How do you turn chicken and rice into an easy bowl meal? Start with a good salsa. Chicken and rice give you the base, but a fresh salsa over the top gives the bowl its flavor and ties everything together.
This is a good way to use cooked rice, leftover chicken, and whatever toppings you already have in the fridge. It is simple enough for a weeknight, flexible enough for lunch the next day, and easy to keep mild or up the spice level.
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Recipe Summary
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus time to make the salsa
Cook Time: none if using cooked rice and chicken
Best For: lunch, easy dinner, meal prep, leftover rice
Ingredients
For the bowls
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 1 avocado, sliced
- plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- lime wedges, for serving
For the salsa
- 1 Shawhan Farms Hatch Chile Salsa Starter
- tomatoes, prepared according to package directions
Use what you have
- shredded lettuce
- chopped cilantro
- diced red onion
- crushed tortilla chips
- shredded cheese
Instructions
1. Make the salsa
Prepare the Shawhan Farms Hatch Chile Salsa Starter according to the package directions, then let the salsa meld in the fridge overnight. Canned tomatoes are the quick option, and fresh tomatoes give you the best flavor.
2. Warm the base ingredients
Warm the rice, chicken, beans, and corn if needed.
3. Build the bowls
Divide the rice among bowls, then add the chicken, beans, and corn. Top with avocado, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and any extras you want to use.
4. Spoon over the salsa
Finish each bowl with a generous spoonful of the Hatch chile salsa and serve with lime wedges.
Why This Works
Chicken and rice are easy to keep on hand, and both work well with a fresh salsa. The beans and corn add more substance, the toppings add texture, and the salsa gives the bowl the brightness and flavor that pull everything together.
Our Hatch Chile Salsa Starter works especially well here because it helps you make a really good salsa yourself. Once it is made, you can use it here and still have more for eggs, quesadillas, potatoes, or lunch the next day.
Kitchen Notes
This is a good use for leftover rice or rotisserie chicken.
If you want a warmer bowl, heat the chicken, beans, and corn together in one skillet before serving.
Kitchen Variations
- use cauliflower rice if that is what you have
- swap black beans for pinto beans
- add shredded cheese for a richer bowl
- use the same bowl filling in tortillas for wraps or burritos
- make extra salsa and use it on eggs, quesadillas, or baked potatoes the next day
Looking for more recipe ideas? Browse our Recipe of the Week collection
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