These healthy taco rice bowls with chicken are a quick, wholesome way to enjoy your favorite Mexican flavors—without the guilt! Juicy minced chicken, fluffy brown rice, crunchy veggies, zesty salsa and a 5-ingredient guacamole come together in a nutritious, high-protein bowl that’s perfect for meal prep or easy weeknight dinners. And the secret ingredient that makes this ground chicken taco bowl recipe special: smoky chipotle!
Why you’ll love this taco rice bowl
- Healthy & balanced: A high-protein taco bowl packed with lean grilled chicken, whole grains, and fresh veggies for a nutrient-dense meal.
- Perfect for meal prep: These healthy taco bowls stay fresh for days, making weekday lunches easy and satisfying.
- Family-friendly: A quick balanced bowl recipe everyone will love—customize toppings for even picky eaters.
- Wholesome ingredients: Made with clean eating staples—no ultra-processed sauces or additives.
- Versatile & gluten-free: Serve it with brown rice, quinoa, or lettuce for a low-calorie chicken taco bowl.
- Full of flavor: A zesty, restaurant-style Mexican chicken bowl that’s both delicious and healthy.
- Secret ingredient: Chipotle added to the spice mix gives the chicken a unique smoky flavor you don’t want to miss.
Recipe video
Let’s see how to make these high protein taco bowls:
Ingredients
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page. Here are step-by-step instructions with pictures to help you easily understand the recipe.)
- Chicken: You can buy minced chicken or buy boneless breasts or thighs and mince them yourself. (Click here to learn how to mince chicken easily.)
- The spices are almost the same as in the fish taco bowl recipe: cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika. You can skip the cayenne if you don’t want your taco bowl to be spicy.
- I’ve added a special ingredient in this recipe that gives an amazing flavor to chicken, which I also used in chipotle chicken burger. You guessed it right: it’s chipotle!
- Rice: I’ve used a mix of brown and white rice. You can use either. If you want a flavorful rice recipe, try the cilantro lime basmati rice.
- Black beans: Canned or dried, both work here.
- Salsa: I’ve used a store-bought smooth salsa here. You can also use spicy mango salsa with jalapeños, mango salsa with corn or pineapple Pico de Gallo salsa for variation.
- 5-ingredient guacamole: made with avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and salt, this is the easiest guacamole, but a flavor bomb! Another equally delicious option is the easy avocado crema.
- Vegetables: Adding bell peppers and spinach makers it a balanced bowl with a lot of fibre.
- Tomato paste: Quicker and easier than adding chopped tomatoes.
How to make a high protein taco bowl
Cook rice and beans
Cook rice as per instructions. (If you need help in cooking rice, check out this recipe.)
If you’re using dried black beans, soak them for a couple of hours and pressure-cook them (or you can use the instant pot). (Please let me know if you need specific instructions in the comments section below.)
Sauté aromatics
Sauté finely chopped onions. Once they turn translucent, add minced garlic and chopped jalapeno and stir for a couple of minutes.
Add tomato paste and stir on low flame.
Taco seasoning
Add the minced chicken. Mix the taco seasoning in a small bowl and add to the chicken.
Minced chicken with vegetables
Stir the chicken with the spices and the onion mixture until all of the chicken turns opaque.
Add finely diced bell peppers and stir for a few minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro. Keep aside.
5-ingredient guacamole
This is the same simple guacamole I use in shredded tofu wraps.
Dice the avocados. Finely chop jalapeno and cilantro. Place them in a bowl and add salt and lemon juice. Mash everything together.
You can make the guacamole smooth or a little chunky, whatever you prefer.
Build your balanced bowl
Assemble rice, beans and chicken in a bowl. Add dollops of guacamole and drizzle salsa on top.
Optionally, if you have 10 minutes, you can make this Greek yogurt garlic dip for an even creamier experience!
Garnish with cilantro and sliced jalapeno.
More healthy and balanced bowls
What to serve with these protein taco bowls
This high protein taco bowl is a meal in itself. That being said, you can add more flavor and nutrition by pairing it with:
Healthy Taco Rice Bowls with Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked rice (2 cups cooked)
- ½ cup dried black beans (or 1½ cups canned)
Chicken mince with veggies
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 pound (450 grams) minced chicken
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 bell pepper
- ½ cup spinach (packed)
Guacamole
- 2 avocados
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- a few stalks of cilantro
For garnishing and serving
- ¾ cup tomato salsa
- 2 limes sliced into wedges
- 1 jalapeno sliced
- more cilantro
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
Cook rice and beans
- Cook rice as per instructions.
- If you’re using dried black beans, soak them for a couple of hours and pressure-cook them (or you can use the instant pot).
Sauté aromatics
- Finely chop 1 onion and 1 jalapeno. Mince 4 cloves garlic.
- Sauté the chopped onions. Once they turn translucent, add minced garlic and chopped jalapeno and stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and stir on low flame.
Prepare taco seasoning
- Prepare the taco seasoning in a small bowl: 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Cook minced chicken with vegetables
- Add 1 pound (450 grams) minced chicken to the onion mixture in the pan. Add the prepared taco seasoning.
- Stir the chicken with the spices and the onion mixture until the chicken turns opaque.
- Finely dice 1 bell pepper and add to the chicken. Stir for a few minutes.
- Add ½ cup spinach and cook until wilted.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro, roughly chopped. Keep aside.
5-ingredient guacamole
- Dice 2 avocados. Finely chop or mince 1 jalapeno and a few stalks of cilantro.
- Place them in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon lime juice and ¾ teaspoon salt.
- Mash using a potato masher or mortar and pestle.
- You can make the guacamole smooth or a little chunky, whatever you prefer.
Build your high protein taco bowl
- Divide the rice, beans and chicken into 4 portions and assemble them in individual bowls.
- Add dollops of guacamole to each bowl and drizzle salsa on top.
- Garnish with more cilantro and sliced jalapeno. Serve with lime wedges.
Video
Notes
- Rice: I’ve used a mix of brown and white rice. You can use either. Another option is to use the lime cilantro rice.
- Black beans: Canned or dried, both work here.
- Chicken mince: You can buy minced chicken or buy boneless breasts or thighs and mince them yourself.
- Salsa: I’ve used a store-bought smooth salsa here.
- Vegetables: Add a mix of multi colored bell peppers and spinach for better flavor and nutrition.
- Tomato paste: Quicker and easier than adding chopped tomatoes.
★★★★★Did you try this recipe? Please give a star rating in the comments below ★★★★★
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