Southwest chicken bowls are made with cilantro lime rice, black beans, corn, pico de gallo, shredded Mexican cheese, and avocado dressing.
This easy bowl recipe is a fresh and flavorful meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights when you need a quick and easy dinner that doesn’t skimp on flavor. Packed with lean protein, fiber, and fresh toppings, this dish brings together bold Tex-Mex flavors in a balanced and satisfying way.
The creamy avocado cilantro dressing ties everything together, adding a smooth contrast to the spiced chicken and zesty rice. This is based on my easy avocado lime salad dressing recipe with a few adjustments.
Whether you’re feeding the family, meal prepping for the week, or hosting a casual dinner, these Southwest Chicken Rice Bowls are a guaranteed hit. Serve them with extra toppings like sliced jalapeños, diced avocado, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice for an extra flavor boost.
Looking for another taco-inspired dish? Try my cheese taco pasta or my taco mac and cheese.
Recipe Highlights
- Easy Recipe – The whole meal is quick! It comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Perfect for Meal Prep – Great for meal prep if you like to make your lunches and dinners ahead of time. Just assemble the bowls and store them in the fridge for grab-and-go meals throughout the week.
- Customizable – Swap ingredients to fit your dietary needs and preferences.
Jump to:
Ingredients
For the Bowls:
- Olive oil – To cook the chicken.
- Chicken breast – Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Taco seasoning – This is usually a blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, black pepper, and sometimes cayenne for a little heat and corn starch for thickening. A packet has about 3 tablespoons total. Using a packet is convenient, and you won't need to pull out 10 different jars, hurray!
- Cooked rice (white or brown) – Pick your favorite grain. Brown rice is pictured in my recipe.
- Fresh cilantro & lime juice – Adds a bright, fresh kick to the rice.
- Salt – Enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
- Black beans – Drained and rinsed.
- Corn – Drained
- Pico de gallo – Pico de gallo is a fresh, uncooked mix of chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime. You can usually find pico de gallo in the refrigerated section near fresh salsas, deli salads, or pre-packaged fresh produce in most grocery stores.
- Mexican blend shredded cheese – This is typically a blend of Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, queso quesadilla, and asadero cheese.
For the Avocado Dressing:
- Ripe avocado – Pitted and scooped.
- Sour cream – Adds a smooth, tangy texture.
- Lime juice – Helps balance the richness and keeps the avocado crema from browning.
- Fresh cilantro – Infuses the dressing with bright, herby notes.
- Milk – Thins out the dressing.
- Garlic powder, cumin, and salt – Enhances the dressing with warm, savory depth.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Dice the chicken into 1-inch cubes. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until almost done, about 4–5 minutes.
Add the taco seasoning and a ½ cup of water. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 3 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74ºC). Remove from heat and set aside.
While the chicken cooks, toss the cooked rice with lime juice, chopped fresh cilantro, and salt (to taste, start with ¼ teaspoon) and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, combine all of the avocado dressing ingredients, blending until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can add an extra splash of milk, if desired, for a thinner consistency dressing.
To assemble, divide the cilantro lime rice evenly among four bowls. Top each bowl with cooked chicken with sauce, black beans, corn, pico de gallo, and shredded cheese. Top with the avocado dressing or serve it on the side.
Rice: Cooked vs Uncooked
This recipe calls for cooked rice, which means the rice should be fully prepared before mixing it into the filling. If you’re short on time, you can use parboiled rice, which cooks faster, or frozen pre-cooked rice for convenience. Just make sure whatever rice you use is prepared before adding it to the bowl.
For white rice, You’ll need about ⅔ cup of dry rice to make 2 cups cooked. For brown rice, use 1 cup dry rice since it doesn’t expand as much as white rice when cooked.
Substitutions
- Chicken → Use ground chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, or crumbled tofu for a different protein.
- Taco seasoning → Substitute with about 3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning or substitute with a packet of fajita seasoning.
- Rice → Swap for quinoa, cauliflower rice, or farro (serving size may vary).
- Black beans → Try pinto beans.
- Corn → Fresh, frozen, or grilled corn all work well.
- Pico de gallo → Substitute with diced tomatoes and onions or salsa. Salsa is saltier than pico, so be sure to adjust the quantity to taste.
- Mexican blend cheese → Use cotija, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack cheese.
- Sour cream → Swap with Greek yogurt for a delicious and healthy alternative.
- Milk → Use buttermilk.
Equipment
- Large skillet to cook the diced chicken.
- Cutting board and chef's knife for dicing the chicken.
- Blender to make the avocado cilantro lime dressing.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, cover the chicken and rice with a damp paper towel in the microwave and add fresh toppings before serving. Keep the avocado dressing separately.
Dairy-based salad dressings can typically be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Using freshly opened sour cream and milk will help it last as long as possible. It is normal for the color of the avocado ranch dressing to change slightly.
Top Tips
- Use a meat thermometer. It's very easy to overcook diced chicken, so cook to temperature rather than estimated cook times.
- Taste as you cook. Taste the chicken. Taste the rice. Taste the avocado dressing. Make any adjustments you need (add salt, more lime, etc.).
FAQ
Yes! Store the ingredients separately and assemble the bowls after reheating the chicken and rice. Add the dressing just before serving.
Yes, you can definitely use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast! They’re juicier and more flavorful, though they may need a slightly longer cooking time. Be sure to temp your chicken.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear what you think! Please take a moment to leave a rating and review—it helps me create high-quality recipes and lets others know what to expect.
📖 Recipe
Southwest Chicken Rice Bowls with Avocado Dressing
Video
Ingredients
For the Bowls:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast about 2 breasts
- 1 packet taco seasoning plus ½ cup of water
- 2 cups cooked rice white or brown*
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice about half of a small lime
- salt to taste
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed (15 oz can)
- 1 can corn drained (15 oz can)
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
For the Avocado Dressing:
- 1 large ripe avocado pitted and scooped
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lime juice about one small lime
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Bowls
- Dice the chicken into 1-inch cubes. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until almost done, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the taco seasoning and a ½ cup of water. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 3 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74ºC). Remove from heat and set aside.
- While the chicken cooks, toss the cooked rice with lime juice, chopped fresh cilantro, and salt (to taste, start with ¼ teaspoon) and set aside.
For the Avocado Dressing
- In a blender or food processor, combine all of the avocado dressing ingredients, blending until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can add an extra splash of milk, if desired, for a thinner consistency dressing.
- To assemble, divide the cilantro lime rice evenly among four bowls. Top each bowl with cooked chicken with sauce, black beans, corn, pico de gallo, and shredded cheese. Top with the avocado dressing or serve it on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Love southwestern flavors?
Try one of these Tex-Mex inspired recipes.
Kelsey Smith says
I hope you all enjoy my recipe. Don't forget you can always customize the toppings to make your own perfect bowl.