Topia Roasted Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe

Topia Roasted Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe - Serves 6

At Topia, nearly everything in this bowl is made from scratch—from the black beans to the guacamole. For this home version, I’ve simplified a few components and included easy substitutions so you can recreate one of our guests’ favorite meals wherever you live. The real star of the dish is Tía Marta’s slow-roasted chicken, so that’s where we’re focusing our attention.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ white onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the Bowls

• 3–4 cups cooked brown rice, white rice, quinoa, chopped romaine lettuce, or a combination (At Topia, we use chopped romaine and cooked whole-grain rice.)
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed, and warmed
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• ¼ white onion, finely diced
• ½ poblano pepper, finely diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Topia Guacamole (or 2 ripe avocados, sliced or mashed)
• Mexican crema (or sour cream thinned with a splash of milk or cream)
• Crumbled Cotija cheese (or queso fresco, feta, or grated Parmesan in a pinch)
• Thinly sliced watermelon radish
• Topia Salsa Macha (optional, or your favorite salsa)

Instructions

Make the Marinade

1. Place the tomatoes, guajillo chiles, pasilla chiles, garlic, onion, celery, bay leaves, and salt in a saucepan. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the chiles have softened.
2. Let cool for about 30 minutes.
3. Blend until completely smooth. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Marinate the Chicken

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and lightly pierce them with a fork.
2. Coat the chicken completely with the marinade.
3. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Cook the Chicken

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for about 3 minutes per side.
3. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
4. Place the chicken in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 200°F. Roast for 1 hour.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°F and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
6. Check that the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
7. Let the chicken rest for 15–20 minutes, then cut into large cubes.

Make the Pico de Gallo

1. Combine the diced tomatoes, onion, poblano pepper, and lime juice in a bowl.
2. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Assemble the Bowls

Divide your rice, quinoa, lettuce, or chosen base among six bowls. Top with the black beans, slow-roasted chicken, pico de gallo, guacamole, Mexican crema, Cotija cheese, and thinly sliced watermelon radish.

Finish with Topia Salsa Macha or your favorite salsa, if desired.

Make It Your Own

One of the best things about a burrito bowl is that there are no rules. Feel free to add roasted corn, black olives, pickled onions, jalapeños, tortilla strips, shredded cabbage, or any of your favorite toppings. Make it exactly the way you love it.