Burrito Bowls

We love Mexican inspired food in our house. I find it one of the simplest yet most satisfying cuisines to make and it always hits the spot if I’m craving something a little naughty but don’t want to go completely off the rails.

This ‘feast’ is not something I would prepare every time we have Mexican but honestly, it looks a lot more complicated than it is. Which also means it is perfect for when you are having people over and want to impress them but can’t spend all day in the kitchen. 

The quantities are easy to adapt for more or fewer people AND the chicken will freeze well if you end up with leftovers. Or you can just eat it for lunch and dinner for the next 3 days.

Jen xx

Burrito Bowls

Enough for 6-8 hungry people

Paleo, GF, DF, RSF 

Prep time + tidy up: 20 mins

Cook time: 30 mins + 4-6 hours slow cooker

Ingredients:

Shredded Chicken

1kg chicken thighs

1 tin diced tomatoes

1 tbsp garlic, crushed

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp salt to season

Tomato Salsa

4 large tomatoes, diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1 ear of corn, charred (place it in a dry pan and rotate often)

1/2 tsp garlic, crushed

juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

Pineapple Salsa

1 pineapple, cored and sliced into long wedges

1/2 red onion, finely diced

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 bunch fresh mint, finely diced

Guacamole

2 ripe avocado

1 tsp cumin powder

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp salt 

Cinnamon Sweet Potato Wedges

3 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into 1cm thick wedges

2-3 tbsp olive oil to coat potatoes

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Optional extras

Rice

Sour cream

Corn chips

Cheddar cheese

Lemon or lime wedges

Iceberg lettuce

Method:

This is how I would attack this recipe if I was tackling everything at the same time but you can prepare the salsas in advance, the chicken in the morning and the wedges an hour before you intend to eat to make it more manageable.

Place a large saucepan on medium heat, without oil, and add the pineapple wedges to start to brown. Keep an eye on these and turn as they darken on each side.

While the pineapple is cooking, add all remaining ingredients for the pineapple salsa to a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, add all the ingredients for the tomato salsa, mix well. Taste for seasoning then cover and place in the fridge.

Add the avocado for the guacamole to a large bowl and mash with a fork leaving it quite chunky. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge.

Place another large saucepan on a high heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Add the chicken thighs and cook on both sides until just browned. Add them straight to the slow cooker along with any cooking juices left in the pan.

Remove finished pineapple from the pan and set aside to cool. Once cool, chop finely and add to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge. 

Add all remaining ingredients for the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix ensuring the chicken thighs remain on the bottom. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours, checking half way and removing the lid for the last hour of cooking to allow the sauce to reduce. Once finished, shred the chicken with two forks and allow to sit in the juices for as long as possible before serving so it soaks up all the good stuff.

An hour before you are ready to eat, preheat the oven to approx. 150 degrees and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.

Add the sweet potato wedges to the trays, cover with oil, salt and cinnamon and mix with your hands to ensure they are all well coated. Make sure the wedges are not overlapping each other. Add to the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, checking halfway and rotating the trays if necessary. 

To Serve:

Serve all elements in separate bowls and allow everyone to build their own burrito bowl. You can also use tortillas and make burritos if you prefer. 

Note: Both salsas can be made the day before and in fact, are almost better that way. The guacamole can end up a little brown if prepared too far in advance but is possible if short on time. Just add a little extra lemon juice to the top.

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