I don’t know why, but whenever I make anything Mexican or Southwest themed and rice is involved, I always think of Chipotle and how every single time when you ask for guacamole, they remind you it costs extra.  So, on this one, guacamole costs extra.  But it would be a great addition!

Prep Ahead Chicken and Rice Bowls

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or small chunks
• 1 TB chili lime olive oil (or olive oil, and then add some chili powder to the marinade)
• 2 TB white balsamic vinegar
• Juice of one lime
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp dried jalapeno
• 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
• 2 c cooked brown rice
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 c. frozen corn, defrosted, and prepared according to the package (or, if you are a rule breaker like me, however you’d like it prepared…I sauteed it in a dry pan to give it almost a roasted flavor and look)
• 1.5 c. grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced

To Prepare Chicken:

1. Mix together olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, oregano in a medium bowl.
2. Add chicken and mix with hands (wear gloves!) to help the chicken soak up the marinade.  Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
3. Prepare chicken by grilling, baking or broiling until cooked through.  I broiled mine this time, for 15 minutes with one side up, flipped and then finished for 5.

To assemble bowls (okay, mine aren’t bowls, mine are these containers, because I like to go from refrigerator to microwave to eating all in one….):

Using 1/5 of each ingredient for each:

1. Add rice to containers.
2. Top rice with one row each of black beans, tomatoes, corn, green pepper and red pepper.
3. Top with chicken.
4. Refrigerate until ready to heat and eat!
5. Serve with guacamole, if desired, but remember, it always costs extra (cheese is good too, and green onions, maybe a little salsa and sour cream?)