This is one of the few meals that all six people in our family request on repeat! It’s also a super easy family meal that can be thrown together at the last minute and is much less expensive than taking the whole family to Chipotle. You can leave out or add ingredients based on what you have on hand or need to use up. We almost always include black beans, but for some reason I forgot to write them on the grocery list this week and was completely out when I went to make this recipe. And guess what? It was still good!
The base of these bowls is rice, but then each person can load up their bowls with whatever they love! We enjoy adding chicken, cilantro, cheese, lettuce, and grilled onions and peppers. Some other yummy topping possibilities include black olives, chopped onions, and sour cream.
You can eat the chips and salsa on the side or crumble the chips into your bowl — whichever way you prefer. This is also a great meal for hosting as it can accomodate a variety of preferences and food sensitivities!
This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.
1. Wash and chop the romaine and cilantro and put each into a bowl.
2. Then, cook the chicken and rice using your favorite method if they aren’t already cooked. (This recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked rice and/or chicken!)
If you love Chipotle’s cilantro lime rice, be sure to check out my cilantro rice recipe and add a squeeze of lime juice!
3. Put the chips, salsa, and shredded cheese into three separate bowls.
4. Cut the peppers and onions into slices. Sauté with a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from the pan into a bowl and set aside.
5. In the same pan, heat the cooked chicken strips until warm.
6. Serve all of the ingredients buffet-style, letting each person build their own bowl, starting with the rice.
1-lbgrilled chicken stripsor cooked however you prefer (Publix) — $1.79
1bagtortilla chipsWalmart — $1.97
2peppersAldi — $2.29 for 3 — $1.53
1onionAldi — $2.09 for 2 lbs — $0.30
1jarsalsaAldi — $1.99
1headromaineAldi — $2.49 for 3 — $0.83
1/2bunchcilantroAldi — $0.79 per bunch — $.40
1 1/2cupsshredded cheeseAldi — $3.29 for 4 cups — $1.23
6cupscooked riceAldi — $2.35 for 3lbs — $0.63
Salt, garlic powder, and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Wash and chop the romaine and cilantro and put each into a bowl.
Cook the chicken and rice using your favorite method if they aren’t already cooked. (This recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked rice and/or chicken!)
Put the chips, salsa, and shredded cheese into three separate bowls.
Cut the peppers and onions into slices. Sauté with a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from the pan into a bowl and set aside.
Sliced yellow and orange bell peppers and red onions cooking in a pan.
In the same pan, heat the cooked chicken strips until warm.
Serve all of the ingredients buffet-style, letting each person build their own bowl, starting with the rice.
Notes
The base of these bowls is rice, but then each person can load up their bowls with whatever they love! We enjoy adding chicken, cilantro, cheese, lettuce, and grilled onions and peppers. Some other yummy topping possibilities include black olives, chopped onions, and sour cream.You can eat the chips and salsa on the side or crumble the chips into your bowl — whichever way you prefer. This is also a great meal for hosting as it can accomodate a variety of preferences and food sensitivities!
