Chicken Fajita Bowls with Chipotle Aioli and Golden Peppers
By Emma Collins
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Make four chicken fajita bowls with separate components, including rice, cooked chicken and peppers, beans, and other uncooked ingredients, to eat throughout the week for lunch and dinner. Cooked leftovers can be stored for several days. Pan-fried seasoned chicken and peppers provide additional flavor and nutrition for the bowls.
The chicken is seasoned with salt, garlic powder, cumin, brown sugar, oregano, chili powder, paprika, and tapioca flour. Olive oil is used to cook the seasoned chicken in a skillet with sliced bell peppers and red onions. Lettuce, pico de gallo, chipotle aioli, chicken, and rinsed black beans are served over cilantro lime rice. Using canned black beans simplifies the recipe.
After 7-8 minutes, onion and peppers should be browned. Chicken will be added and cooked for 1-2 minutes. This shows that flavors are mixing. Watch the vegetables while cooking to make sure they don't burn and add more oil if necessary. Pound chicken to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness to make sure it cooks evenly in the suggested cooking time. Don't rush or overcook the chicken or vegetables.
Serve hot bowls of the mixture as suggested or make fajitas using warm tortillas. Reheat leftover chicken and vegetable mixture and rice in a pan. Add lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado if available, and aioli to serve. Store dressing separately.
Why this recipe works
- Separate packaging helps keep the lettuce, pico de gallo, and aioli cool so four fully assembled servings will stay fresh for a week.
- The chicken and peppers can be added to rice and beans to provide a full meal for lunch or dinner without having to reheat the other components.
- Reheating in a skillet is one good option for planned leftovers. Rice and chicken and vegetable toppings reheated before lettuce and pico de gallo. Aioli was not reheated.
- Freezing the chicken and peppers, as suggested by the source, is an option. Chicken and peppers can be frozen for up to two months, as suggested by the source.
- Four servings per container makes it convenient to serve. Servings include rice, beans, chicken, vegetables, and other additions, not just one dish.
- Batch seasoning can be used with 1 1/2 pounds of chicken. Time and effort can be saved by cooking peppers and onions in the same pan with the chicken.
Ingredients
- •1 ½ lb chicken breast
- •2 tbsp olive oil
- •1 tsp salt
- •1 ¼ tsp garlic powder
- •1 ¼ tsp cumin
- •1 tsp brown sugar
- •1 tsp oregano
- •1 ½ tsp chili powder
- •3 tsp paprika
- •1 tbsp tapioca starch
- •3 bell peppers (any color)
- •½ large red onion
- •2 cups cilantro lime rice
- •1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- •2 cups lettuce (chopped)
- •½ cup pico de gallo
- •½ cup chipotle aioli
Instructions
- 1
Pound the chicken to about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.
- 2
If using large chicken breasts, cut them in half lengthwise before cooking, or cut the chicken into strips before seasoning.
- 3
Combine the salt, garlic powder, cumin, brown sugar, oregano, chili powder, paprika, and tapioca starch in a bowl.
- 4
Coat the chicken in the seasoning mixture.
- 5
Add the olive oil to a skillet.
- 6
Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook each side for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
- 7
Set the chicken aside on a plate and cut it into strips if needed.
- 8
Add the sliced red onion and bell peppers to the same skillet and sauté until golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- 9
Add more oil if anything begins sticking.
- 10
Return the chicken to the skillet and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
- 11
Assemble bowls with rice and lettuce, then add the chicken-pepper mixture, black beans, pico de gallo, and chipotle aioli.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
501
Protein
45g
Fat
12g
Carbs
46g
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