Mexican Rice Bowls

Quick, easy and healthy is the name of the game with these Mexican Rice Bowls! These rice bowls feature Cilantro Lime Brown Rice and a saucy chicken (or turkey!) fajita mixture to create a meal that’s flavorful and satisfying. 

If there’s one meal that’s on constant rotation in our house, it would have to be some kind of version of these Mexican Rice Bowls. The versatility of this recipe is one of the many reasons I love it and rely on it so often.

Keeping in mind the basic ratio of ingredients, the main components can easily be substituted to make use of what you already have on hand. Swap the chicken or turkey out for pork or beef, try using quinoa in place of the brown rice, use fresh chopped parsley instead of cilantro, or use a can of black beans instead of Navy beans. The options are endless—this one is all about making the cooking process easy on you!

How to make Mexican Rice Bowls 

For these bowls, I chose to keep the “formula” simple. For Mexican rice bowls you need just four main components. 

1. A grain base (rice, quinoa, millet)
2. Protein (chicken, turkey, beef, pork, tofu, tempeh)
3. Fajita veggie mix (bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, beans, hearty greens, etc.)
4. Toppings (avocado, cilantro, limes, toasted nuts, cheese, etc.)

This recipe for Mexican rice bowls features Cilantro Lime Brown Rice as the grain base, cooked chicken or turkey (hello Thanksgiving leftovers!) for the protein, and a mixture of bell pepper, onion, tomato and Navy beans for the fajita mix. Everything then gets topped with fresh cilantro, avocado and lime wedges. If you’re looking to add a bit of cheese, try Cotija, Chihuhua or Queso Fresco.

Something I recommend often—make this recipe a couple of times as written, then come back and take a look at the substitution ideas above and make a unique version of your own. The more you cook, the more confident you’ll become in the kitchen. And it all starts by following a recipe, making it multiple times, and eventually putting your own spin on it. Just my two cents. 😉

Using pre-cooked turkey or chicken

These rice bowls call for cooked chicken or turkey in an effort to help you use up leftovers (aka Thanksgiving turkey). Reducing waste and saving money! 

If you don’t have cooked turkey or chicken on hand but need something convenient, stop by the grocery store and pick up a rotisserie chicken—a great shortcut!

Otherwise, I like to grab a turkey breast tor a few chicken breast and cook those up on the stove top. 

Got leftover turkey? Try these recipes that feature cooked turkey…

Creamy Slow Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Chinese Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Turkey & Fig Paninis

Make sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or comment below if you make these healthy Mexican Rice Bowls!

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