Chipotle Burrito Bowl (Printable)

A vibrant bowl with tender carnitas, zesty cilantro rice, beans, queso, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

# What You Need:

→ Carnitas

01 - 2 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into large chunks
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp dried oregano
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 small onion, quartered
10 - Juice of 1 orange
11 - Juice of 1 lime
12 - 1 cup chicken broth

→ Cilantro Lime Rice

13 - 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
14 - 3 cups water
15 - 1 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 tsp salt
17 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Beans

19 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
20 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
21 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
22 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Queso

23 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
24 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
25 - 3/4 cup whole milk
26 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
27 - 1 tbsp butter
28 - 1 jalapeño, minced (optional)

→ Tomato Salsa

29 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
30 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
31 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
32 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
33 - Juice of 1 lime
34 - Salt, to taste

→ Guacamole

35 - 2 ripe avocados
36 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
37 - 1 small tomato, diced
38 - Juice of 1 lime
39 - Salt and pepper, to taste
40 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

→ For Serving

41 - 1 cup sour cream

# How-To:

01 - Season pork with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown pork on all sides. Add garlic, onion, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours until pork is tender and shreds easily. Remove pork and shred with forks. Return shredded pork to pot and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken.
02 - Rinse rice until water runs clear. In a saucepan, combine rice, water, olive oil, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice.
03 - In a small saucepan, combine black beans, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat over medium heat until warmed through.
04 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened. Add shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses and jalapeño. Stir until melted and smooth. Keep warm.
05 - In a bowl, combine diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Mix well.
06 - Mash avocados in a bowl. Stir in red onion, diced tomato, lime juice, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper until combined.
07 - Layer cilantro lime rice, beans, carnitas, queso, tomato salsa, sour cream, and guacamole in serving bowls. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Carnitas so tender and juicy they literally melt on your tongue, none of that dry shredded meat situation.
  • You make everything from scratch, which means you control the salt and actually taste real food instead of preservatives.
  • It's a build-your-own situation, so picky eaters and adventurous folks eat together without drama.
02 -
  • The carnitas need two full hours of low heat—rushing it at high temperature will give you dry, stringy meat instead of that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • Make the guacamole last, right before serving, because it oxidizes and turns brown within minutes of mashing.
  • Toast your rice in a dry pan for two minutes before adding water; it changes the whole flavor profile from plain to nutty.
03 -
  • Mise en place is everything—chop and prep everything before you start cooking carnitas, because once the pot is going, you don't want to stop and start.
  • The queso will break if you add the cheese too fast or at too high a temperature, so keep the heat medium and add the cheese slowly while stirring.
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