When people talk about weird cravings during pregnancy, I often forget to mention what Ben likes to call the “Chipotle trimester.” Burritos were my jam, and I was a regular staple in the lunch line for several months…well, pre-E. coli-outbreak, that is.

Fast forward to having said baby and moving to the ‘burbs, though, and it’s a lot tougher to make regular pit stops into ‘potle these days. Plus there’s that whole wanting-to-eat-healthier thing and the there’s-barely-enough-time-to-eat-lunch-let-alone-make-it thing, which means meal planning and prep have become necessities for us.

Enter the following DIY recipe, which tastes almost as good as the real deal. Toss with greens for extra nutrients, fold into burrito form or scoop straight out of the bowl with chips!

DIY Chipotle Burrito Bowl

(adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking)

Ingredients:

For the Chicken

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

For the Rice

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
• kosher salt to taste

For the toppings

• 1 cup pinto beans (warmed)
• 1 cup black beans (warmed)
• 1 cup fresh corn, cut from the cob
• 1 cup guacamole
• 1 cup pico de gallo
• 1 cup finely shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:

For the Chicken

1. Combine the vegetable oil, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine.
2. Place the chicken in a large zip top plastic bag and add the marinade. Zip the bag and mix the chicken into the marinade. Place it into the fridge and let it marinate for at least an hour.
3. Heat an outdoor grill to about 400 degrees F (medium high heat). Place the chicken onto the grill and grill 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Chop the chicken into small bite-sized pieces.

For the Rice

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the brown rice and lime juice and sauté for 60 seconds to toast the rice.
2. Add the water and bring the rice to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed.
3. Add in the cilantro and fluff rice with a fork.

To assemble

1. Arrange equal parts of the brown rice and chopped grilled chicken in 4 bowls.
2. Top with equal parts of the pinto beans, black beans, corn, guacamole, pico and cheese.
3. Season with salt and pepper as needed and serve immediately.

To Chipotle or not to Chipotle…that is today’s question. Have you been back since the E. coli scare?