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Quick and Easy Mexican Rice Bowls for Fall

These Mexican Rice Bowls are loaded with simple ingredients, but tons of flavor! They’re healthy, featuring plenty of fall vegetables that pair well with your favorite Mexican flavors. Learn how quick this chicken bowl recipe is to prepare and how you can customize this easy fall recipe according to your personal preferences!

photo of mexican rice bowls on a wooden table with an avocado half and forks

Click HERE to save this recipe for Fall Mexican Rice Bowls to Pinterest!

This post was originally a sponsored conversation with Bush Beans. I was been compensated for my time creating this recipe for Fall Mexican Rice Bowls, however all of the contained opinions are my own.

Creating this Mexican Rice Bowl Recipe

These Fall Mexican Rice Bowls are an easy recipe that I put together a few weeks ago.

I was chatting with Chef Connie Guttersen about putting together a new, simple family meal idea. Connie challenged me to create a recipe that aimed for simple, easy, and everyday.

She suggested that I develop a recipe that contained 2 varieties of beans, plus at least 2 vegetables and 1 grain for a nutritionally dense recipe. I should plan to use ingredients that could be found at any common, non-specialty grocery store. And, of course, it shouldn’t take too long to prepare.

I am a fan of simple and easy. Although I wanted my recipe to be everyday enough that it was accessible to readers, I didn’t want it to taste ordinary and everyday.

Mexican Rice Bowls for Fall

I chose to work on a Mexican Rice Bowl that could easily be adapted depending on what vegetables were on hand and in season.

Because we are in the middle of fall and merging into winter, I wanted to feature fall seasonal vegetables to create a Fall Mexican Rice Bowl.

That called for sweet potatoes and kale. Kale and sweet potatoes offer bright appealing colors and interest while also providing a diverse nutritional palate.

They also paired really well with kidney and black beans and the Mexican flavors of cumin and chili.

overhead photo of a mexican rice bowl with a slice of lime on top

Click HERE to save this recipe for Fall Mexican Rice Bowls to Pinterest!

Ingredients in this Recipe for Mexican Rice Bowls

I find that when I use seasonal, fresh vegetables I can really let the flavors of those vegetables shine. You don’t have to do a lot to make in season produce taste great.

  • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • Basmati Rice
  • Salsa
  • Red Onion or Yellow Onion
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Cumin
  • Chili Powder
  • Kale
  • Kidney Beans
  • Black Beans
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Salt and Pepper

Garnish and Topping Ideas:

  • Lime Wedges
  • Sliced Green Onion
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Cut Avocado Slices
  • Salsa or Hot Sauce
  • Dollop of Sour Cream
  • Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
  • Squeeze of Fresh Lime Juice
  • Shredded Mexican Cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this easy weeknight dinner, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Ingredient FAQs:

What is the Best Kind of Rice to Use for Mexican Rice Bowls

Honestly, use whatever rice you like best! My favorite kind of rice to use is Basmati, but regular white rice or brown rice would also work. You could also use Cilantro Lime Rice if you have a favorite recipe.

Substitutes for Rice in this Mexican Rice Bowl Recipe

Don’t have rice or don’t include that in your dietary plans? Try quinoa instead! We especially love this Roasted Poblano Cilantro Quinoa! Quinoa is a great way to get extra protein in your diet.

Do I Have to Use Chicken in Mexican Rice Bowls?

No! You can make this a vegetarian meal by replacing the chicken with extra beans (try pinto beans for 3 different varieties of beans), sautéed mushrooms, or Mexican seasoned plant-based meat crumbles.

If you prefer pork, you could try this recipe for Slow Cooker Southwestern Pulled Pork instead of chicken.

What Other Ingredients Can I Add?

You can easily swap out your fresh veggies according to season or personal preference. Other great vegetable additions or substitutions include

  • Green Bell Pepper or Red Bell Peppers
  • Sliced Mushrooms
  • Diced Butternut Squash
  • Spinach
  • Grilled Sweet Corn
  • Chopped Tomato

If you like extra heat, try including fire roasted green chiles, jalapeños, or minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the rice or vegetable mixture.

How to Make Fall Mexican Rice Bowls

Here’s a quick overview of how this recipe is made:

First, cook the rice with the water and salsa. Then, while the rice cooks, heat oil in a large sauté pan, such as a cast iron skillet.

After that, add the chicken and seasonings for the chicken. Cook through until chicken is done. Set chicken aside in a serving bowl.

Next, add more oil the large pan and sauté the onion. Then, add the sweet potato and spices. Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender. Next, add the chopped kale and cook until wilted. After that, stir in the drained beans.

When the rice is done, stir it in to the vegetable mixture until evenly combined. Serve the rice mixture in bowls topped with the Mexican chicken and your favorite toppings.

TIP: Try cooking the rice in the Instant Pot. Never done that before? The rice cooks up perfectly! Learn How to Cook Rice in the Instant Pot.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe for chicken burrito bowls. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Meal Prep Tips for Mexican Rice Bowls

Make a Plan: We’ve all been there. Dangerously near 5:00 pm. No plan. Minimal groceries on hand. Panic sets in. I do this far more than I care to admit (although sometimes that panic allows me to create something truly delicious, it is stressful).

Planning and shopping ahead make weeknight meals come together easily. And this Fall Mexican Rice Bowls is something you can easily add to your plan.

Prepare in Advance: Any chopping, slicing, or dicing that can be done in advance during less busy periods of the day will save you time during the dinner rush. In this meal, kale can be pre-chopped and the sweet potatoes can be peeled and diced ahead of time.

Cook Once, Eat Twice: Connie shared some great words of advice for all busy parents out there. She said “As far as busy night… one concept which works for me, is the cook once, eat twice.”

My Crock Pot Shredded Mexican Chicken would be perfect to prepare ahead of time to add on top of these Fall Mexican Rice Bowls. Cook extra meat and plan to use the chicken in another recipe the same week.

How to Store Leftovers

If you have leftovers of this recipe, it should be stored refrigerated in an airtight container. It is best eaten within 3-5 days.

Try this Mexican Rice Bowl Recipe!

Next time you’re looking for a unique burrito bowl recipe, give these Fall Mexican Rice Bowls a try! Did you love this fall take on Mexican food? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of these easy rice bowls with Mexican chicken!

More Easy Mexican Recipes:

Looking some more of my favorite favorite Mexican recipes? Check out some of these recipes, or browse the recipe index archives for even more great recipe ideas:

These Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos are a quick and easy vegetarian option for any Taco Tuesday Night or Cinco de Mayo Menu!

These Shredded Pork Tacos can be made using a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Each person can customize their toppings for this pork taco recipe as they see fit!

You won’t miss the meat in these Vegetarian Fajitas. They’re made with bell peppers and mushrooms, and flavored with a homemade fajita marinade!

Crispy Black Bean Tacos recipe features spiced black beans with a crunchy cilantro lime slaw, crumbled cheese, and creamy chipotle lime taco sauce. Enjoy it all stuffed inside a crispy corn tortilla. 

These Veggie Quesadillas are filled with spinach, onion, mushroom, and pepper jack cheese for a tasty vegetarian quesadilla recipe! Serve this quesadilla recipe with guacamole and salsa for dipping.

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What are your favorite tips for simple, easy, and everyday meals?

Fall Mexican Rice Bowls

Fall Mexican Rice Bowls

Yield: serves 4 - 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

These Mexican Rice Bowls are loaded with simple ingredients, but tons of flavor! They're healthy, featuring plenty of fall vegetables that pair well with your favorite Mexican flavors.

Ingredients

For the Rice:

  • 1 1/4 cup uncooked Basmati Rice
  • 2 cups Water or Chicken Bone Broth
  • 1/2 cup Salsa

For the Veggie Mixture

  • 1/2 of a Red Onion, diced
  • 8 ounces peeled and diced Sweet Potato
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 3.5 ounces chopped Kale
  • 1 can Kidney Beans, drained
  • 1 can Black Beans, drained
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the Chicken:

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, cubed
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder

Topping Ideas:

  • Lime Wedges
  • Avocado Slices
  • Salsa
  • Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese

Instructions

Making this Rice for the Mexican Rice Bowls

  1. In a saucepan, add the water, salsa, and rice.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid, and turn the heat all the way to low.
  3. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Then, remove from heat and let sit with the lid on for 5 minutes.

Preparing the Mexican Chicken

  1. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan. When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder.
  2. Cook, turning every couple of minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and browned on all sides. Remove chicken from the pan and transfer to a bowl.
  3. Add the chicken and seasonings and cook until the chicken is done. Set aside.

Cooking the Vegetables

  1. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Then, add the onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until tender.
  2. Next, stir in the sweet potato, cumin, and chili powder. Sauté until the sweet potatoes are tender.
  3. After that, add the chopped kale and cook just until wilted.
  4. Stir in the beans. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until beans are heated through.

Mexican Rice Bowl Assembly

  1. Stir the cooked rice into the vegetable mixture.
  2. Then, serve the vegetable and rice mixture in bowls. Top with cooked chicken. Then add your favorite Mexican toppings.

Notes

You can easily swap out vegetables according to season or personal preference. Other great vegetable additions or substitutions include

  • red bell pepper
  • sliced mushrooms
  • diced butternut squash
  • spinach
  • tomatoes

If you like extra heat, try including fire roasted green chiles or minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the rice.

My Crock Pot Shredded Mexican Chicken would be perfect to prepare ahead of time to add on top of these Fall Mexican Rice Bowls.

If you like pork, you could try this recipe for Slow Cooker Southwestern Pulled Porkinstead of chicken.

A variety of rice can be used as well. If your family prefers brown rice, that is a suitable substitute. Quinoa is another great grain substitution.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 388Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 68mgSodium 522mgCarbohydrates 42gFiber 10gSugar 6gProtein 34g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love it if you let me know what you think! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram at @goodlifeeats with the hashtag #goodlifeeatsrecipes so I can see what you’re cooking up in YOUR kitchen!

I have been compensated for my time creating this recipe for Fall Mexican Rice Bowls, however all of the contained opinions are my own.

Sarah

Monday 2nd of February 2015

Are the potatoes suppose to be boiled first, or are they just peeled, diced, and thrown into the skillet without boiling?

Katie Goodman

Wednesday 4th of February 2015

they are not boiled first.

Janet Fazio

Tuesday 23rd of September 2014

Just in time for fall. I work at home, so leftovers are a must in my life. Looking forward to trying this.

Julie @ This Gal Cooks

Friday 19th of September 2014

These look amazing, Katie! I love all of the fresh veggies, basmati rice and the sweet potatoes!

Renee

Wednesday 14th of November 2012

I made these this week with these changes: brown rice, chard (from my garden) instead of kale, and I left out the chicken. What a tasty dinner! I loved the sweet potatoes and the greens together. I was going to have the leftovers for lunch but I couldn't wait and had them for breakfast instead!

Ruby @ The Ruby Red Apron

Monday 12th of November 2012

These rice bowls sound delicious and nutritious!

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