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Smoky, pan-seared chipotle chicken cutlets served with savory cilantro-lime rice cooked in chicken bone broth, charred sweet corn, black beans, romaine, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado—designed for flavorful, protein-packed meal prep lunches.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ pounds (800g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into thin cutlets
  • 2 tablespoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ cups (250g) long-grain white rice or jasmine rice, rinsed well
  • 1 ¾ cups (420ml) chicken bone broth
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 medium lime, zested and juiced
  • ⅓ cup (15g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 (15-ounce / 425g) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 ½ cups (200g) frozen sweet corn (no need to thaw)
  • 2 romaine hearts, chopped
  • 1 pint (300g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ small red onion, finely diced
  • 1 large avocado (save to slice just before serving)

Instructions

  1. Slice chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets.
  2. Rinse rice thoroughly.
  3. In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed rice, chicken bone broth, and kosher salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer rice for 15–18 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
  5. Turn off heat and let rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
  6. While rice simmers, toss chicken cutlets with minced chipotle peppers, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ground cumin, garlic powder, and kosher salt to coat well.
  7. Fluff rested rice with a fork, then stir in lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro.
  8. Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add marinated chicken in a single layer; sear 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F (74°C), cooking in batches if necessary; transfer chicken to cutting board to rest, leaving pan drippings in skillet.
  9. Add frozen sweet corn directly to the hot skillet; cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to sear, then stir and cook 2–3 more minutes until kernels have browned spots and absorb pan juices; remove from heat.
  10. Chop rested chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  11. Divide cilantro-lime rice, chopped romaine, rinsed black beans, charred corn, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, and chicken evenly among four meal-prep containers; keep avocado whole until serving.

Notes

Halved cherry tomatoes help keep lettuce and rice from becoming soggy by holding their juices inside., Store bowls in airtight containers and keep avocado separate until serving to prevent browning., Reheat rice and chicken base separately from fresh greens to maintain crispness., Flip chicken cutlets only when edges are opaque to avoid tearing the spice crust., Do not thaw corn before searing to lock in crispy char and flavor., Bent to keep quinoa, tofu, flank steak, shrimp, or other grains/proteins as suitable swaps.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://theproteincook.com/chipotle-chicken-meal-prep-bowls-with-bone-broth-rice/