BBQ Chicken Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice
Table of contents
Intro
These BBQ Chicken Bowls are loaded with sticky barbecue chicken, cilantro lime rice, charred corn, black beans, homemade pico de gallo, and a creamy cilantro lime crema. They’re colorful, fresh, filling, and perfect for an easy dinner or weekly meal prep.
Sometimes the best meals come from looking at what needs to be used in the refrigerator and figuring it out as you go. I had a large boneless, skinless chicken breast on hand and wanted something simple that still felt light and fresh. These barbecue chicken bowls ended up being even better than I imagined.
The chicken is cooked in a skillet, brushed with sweet and spicy barbecue sauce, and placed under the broiler until the sauce becomes sticky and caramelized. It’s served over cilantro lime rice with smoky charred corn, black beans, fresh pico de gallo, and a cool cilantro lime crema.
Every bite has a little sweetness, smokiness, freshness, and heat. It’s the kind of meal-prep recipe you’ll want to make every week until you finally get tired of it.
Check out these other great recipes while you are here!
Creamy Boursin Chicken Orzo Bake
One Pan Creamy Lemon Chicken Linguine
Why You’ll Love These BBQ Chicken Bowls
- They’re packed with different flavors and textures.
- The components can be prepared ahead of time for meal prep.
- You can easily adjust the toppings to suit your family.
- They’re filling without feeling overly heavy.
- The colorful ingredients make the finished bowls look as good as they taste.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast – One large chicken breast sliced in half creates two thinner pieces that cook quickly and evenly. You can also purchase two thinly sliced chicken breasts.
- Barbecue seasoning – I used Fire & Smoke Society Barbecue Butter Grill Seasoning. You can substitute your favorite barbecue or chicken seasoning.
- Smoked paprika – Adds another layer of smoky flavor to the chicken.
- Black pepper – Used to season both the chicken and the charred corn.
- Barbecue sauce – Kinder’s Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce gives the chicken a sweet, smoky flavor with a little heat. Use your favorite barbecue sauce if you prefer.
- Jasmine rice – Jasmine rice cooks up soft and fluffy and makes a great base for these bowls.
- Lime – Fresh lime juice brightens the rice, pico de gallo, and cilantro lime crema.
- Fresh cilantro – Used throughout the recipe to give every component a fresh, herby flavor.
- Canned corn – Drain the corn very well so it chars instead of steaming in the skillet.
- Onion seasoning – I used Fire & Smoke Society Onion Butter All-Purpose Seasoning on the corn.
- Black beans – The beans only need to be rinsed and drained. There’s no need to warm or season them because they’ll be mixed with all the other flavorful ingredients in the bowl.
- Cherry tomatoes – Quartered cherry tomatoes are the base for the fresh pico de gallo.
- Yellow and red onion – Using both gives the pico plenty of flavor and color.
- Jalapeño – Adds fresh flavor and a little heat. Remove the seeds for a milder pico de gallo.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Creates a creamy sauce without making the bowls feel too heavy. I used Chobani plain Greek yogurt.
- Unsweetened almond milk – Thins the crema to the perfect consistency for drizzling.
Instructions
Do not be overwhelmed by the number of ingredients and steps. It comes together rather quickly! And keep in mind, you can use store bought sauce, rice and even pico de gallo to make it even easier!
Make the Pico de Gallo First
Prepare the pico de gallo before starting the other components. This gives it time to chill and allows the tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice to come together.
Combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, diced yellow onion, diced red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt. Give everything a good stir, cover the bowl, and place it in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the meal.
Cook the Cilantro Lime Rice
Prepare the jasmine rice according to the package directions. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork and stir in a teaspoon of oil, fresh lime juice, and chopped cilantro.
The cilantro lime rice makes a bright, flavorful base for the barbecue chicken and toppings without requiring any complicated ingredients.
Make the Sticky BBQ Chicken
Slice one large chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces. Season both sides with Barbecue Butter Grill Seasoning, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for approximately 5–6 minutes per side, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Transfer the cooked chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet and brush it with barbecue sauce. Place it under the broiler for approximately 3 minutes, watching it closely, until the sauce is hot, sticky, and caramelized.
Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Resting helps the chicken retain its juices.
Char the Corn
While the chicken rests, add the well-drained corn to the same skillet. Season it with Onion Butter All-Purpose Seasoning and black pepper.
Cook the corn over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the excess moisture cooks away and the kernels develop a deep golden-brown char. Using the same skillet adds even more flavor to the corn.
Make the Cilantro Lime Crema
Add the Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, salt, and one tablespoon of almond milk to a small food processor. Blend until smooth.
Add another splash of almond milk if needed until the crema is thin enough to drizzle. Taste and adjust the lime juice, cilantro, or salt as desired.
A prepared cilantro lime crema or avocado lime dressing can be used when you need a shortcut.
Assemble the BBQ Chicken Bowls
Divide the cilantro lime rice among four bowls. Arrange the sliced barbecue chicken over the rice, then add the charred corn, pico de gallo, and black beans.
Add fresh lime wedges and drizzle the cilantro lime crema over the chicken. Finish the bowls with more chopped cilantro and an additional drizzle of barbecue sauce, if desired.
Helpful Tips
- Slice the chicken into evenly sized pieces so it cooks at the same rate.
- Keep a close eye on the chicken under the broiler. Barbecue sauce contains sugar and can burn quickly.
- Drain the corn thoroughly before adding it to the skillet. Excess liquid will cause it to steam instead of char.
- The crema should be thin enough to drizzle but not watery. Add the almond milk a little at a time.
- Taste the pico after it has rested and add more salt or lime juice if needed.
Variations and Topping Ideas
These bowls are easy to customize with whatever you have available. Try adding diced avocado, shredded pepper jack cheese, chopped romaine lettuce, pickled red onions, sliced green onions, or crushed tortilla chips.
You can also replace the jasmine rice with brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or a bed of chopped lettuce.
For less heat, use a mild barbecue sauce and remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño. For more heat, keep the jalapeño seeds and add sliced fresh jalapeños when serving.
Meal Prep and Storage
These BBQ chicken bowls are a great option for meal prep. Store the rice, chicken, corn, and black beans in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Keep the pico de gallo and cilantro lime crema in separate containers so they stay fresh and cold. Reheat the chicken, rice, corn, and beans, then add the pico, crema, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro after heating.
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
BBQ Chicken Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice
Ingredients
For the Pico de Gallo
- 8 oz Cherry Tomatoes, quartered or 8 oz of any tomatoes, diced small
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1/2 Red Onion, Diced
- 1 Jalapeno, diced
- 1/2 cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- Juice of 1 Lime
- 1/2 tsp each Garlic Powder and Salt
For the Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 Cup Uncooked Jasmine rice
- Water, according to package directions
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- Juice of 1 Lime
- 2 tsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
For the BBQ Chicken
- 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 tsp BBQ Seasoning use any kind you like
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 – 1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce
For the Charred Corn
- 2 (15 oz) Cans of Corn, well drained
- 2 tsp All Purpose Seasoning
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
For the Cilantro Lime Crema
- 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tbsp Almond Milk or whatever milk you have on hand. Can even use chicken broth or water
For the Bowls
- 15 oz Can of Black Beans, rinsed and drained
- Fresh Lime Wedges
- Additional Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Instructions
For the Pico De Gallo
- Add the cherry tomatoes, yellow onion, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt to a bowl. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
For the Rice
- Cook the jasmine rice according to the package directions. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, then stir in the oil, lime juice, and cilantro. Set aside and keep warm.
For the Chicken
- Slice the chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces. Season both sides with the Barbecue Butter Grill Seasoning, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for approximately 5–6 minutes per side, or until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Preheat the broiler. Transfer the cooked chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with barbecue sauce. Broil for approximately 3 minutes, watching closely, until the sauce is hot and sticky.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
For the Corn
- Add the well-drained corn to the same skillet used for the chicken. Season it with All-Purpose Seasoning and black pepper. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the corn develops a deep golden char.
For the Crema
- Add the Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon of almond milk to a small food processor. Blend until smooth. Add additional almond milk as needed to reach a pourable consistency.
- Assemble the bowls and enjoy!
Notes
Notes
- A store-bought cilantro lime crema or avocado lime dressing may be substituted for the homemade crema, as well as store-bought pico de gallo and rice!
- Drain the canned corn very well to help it develop a good char.
- Broilers vary considerably. Watch the chicken closely so the barbecue sauce does not burn.
- Remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño for less heat.
- Keep the pico and crema separate when preparing these bowls for meal prep.
Nutrition Information
Calories: Approximately 675Carbohydrates: Approximately 91g
Protein: Approximately 51g
Fat: Approximately 11g *Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only. Actual values will vary based on the brands, exact measurements, substitutions, and serving sizes used.
