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These southwest chicken bowls are packed with fresh and zesty flavors and are perfect for meal prepping! Fluffy rice is topped marinated and grilled southwest chicken, black bean and corn salsa, and a creamy cilantro lime dressing. They’re balanced, healthy, and pack a punch of flavor in every bite!
If you love these chicken bowls, then I’m positive you’ll love my Thai peanut chicken bowls, chicken tinga bowls, and chicken gyro bowls!
Why You’ll Love Southwest Chicken Bowls
Flavor in Every Bite – The chicken rice bowls are an explosion of fresh, vibrant, southwest flavors! Fresh cilantro, zesty lime, chili powder, cumin, sweet corn, savory black beans, and a little spicy kick from the jalapeno.
Meal Prep – Meal prep these rice bowls on a Sunday and have them ready for quick and easy lunch or dinner. I like to store the components separately and then all I have to do is spend a couple minutes assembling the bowl and dinner is served!
Juicy Marinated Chicken – My southwest chicken is the main protein component of these bowls and WOW is it good! Flavorful spices, lime juice, and cilantro make up the simple marinade. I love to grill the chicken, but you can cook it on the stovetop or bake it in the oven if you prefer.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken – I like to use chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs work great too.
Chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder – Fragrant, earthy spices that are used in both the chicken marinade and the salsa. The blend is similar to a taco seasoning in flavor.
Cilantro and lime – Fresh, tart, and give the chicken and salsa it’s zesty flavor. If you don’t like cilantro you can omit it, but the flavor won’t be quite the same. Fresh lime juice is highly recommended over bottled.
Black beans – Be sure to drain and rinse the black beans before adding them to the salsa.
Corn – I typically use defrosted frozen corn or fire roasted corn for the salsa. If fresh is in season, I love to grill it and use that.
Red onion and jalapeño – Key flavors in the salsa. You can swap with white onion, but the flavor can sometimes be a little harsh when using it raw. If you don’t want the salsa to be spicy omit the jalapeño or use an Anaheim chile or poblano pepper in its place.
Greek yogurt – The base of the cilantro lime dressing. I recommend using 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt for the creamiest consistency and best flavor.
Honey – You may want a little sweetener in the dressing to balance the tart and tangy flavors of the lime and Greek yogurt.
Rice – White or brown rice can be used to make rice bowls. I typically use white jasmine rice. I love it’s soft, fluffy consistency.
Tips for Making Southwest Chicken Rice Bowls
- You don’t need to marinate the chicken overnight. I recommend 1-4 hours for chicken marinades that have citrus juice in them. If they marinate too long it changes the texture of the chicken.
- Because there are multiple components to making these bowls, I recommend prepping them ahead of time so that all you have to do is assemble and serve the day you plan to eat them.
- If you don’t want to make the cilantro lime dressing, you can always buy a store bought version. Trader Joe’s has a pretty good one. Keep in mind you’ll need a blender or food processor to make the dressing.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the steamed white rice with brown rice or my cilantro lime rice for even more flavor!
- Try a different marinade for the chicken. I love the one I use to make these honey chipotle chicken rice bowls.
- Use a different salsa. Pico de gallo or even this peach green chile corn salsa would be delicious!
Storage
You can store the components of the bowls separately or combined in meal sized portions. Whichever method you use, store the cilantro lime dressing separately. You don’t want to reheat that.
Reheating – The leftover rice bowls will keep for up to 4 days. The easiest way to reheat the leftovers is in the microwave. You can reheat the black bean and corn salsa or store it separately and add it to the bowls cold or at room temperature.
Freezing – The rice and chicken can be frozen, but I find it’s best to make the salsa fresh. Don’t freeze the cilantro lime dressing. The dairy in it will cause it to have a gritty, water texture once it’s been defrosted.
More Southwest Recipes
Growing up in Arizona and now living in Colorado, I’m no stranger to southwest cuisine and it’s one of my favorites to cook and eat. Below are some (but definitely not all) of my favorite southwest recipes.
If you make these Southwest Chicken Bowls, please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to your comments. And if you’re on Instagram tag @reciperunner so I can see your beautiful creations!
Southwest Chicken Rice Bowls
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 6 ounces plain Greek yogurt 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 2 teaspoons honey or to taste
- Half of a lime juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice white or brown rice
Instructions
Southwest Chicken
- Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a glass measuring cup and whisk them together. Place the chicken and marinade in a freezer bag. Press the air out of the bag and seal it. Massage the marinade into the chicken, then refrigerate it for 1-3 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking it. Preheat your grill or oven to 400° F. If grilling, clean and oil the grates.
- Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 4-6 minutes then flip it over and cook another 4-6 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165° F. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it.
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
- In a mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients for the salsa. Stir everything together. Taste and adjust with additional salt or lime juice if needed.
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Puree until the sauce is smooth. Taste for seasoning then pour it into a jar or bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Assembling
- Divide the rice into 4 bowls. Top with slices of the chicken, black bean corn salsa, and drizzle with the cilantro lime dressing. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.
Notes
- The bowls will keep for up to 4 days. Store the components of the bowls separately or in individual portions. It’s best to store the dressing separately.
- For even more flavor, swap steamed rice with my cilantro lime rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m guessing that this recipe would call for 2-4 chicken breasts. They are not listed in the ingredients. Could you clarify that for me? Thanks. It looks yummy!
You need 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts. There is a clickable link in the recipe card that takes you to the recipe for the southwest chicken.
We did a slight variation to the recipe. The flavors are excellent.
I found your site, looking to help my son get the carbs he needs for his mountain biking and swimming. Thank you for all your hard work. This is greatly appreciated.
Fantastic! Happy to hear this recipe was helpful!
My family loved these … very flavorful!
Wonderful to hear! Thanks for trying them out.