I’ve been on a travel freeze since early March and am starting to get a little sick of cooking three meals a day! So, we’re pulling some old favorites that can be made in bulk back into the rotation, in hopes of cutting the nights we have to cook down to just a couple. These burrito bowls make life SO easy! The prep is minimal, the cooking doesn’t require a lot of hands-on time, and by storing each component separately, C and I can easily make our own bowls to hit our macros.
Chipotle Chicken
We grab a family size pack of chicken (about 3lbs) and cut it into 3-4 chunks per chicken breast. Toss those in the InstantPot with 2 cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and a cup of chicken broth. Cook on manual for 12 minutes, then quick release the steam. Pull out the chicken and shred it, adding back in some of the cooking juices for extra moisture.
We remove the remaining peppers after, chop them, and the hubs uses them for extra spice in his bowl.
Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Cook 4-6 servings of rice according to package directions. When done, mix in 1/4 cup lime juice and a bushel of cilantro, finely chopped. Easy enough!
Seasoned Black Beans
Wash and drain two cans of black beans.If I have extra time, I cook my black beans over low heat in a Dutch oven for about 45 minutes; otherwise, a pot on medium heat works fine! Cook them plain, or mix in some extra flavor – a little salsa (an easy bean hack a vegetarian friend of mine in college taught me) or your favorite dry seasonings. Last night, we opted for some cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and a little cayenne.
Peppers and Onions
Slice a few bell peppers and a red onion into thin strips, then sauté over medium heat until softened. Use a cast iron or stainless skillet to get some char marks.
Serve with:
- Low fat sour cream
- Part skim Mexican cheese blend
- Guacamole or fresh avocado (we love the Spicy Guacamole from Trader Joe’s)
- Salsa
From start to finish, this meal prep takes an hour to get on the table. Start cooking the rice first – it definitely has the longest cook time. Put on the chicken right after, since it will take a little bit for the Instant Pot to pressurize. I usually start the beans after that, then chop and cook the peppers and onions right before serving.
You can also eat these components over romaine as a taco salad or on a tortilla, to give you a little more variance in your meals without having to prep more food.
Let me know what you think if you try it!