Carnitas Burrito Bowl

This carnitas burrito bowl is a play on Chipotle’s recipe – but better. It’s an easy meal prep throw-together that’s flavorful, filling, and all around healthy. Just prep your ingredients, layer everything together, and don’t forget a slab of fresh guacamole and salsa.

While getting a burrito bowl at Chipotle is satisfying, let me tell you something. A homemade bowl is even better. Ingredients are prepped the night before. Assembly only takes five minutes. And guacamole never costs extra!

But the best part is that you can get creative with your burrito bowl layers. Swap the chopped Romaine lettuce with arugula or add a spoonful of freshly made mango salsa instead of the pico de gallo. Let your creativity wander to create a burrito bowl that’s flavorful and never boring.

Watch How I Assemble It

Burrito Bowl Ingredients

Here are the base ingredients you’ll need to replicate Chipotle’s version.

• Fresh Greens – I’m using chopped up romaine lettuce. But feel free to use any type of greens such as spinach or arugula.
• Rice – If you want fresh and bright flavors, use cilantro lime rice. You can also use white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.
• Fajita Veggies – Give sliced bell pepper and onions a quick char in your cast iron pan.
• Carnitas – Prep a batch of my easy, slow-cooker carnitas beforehand for easy assembly.
• Black or Pinto Beans – You can either use canned beans or cook them fresh.
• Pico De Gallo – Whip up a fresh batch, it’s easy to do.
• Guacamole – I suggest making this the day of so your guacamole doesn’t start to brown.
• Cheese – Shredded Monterey Jack is a Chipotle staple. But choose your favorite cheese or leave it off.

How To Assemble A Carnitas Burrito Bowl

Start With The Base

If you’ve been to Chipotle, the first step to a burrito bowl is rice and lettuce. So start with a base of cilantro lime rice, then add freshly chopped romaine lettuce on top.

Layer On The Warm Toppings

Next comes the warm layers of meat and veggies. Warm up about one cup of your carnitas and layer it on top of the lettuce.

If you don’t have the veggie fajitas prepped – don’t worry. Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat, then give the bell peppers and onions a quick stir fry. Until the onions become translucent and bell peppers are cooked through. Then, spread this on top of your carnitas.

Dollop The Final Touches

Now here comes the fun stuff. Dollop on freshly made pico de gallo and guacamole. If you don’t have guacamole ready, you can just add sliced avocados on top. And if you’re feeling extra, sprinkle on the shredded Monterey Jack cheese and drizzle some lime crema or chipotle sauce.

Burrito Bowl Meal Prep Tips

Thankfully, this burrito bowl comes together easily with a bit of meal prepping. These ingredients will stay good for about 4 days in the fridge. But, here’s a few tips to keep your bowl fresh during the week.

• Store the ingredients separately. To make sure nothing gets soggy or loses its flavor, store everything in their own containers. That means fajita veggies in one box, cilantro lime rice in another, and salsa on the side.
• Save the guac for last. Since guacamole will turn brown over time, it’s best to make this the day of.

More Mexican Inspired Recipes

• Barbacoa + Barbacoa Burrito Bowl
• Chicken Fajitas
• Mexican Rice
• Carne Asada Tacos
• Shrimp Tacos
• Huevos Rancheros
• Classic Margarita

Carnitas Burrito Bowl (Chipotle Copycat)

5 from 12 votes

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 8 hours hrs

Total Time: 8 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

Print Pin Review

Make a carnitas burrito bowl at home just like Chipotle - it's easy! The quantity below is for making four bowls, but you can make just a single bowl as well. Watch the video above to see how I make mine!

Recipe Video

Ingredients

1x2x3x

US CustomaryMetric

Salad Bowl

• ▢ 4 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
• ▢ 2 cups cilantro lime rice
• ▢ 2 cups slow-cooker carnitas
• ▢ 1 cup black beans
• ▢ 1/2 cup pico de gallo
• ▢ 1/2 cup guacamole
• ▢ 1/4 cup shredded cheese, optional
• ▢ lime crema, optional

Fajita Veggies

• ▢ 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ salt and pepper, to taste
• ▢ fajita seasoning, to taste

Instructions 

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Stir fry the bell pepper and onion until cooked through, then set aside.
• Warm up your leftover slow-cooker carnitas in the microwave then set aside.
• In a large salad bowl, layer the lettuce with cilantro lime rice, black beans, carnitas, and fajita veggies.
• Then dollop on the pico de gallo, guacamole, and sprinkle with cheese.

Lisa's Tips

• Just omit the cheese and lime crema for a delicious dairy-free option.

Nutrition

Calories: 688kcal, Carbohydrates: 96g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 333mg, Potassium: 1011mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 5251IU, Vitamin C: 46mg, Calcium: 112mg, Iron: 4mg

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: burrito bowl, Carnitas burrito bowl, Chipotle burrito bowl

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