I think that this Copycat Chipotle Chicken Burrito recipe is even better than the real deal! Tender marinated chicken is rolled up in a flour tortilla with fajita veggies, seasoned black beans and cilantro lime rice. And since you’re making it at home, the guac isn’t extra!
Listen, I love Chipotle. I won’t lie. However… ever since I started making these copycat chicken burritos at home, I haven’t craved the chain restaurant like I used to! The biggest factor for me isn’t even the flavor (which is better than the real deal), it’s the budget. You can make a whole batch of homemade burritos for a fraction of the cost. When your kids love Chipotle as much as mine, it pays to be able to make it yourself!
What’s in this copycat Chipotle recipe?
Protein packed chicken and black beans, nutritious veggies and flavorful cilantro lime rice all pack a serious punch. It’s no wonder why my family is so obsessed with these burritos!
- Rice: You can save some time and use a bag of microwaveable white rice if you’d like. Just mix in the lime juice and cilantro once it’s heated up.
- Chicken: Cut it into bite-sized pieces that are all about the same size for the very best bite.
- Bell Peppers: You can use any color of pepper you like best.
Variations To Try
- If you don’t have chipotle chili you can sub with regular chili.
- You can replace the cilantro rice with brown rice.
- If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can sub to whatever vinegar you have on hand.
- Omit the tortillas and portion up into containers to make burrito bowls! This is a go-to meal prep recipe for me.
- I like to add a dash or two of hot sauce to spice things up!
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How to Store and Reheat
You can make these babies in advance! Chipotle burritos will last tightly covered for up to 4 days in the fridge. If you want to freshen them up, you place them in a dish, with a little bit of salsa and cheese, then reheat in the microwave.
How to Freeze
To freeze the burritos, chill them overnight in the fridge overnight then wrap individually in plastic wrap or foil. Place them in a ziplock bag. To thaw you can set them in the fridge overnight or defrost in the microwave – then reheat.
Notes and Tips
- Make sure to cut your chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Drain the black beans well before mixing with the other ingredients.
Top Reader Review
“Chipotle who? I have not been there in over 4 years since I’ve discovered this recipe. Talk about nailing it! It taste so much better especially knowing it’s homemade. My family requests this so much, I can open my own Chipotle. Thank you for this bomb.com recipe. Love your recipes and looking forward to dinner at your house” – Khay
Copycat Chipotle Chicken Burritos Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ tablespoon chipotle chili powder (can sub regular chili powder)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
For the Fajita Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 bell peppers any color; sliced
- ½ red onion sliced
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Beans
- 14.5 ounces canned black beans drained (1 can)
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from ½ lime
For the Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 cup dry white rice or brown rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
For Assembly
- 8 burrito-sized flour tortillas
- Salsa optional
- Sour cream optional
- Monterey jack cheese optional
- Guacamole optional
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a bowl or sealable plastic bag, combine the chicken, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, and vinegar. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, ½ tablespoon chipotle chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Cook the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the chicken pieces for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Prepare the fajita veggies: To the same pan, add in the olive oil, peppers, onion, oregano, and salt. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and caramelized.1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 bell peppers, ½ red onion, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Prepare the beans: Add the beans, chili powder, cumin, and lime juice to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the beans for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add salt if needed.14.5 ounces canned black beans, ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Prepare the cilantro lime rice: Prepare the rice according to package directions. Once cooked, stir in the olive oil, lime juice, and cilantro.1 cup dry white rice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Assemble the burritos: Place the tortillas between damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds to make them soft and pliable. Place each tortilla on large squares of tin foil. Place portions of the chicken, rice, veggies, beans, and any extra fixings in the middle of the tortilla. For each burrito, bring the bottom half of the tortilla up over the pile of fillings and tuck the bottom edge under the pile. Fold each side of the tortilla into the middle and roll up the burrito so it’s seam side down and in the middle of the tin foil. Package up the burrito in the tin foil. Enjoy!`8 burrito-sized flour tortillas, Salsa, Sour cream, Monterey jack cheese, Guacamole
Notes
- When we’re short on time, we like to use rotisserie chicken and packaged pre-cooked rice.
- Add a dash of hot sauce to spice things up!
- Omit the tortillas and portion up into containers to make burrito bowls, great for meal prep.
- The fajita veggies, black beans, and cilantro lime rice as well as the fixings are all optional components of the burrito. Feel free to leave out or add in your favorite burrito fixings to make it your own!
How to Make Copycat Chipotle Chicken Burritos Step by Step
Marinate the chicken: In a bowl or sealable plastic bag, combine 1 1/2 lbs chopped chicken breasts, 1/2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 2 tbsp vinegar. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Cook the chicken: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the chicken pieces for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan.
Cook the fajita veggies: To the same pan, add in 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 chopped bell peppers, 1/2 a red onion, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and caramelized.
Prepare the black beans: Add a 14.5 oz can of black beans, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1 tbsp lime juice to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the beans for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add salt if needed.
Make the cilantro lime rice: Prepare 1 cup dry white rice according to package directions. Once cooked, stir in 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lime juice, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
Prepare the burrito: Place the tortillas between damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds to make them soft and pliable. Place each tortilla on large squares of tin foil. Place portions of the chicken, rice, veggies, beans, and any extra fixings in the middle of the tortilla.
Roll the burritos: For each burrito, bring the bottom half of the tortilla up over the pile of fillings and tuck the bottom edge under the pile. Fold each side of the tortilla into the middle and roll up the burrito so it’s seam side down and in the middle of the tin foil. Package up the burrito in the tin foil.
More Copycat Chicken Recipes
- Alice Springs Chicken (Outback Copycat)
- Chicken Bryan Copycat Recipe
- Applebee’s Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp
- Chicken Crunchwrap Supreme Copycat
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
Amy says
It takes 20-30 minutes to make rice. Why is that Step 5 here? Seems like if you did it as Step 2, it would be ready when everything else is, or pretty close, anyway.
Becky Hardin says
Modify to your liking!
Terri says
Delish and worked out great for my meal prep. I left out the cilantro because to me it’s yucky but it was still good with regular white rice. Thanks for a great recipe
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for letting us know, Terri!
Steve says
bean step, 1/2 Chile powder, is that tbs or tsp?
Becky Hardin says
1/2 teaspoon!
Fran Tashjian says
Great recipe. I used rotisserie chicken and sautéed the red onions for 4 minutes before I put in the peppers as I like my peppers fresh! Will definitely make again! Yum and thank you!
Becky Hardin says
I’m so happy to hear you loved it, Fran!
PhinaH says
It was all delicious! The beans, the green peppers and onions, the chicken and rice! Yum I cooked the rice and the chicken in the pressure cooker (separately of course) as my chicken breasts were frozen followed the recipe for seasoning them exactly. Added 1 cup to my chicken breasts which I had three of cook time was on Hi for 10 mins with 10 mins natural release. Rice cook time was Hi for 6 mins with 10 mins natural release. My family Loved everything and I will definitely be making again!
Becky Hardin says
I’m so happy to hear you loved it!
KhayBae says
Chipotle who? I have not been there in over 4 years since I’ve discovered this recipe. Talk about nailing it! It taste so much better especially knowing it’s homemade. My family requests this so much, I can open my own Chipotle. Thank you for this bomb.com recipe. Love your recipes and looking forward to dinner at your house
Becky Hardin says
Thanks so much for your kind words! I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe!!
Faye Foster says
Can I grill the chicken? Would it taste the same.
Becky Hardin says
Yes, you can grill the chicken. It will just have a bit of that smokey char taste in addition!
Jennifer Brown says
This is now a staple meal in my house! My teens ask for it all the time! LOVE!!!!
Becky Hardin says
I’m so happy to hear you all love this recipe, Jennifer!
Laura says
This was awesome! Thank you! My 15 year old son said he’d take this over Chipotle any day – that’s high praise (especially from a teen!)!
Becky Hardin says
We love to hear that, Laura!!
johon doe says
yum yum!