Chicken Dip
- More Dinner Ideas
- More Meal Prep Recipes
Other amazing Chipotle-inspired recipes:
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment on this post. I love hearing feedback from you helps me and other readers too! If you love Pinterest, feel free to leave a comment and photo there too. Also, if you like to share, use the hashtag #thecarefreekitchen on Instagram and tag me @thecarefreekitchen so I can find you and give your post some love. You can also find me on Facebook at The Carefree Kitchen. Thank you!!
These copycat Chipotle Chicken Burritos are super delicious, filling and loaded with Mexican flavors. This recipe is all you need to make this delicious, flavorful and healthy fast food favorite right in your very own home
Christina
I love these so much words can not describe it. The flavor is just perfect.
The Carefree Kitchen
So glad you love it too!
Renee Goerger
This recipe is so easy to make and very delicious. My family loved these chicken burritos!
Izzy
This is it. I'm probably never buying a burrito at a restaurant again with such an easy recipe in my back pocket. Thank you for sharing!