Chipotle Chicken Rice Bowls
These chipotle chicken rice bowls are an easy, flavour-packed dinner made with smoky chipotle chicken, fajita-seasoned peppers and onions, Mexican rice, lime and feta corn, creamy avocado and a fresh jalapeño lime crema. They are quick to make, packed with colour and texture, and are perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a meal prep lunch.
Equipment
- Air fryer (I used the Ninja CRISPi)
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 chicken thighs
- ½ tablespoon chipotle paste
- 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning plus extra for sprinkling over for the onions and peppers
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion
- 1 pepper
Toppings
- 440 g cooked microwave Mexican rice
- 240 g sweetcorn drained
- 100 g feta crumbled
- 1 tablespoon coriander finely chopped
- 1-2 avocados sliced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ lime juice
Jalapeño lime crema (optional, can use sour cream instead or sour cream mixed with chipotle paste)
- 4 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 jalapeño
- Small handful coriander
- Half lime juice
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs to a bowl and coat with the chipotle paste, fajita seasoning, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well so the chicken is completely coated in the smoky, sweet and spicy seasoning.4 chicken thighs, ½ tablespoon chipotle paste, 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon olive oil, Salt and pepper
- For the air fryer, add the sliced onion and pepper to the bottom of a large air fryer with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of fajita seasoning. Place the tray or rack on top and add the chicken thighs. Air fry at 200°C for around 20 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking. If using an oven, add the onions and peppers to a baking tray and place the chicken thighs on top. Cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and the vegetables are soft.1 onion, 1 pepper
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the corn topping. Add the drained sweetcorn to a bowl with the chopped coriander, paprika, lime juice, crumbled feta, salt and pepper. For extra flavour, fry the corn in a dry pan or with a little oil until lightly charred before mixing it with the other ingredients. The charred corn adds a delicious smoky flavour to these chipotle chicken rice bowls.240 g sweetcorn, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ lime, 100 g feta
- Add the jalapeño, coriander and lime juice to a blender with half of the sour cream. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the remaining sour cream and stir well. Mixing it this way gives you a creamy sauce that still has plenty of fresh jalapeño and lime flavour without becoming too runny.1 tablespoon coriander, 4 tablespoon sour cream, 1 jalapeño, Small handful coriander, Half lime
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the air fryer and leave it to rest briefly. Remove the tray from the air fryer and stir the onions and peppers. Return them to the air fryer for a further few minutes so they can develop a little extra colour and char. While the vegetables finish cooking, slice the chicken and heat the Mexican rice according to the packet instructions and assemble the bowls.1-2 avocados, 440 g cooked microwave Mexican rice
Notes
For the best colour and texture, make sure the chicken, onions and peppers have enough space to cook properly. If your air fryer is smaller, cook the chicken and vegetables in batches. Overcrowding can cause the ingredients to steam rather than develop the delicious caramelised edges that make these chipotle chicken rice bowls so flavourful.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!