Chicken Fajita Burrito Bowls

I mean who doesn't love a good Mexican feast, right?  I certainly do!  But I'm also savvy enough to know that too many ... um... feasts brings out the clothes fairy and somehow my pants start shrinking. So the kids and I took a different approach to this and had a healthier version of a Mexican feast. We grilled the chicken, cut out the tortilla and replaced it with brown rice, added some healthy veggies (still trying to eat that rainbow), a pop of zing with some zesty condiments and even managed to squeeze in a little creamy light sour cream and of course some very flavorful crunchies! 

We actually did have every intent to put these in bowls - ha.  But we were trying to spread everything out pretty so we had to settle for plates.  This super healthy meal went over like a champ with my littles, and I was a little bit surprised because they sort of raised their eyebrows when I told them we were going the brown rice route.  I am thankful, though, of how they get on board when I tell them that we are trying to do a recipe makeover to make something healthier.  They almost take it on as a personal mission.  #teamwork! Another thing about this meal is that you could have all of these elements made up ahead of time and throw this together for some amazing lunches! 

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Ingredients:

• Southwestern marinated chicken breasts
• I purchased a pack that came already seasoned - great time saver!
• Sweet corn niblets, drained or cut from the ear
• Canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• seasoned with cumin
• Red and yellow bell pepper strips
• Fajita seasoning
• Green onion tops, chopped
• Grape tomatoes, cut in half
• Caramelized onions
• Non-stick cooking spray 
• Tortilla strips
• I used the chili lime flavored ones 
• brown rice
• save time by using instant brown rice
• make it with chicken broth!  :) 
• Jarred taco sauce
• Jarred salsa verde 

Step-by-Step Photos:

SO MANY of these elements can be done ahead of time for a super quick dinner!
Drain a can of corn.

corn niblets, drained

Drain and rinse a can of black beans.  Season liberally with cumin for that great Mexican flavor.

black beans, drained and rinsed

I grabbed a handful of pepper strips from the freezer.  As I always say, the frozen ones break down faster, so they are perfect for this application.  I'm going to sauté them - but NOT in butter. I'm going to just use water.  Yep.  I'll keep adding water until they are soft.  As it cooks out, I'll add more.  I'm going for healthy, here.

red and yellow bell pepper strips in water

To add flavor to my pepper strips (since I'm not cooking them in butter or oil), I'm going to add some fajita seasoning to them.  This will really wake them up.

fajita seasoning 

 Chop some green onion tops.  They look really pretty if you slice them on the bias.

green onion tops, sliced thinly

 Cut some grape tomatoes.  These are the sweetest.  :)

grape tomatoes cut in half

To my bell peppers, I'm adding some caramelized onions.  Love, love, love caramelized onions.  Keep adding water if you need to.

caramelized onions, yellow and red bell peppers

While the veggies are still cooking down, let's cook the chicken.  I am preparing my cast iron grill pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Still trying to be healthy here.  

non-stick cooking spray

When the pan is really hot, add the southwestern seasoned chicken breasts.  You should hear it sizzle when you add them.  If you don't hear that, your pan is not hot enough.  Once you put them in there, don't mess with them.  Just leave them along for a while.  Allow the pan to do its thing so you can get some good grill marks.  They should release easily and not stick when they are ready to be flipped.

Southwestern seasoned chicken

Okay, let's do the other side.  I can't give you an exact cooking time.  It depends on the thickness of your chicken, your pan, the BTUs of your range, etc.

Chicken breasts cooking

Once your chicken are cooked through and the juices are clear (but please not overcooked), allow them to just rest while you are putting everything else together.

Chicken resting

I will say that you really should NOT open these until you are ready to use them.  Somehow if you open them just to "taste" them... they may evaporate straight out of the bag.  I know, right?  It didn't make sense to me, either.  :/ 

Here were the zip and zing we added to the top.  Yep, straight from the jar.

All you do is put a little of each item on the plates, slice the chicken, top it off with your crunchies and sauces, and away you go!

I'm sorry I didn't take a photo of the brown rice.  To save time, I used instant brown rice that I prepared with chicken broth to infuse extra flavor into it.  You can do that while your chicken is cooking.  If you make long cooking brown rice, start it first.

So here we have a gorgeous, balanced burrito bowl (plate?) that still gives us lots of flavor and crunchies, but a healthier version.

I hope you've enjoyed this recipe!  Here are some others I think you'll like:

Tiger Tail Pasta - a creamy, slightly spicy pasta dish with crawfish perfect for crowds. (could sub chicken)

Mexican Salsa - great summer fun!  Throw it all in the food processor and let it go!

Alice Springs Chicken - a favorite of a that steakhouse chain!

Mississippi Mud Puddles - great for grab-your-own parties!

Mojito Lime Mahi Mahi Tacos with Citrus Dressed Southwestern Slaw  - perfect for summer grilling!

Written Method:

SO MANY of these elements can be done ahead of time for a super quick dinner! 

• If you make long cooking brown rice, start it first. 
• Drain a can of corn.
• Drain and rinse a can of black beans.  
• Season liberally the beans with cumin for that great Mexican flavor.
• Grab a handful of pepper strips from the freezer.  Sauté them in water until they are soft.  As it cooks out, add more.   
• To add flavor to the pepper strips (since we are not cooking them in butter or oil), add some fajita seasoning to them.  This will really wake them up.
• Chop some green onion tops.  They look really pretty if you slice them on the bias.
• Cut some grape tomatoes.  These are the sweetest.  :) 
• To my bell peppers, add some caramelized onions.  Keep adding water if you need to.
• While the veggies are still cooking down, let's cook the chicken.  Prepare a cast iron grill pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Still trying to be healthy here.  
• When the pan is really hot, add the southwestern seasoned chicken breasts.  You should hear it sizzle when you add them.  If you don't hear that, your pan is not hot enough.  Once you put them in there, don't mess with them.  Just leave them along for a while.  Allow the pan to do its thing so you can get some good grill marks.  They should release easily and not stick when they are ready to be flipped. 
• If using instant brown rice, make it while chicken is cooking.  Prepare it with chicken broth to infuse extra flavor into it. 
• Okay, let's do the other side.  I can't give you an exact cooking time.  It depends on the thickness of your chicken, your pan, the BTUs of your range, etc. 
• Once your chicken are cooked through and the juices are clear (but please not overcooked), allow them to just rest while you are putting everything else together. 
• All you do is put a little of each item on the plates, slice the chicken, top it off with your crunchies and sauces, and away you go! 

Mojito Lime Mahi Mahi Tacos with Citrus Dressed Southwestern Slaw

For me personally, fish recipes can sometimes be a bit of a hit or miss... but this collaboration between my husband and myself is a slam dunk at our house!  The first time we made this, we just happened to have a couple of extra teenagers over and let's just say it was a winner all around, because the two of us ended up splitting one in the end that all those kids generously left over for us! The next time we made it, I'll be darned if my oldest didn't bring someone else by to "try them out!"   That time, I was prepared!  :) So when YOU make this, do yourself a favor and go ahead and make extras!

So many of you asked for the recipe to go on the blog that we had to make it again just for you.  Darn it!  HaHa! ... well, okay.  You've twisted our arms.  You're going to LOVE the big bold southwestern flavors, the big contrasts of textures, and the fact that you can go ahead and have another one because they are so healthy! 

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Ingredients: (around 9 servings)
Fish -

• 9 Mahi Mahi fillets 
• (typically come about 1" thick)
• McCormick Grill Mates Mojito Lime seasoning 
• small bag of fresh limes for squeezing over the fish (about 1/2 lime per fillet) 

Southwestern Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette - 

• 1/2 head purple cabbage sliced super thin
• 1/2 head Napa cabbage sliced super thin
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated on large hole of box grater
• 2/3 - 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped medium 
• 3/4 cup purchased (bottled) citrus vinaigrette or homemade 
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste  

Tacos - 

• Flour tortillas (fajita or soft taco sized)
• Guacamole (homemade or prepared) 
• Mexican crema or sour cream
• Fresh lime wedges

Step-by-Step: 

Allow for around one fish fillet per person.  Generously squeeze a few limes over the thawed fish fillets and season them generously with the mojito lime seasoning.  Allow them to marinate for around 30 minutes in the seasoning.  

Each bag typically comes with 2 - 3 fillets

Just in case you are wondering, this is only a partial recipe being shown here.  We did a few fillets earlier than the rest.  There are always multiple logistics at work at our house.   That said, there probably are at YOUR house, too!  With this recipe, you can just throw a few of the fillets on the grill at a time since the fillets come individually wrapped.  The rest of the ingredients are ready for when the others are expected home.

around 1/2 lime per thawed fish fillet 

This seasoning blend is the BOMB!  Sprinkle generously over the fish.  You can put it on the other side once it is on the grill.

McCormick Grill Mates Mojito Lime Seasoning Blend
I put a link there in case you can't find it.  And no, this is NOT a paid advertisement.  Just trying to be helpful.  :)

Looks great, huh?

So while our fish is marinating in fresh lime juice and mojito lime seasoning, let's make the a quick southwestern slaw to give us some bold flavors and some crunch!   Even some of the members of my family (and our teenaged guests) who HATE coleslaw like this stuff!  Hey - that's a big plus, all in its own!  

For the southwestern slaw, just combine all of the ingredients.  If you would like more or less of any of the ingredients, adjust as you'd like.

1/2 head purple cabbage (about 4 cups) 

I really like the Napa cabbage better than the regular variety because it's not as hard and fibrous. There is also no bitterness to it.  

1/2 head Napa cabbage (about 4 cups)

This cilantro in here makes it feel like we are going straight to the Baja peninsula!  

2/3 - 3/4 cup cilantro, rough chopped

It's getting very pretty, isn't it?

2 large carrots, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater

This is the citrus vinaigrette I found in the supermarket.  I was going to make some initially, but then we got so busy that we thought.... ehhh... let's just go with this.  And we ended up really liking the flavor.     

Citrus Vinaigrette

~ 3/4 cup citrus vinaigrette
Use more or less to your liking.

 Combine and season to taste.

black pepper

kosher salt

Our fish fillets are ready to go on the grill.  My husband loves to grill, so this is where I let him take over.  The grill needs to be fully preheated to around 400 degrees F.  I'm quite sure you could do these on a grill pan indoors if you needed to, as well.   

The fish are grilled seasoned side down first so that you can season the "naked side" while the first side cooks.  Each side probably takes around 4 - 5 minutes, but will depend on how hot the grill is and the thickness of the fish.  The fish are done when they are opaque, fork tender, and flake easily with a fork.  

Mahi Mahi fillets being grilled

After removing from the grill, the fish need to rest around 5 minutes.  This is how gorgeous they will look.  And they smell amazing!  After the resting period, break them into chunks with a fork or the grilling spatula.  

grilled Mahi Mahi fillets

During that 5 minutes resting period, you can warm up and slightly blister the tortillas.  If you warm them like this over a flame, please use long handled tongs!   I have my fire on about medium.  Cold tortillas are just NOT the same!  If you have an electric stove, perhaps you can put them into a skillet or on a griddle to warm them.  

 Call everyone down to dinner, because there is going to be some serious eating going on!

slightly blistered tortillas

Did I not TELL you?!  How gorgeous is this?

Serve your fish tacos with those warm tortillas, some southwestern slaw with the citrus vinaigrette, the grilled fish chunks (obviously),  I have some fire roasted corn guacamole in there, and some Mexican Crema drizzled on top.   And then... serve with some lime wedges to squeeze over the top!

Did I make a point of telling you that you may need extras?  

I used the fajita sized tortillas this time.  They are probably the smallest of the varieties out in the markets (about the size of your outstretched hand, including your fingers).  You can probably count on two tacos per adult if you use this size.  I find this size easier to eat and manage, and certainly more kid friendly.  

I hope you enjoyed this fabulous and easy family friendly recipe!

There are hundreds more in my Recipe Index, just waiting to be chosen and cooked!  You can also visit my Film strips for pinning page, to see whole recipes at a glance, and to click-and-go right to the recipe.

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Here are some bonus recipes for you:
Greek Tortellini Chicken Salad

Korean BBQ Shish Kabobs

Funky Monkey Morning Smoothies

Easy Meatball Sub Casserole

Creamy "Work Week" Chicken Enchiladas

Bananas Foster Cake

Written Method:

Allow for around one fish fillet per person.  Generously squeeze a few limes over the thawed fish fillets and season them generously with the mojito lime seasoning.  Allow them to marinate for around 30 minutes in the seasoning.  

Grill on a preheated grill (about 400 degrees F) until opaque, fork tender, and flakes easily with a fork.  This may take around 4 - 5 minutes per side, but will depend on how hot the grill is, and the thickness of the fish.  

After removing from the grill, the fish need to stand around 5 minutes. Then you can break them into large pieces with a fork or spatula for filling the tacos. 

For the slaw, just combine all ingredients and adjust the seasoning to your liking.   

Fill warm/blistered tortillas with southwestern slaw, fish pieces, guacamole, and crema.  Squeeze fresh lime wedges over tacos.