Have you ever wanted to grab some Chipotle but you either didn't want to spend the extra dough to eat out, or you simply wanted to stay in and not be bothered to engage in the outside world? As long as I have since tasted my first burrito bowl from Chipotle, I have been searching for a recipe to duplicate the perfect flavor that all of my favorite ingredients make in my usual order. I am very pleased to say that after a year of attempting to recreate the burrito bowl at home, I am able to satisfy that Chipotle craving for less than half the cost!
I was inspired to do this blog post after making my bowls on Friday night. I will explain the key ingredients and how to put it all together in a few simple steps. Also, this burrito bowl is vegetarian, but you can include whatever meats you'd like in addition to my ingredients! A cheap addition could be a shredded rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store. My store, Wegmans, sells whole rotisserie chicken for $5! You can also make this bowl vegan (and healthier) by not including the sour cream. You can also substitute the rice for bulk food department red or white quinoa, which I have tried as well and it's very tasty!
- What you will need to buy from the store:
A bag of medium grain rice, about $1
A bag of fresh cilantro, about $2
A can of hot salsa, about $2
A can of pinto or black beans, about $0.50
A container of sour cream, about $1.50
Optional: Chipotle flavored hot sauce: about $2 generic, $3.50 for brand name
Optional: Taco seasoning, about $1
Optional: Meat additions, about $5
Optional: Shredded cheese, about $2.50
Total: $5-17 | Makes about: 4 bowls | Cost per bowl: $1.25-4.25 | Typical Chipotle bowl: $8
To make two bowls - I usually do this so that I can take one for lunch with me the following day - follow these simple steps. First, cook the rice in a small pot. I typically put one cup of rice in the pot followed by two and a half cups of water because I like my rice a bit fluffy. For extra fluffy rice, use a pot with a lid to keep the steam in. You can add oil and salt to the pot if you'd like. While the rice is cooking, take about 1/3 of the fresh cilantro and chop the leaves into small pieces to add to the rice. I've found this step is much simpler when using kitchen shears over the pot, not very "test kitchen" kosher but I love shortcuts! Continue stirring the rice occasionally while it cooks. After opening the beans, I drain the can in the sink using hot water so that it simultaneously warms the beans. Another cheat tip: you can leave the final drain of water in the can until the very end so they stay warmed up. If you'd like more "taco" flavor, you can stir a bit of taco flavored seasoning to the rice before you plate it. Once the rice is finished cooking, scoop your desired amount into a nice deep bowl or plate, and add your toppings accordingly!
In my opinion, the two crucial ingredients really make all the difference in taste are the cilantro and chipotle hot sauce additions. You can buy the actual one they provide in Chipotle in most grocery stores, but not all may have it. Some may even have a generic brand! Not to play up Wegmans too much, but they have their own brand which I find very close in taste to the original. UPDATE: It appears Wegmans currently not offering their generic version.Thank you for reading this original recipe, keep an eye out for more articles like this by following my Twitter or my Instagram for post updates!
(New camera coming soon, please excuse any quality issues!)
No comments:
Post a Comment