El Jefe Chicken Roots Bowl Copycat Recipe
Zesty & savory chicken, creamy cilantro lime sauce—my spin on the El Jefe Chicken Roots Bowl is inspired by Roots Natural Kitchen. It is so healthy & to die for!
Ingredients
- 5 Chicken Thighs
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 1 Cup Rice
- 1 Lime juiced
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic
- 2 Teaspoons Salt or to taste
- 2 Teaspoons Pepper or to taste
Chicken Marinade & Seasoning
- 1/2 Cup Cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic
- 1 Lime juiced
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
For the Bowl
- 2 Cobbs Corn roasted
- 1 Can Black Beans
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 1 Avocado
- 1 Cup Cilantro
- 1 Cup Green Onion
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Lime juiced
- 1/4 Cup White or Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
Suggested Toppings
- Feta
- Avocado
- Pita Chips gluten free
Instructions
- Begin with the chicken marinade. In a medium bowl, mix together the cilantro, garlic, juiced lime, paprika and salt. Add the 5 chicken thighs to the marinade.
- Stir the chicken around with a spoon so it is completely coated in the marinade. To get the most flavor, let the chicken thighs marinade for at least an hour.
- Cut the corn off the cobb and roast in the oven on 400° for 10 minutes, or until crisped. You can also char your corn on the grill.
- Rinse the rice, then add 1 cup of rice & 2 cups of water to a medium pot. Bring the water & rice to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, covered. Avoid lifting the lid while cooking to ensure it cooks evenly. Once it’s been about 15 minutes start checking every minute or so to see if the rice has reached the texture you desire.
- Once the cooking time is complete, turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for about 2 minutes. This will help give you fluffier grains.
- Fluff the rice using a fork.
- In the meantime, get your food processor or blender to make the Cilantro Lime Dressing. Blend the avocado, cilantro, green onion, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, & salt until it’s completely smooth.
- Chop the red onion into small pieces and the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Heat the black beans over the stove in a small pot for about 10 minutes on low-medium heat. You can also microwave them in a bowl for about a minute (or until they’re warm).
- Once the rice is fully cooked add lime juice, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper to make the cilantro lime rice.
- You will now cook the marinated chicken. To do this, get out a baking dish and set the chicken thighs in the baking dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken. Bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees. I like to finish baking the chicken by letting it broil allowing the outside to get crispy. To do this, set the oven to broil for the last 2-4 minutes of its bake time. Be sure to watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn!
- One the chicken is finished, cut it into bite sized strip or cubes.
- Assemble your Cilantro Lime Chicken Roots Bowls. Add the rice, chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, onion, and drizzle the cilantro lime sauce over your bowl. Sprinkle feta, slices of avocado, and a drizzle of sriracha as garnish!
- Enjoy!