Chipotle Burrito Bowl Flavorful (Printable Version)

A vibrant bowl featuring juicy carnitas, cilantro lime rice, beans, queso, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

# What You Need:

→ Carnitas

01 - 2 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into large chunks
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp dried oregano
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 small onion, quartered
10 - 1 orange, juiced
11 - 1 lime, juiced
12 - 1 cup chicken broth

→ Cilantro Lime Rice

13 - 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
14 - 3 cups water
15 - 1 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 tsp salt
17 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - 1 lime, juiced

→ Beans

19 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
20 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
21 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
22 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Queso

23 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
24 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
25 - 3/4 cup whole milk
26 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
27 - 1 tbsp butter
28 - 1 jalapeño, minced (optional)

→ Tomato Salsa

29 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
30 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
31 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
32 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
33 - 1 lime, juiced
34 - Salt, to taste

→ Guacamole

35 - 2 ripe avocados
36 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
37 - 1 small tomato, diced
38 - 1 lime, juiced
39 - Salt and pepper, to taste
40 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

→ For Serving

41 - 1 cup sour cream

# Steps:

01 - Season pork with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown pork on all sides. Add garlic, onion, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 2 hours until pork is tender and shreds easily. Remove pork, shred with forks, return to pot, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken sauce.
02 - Rinse rice until water runs clear. Combine rice, water, olive oil, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes, fluff with fork, then stir in cilantro and lime juice.
03 - Combine black beans, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until warmed through.
04 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened. Add shredded cheeses and minced jalapeño, stirring until fully melted and smooth. Keep warm.
05 - Mix diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl until well combined.
06 - Mash avocados in a bowl. Stir in red onion, tomato, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper until combined.
07 - Layer cilantro lime rice, beans, shredded carnitas, queso, tomato salsa, sour cream, and guacamole in serving bowls. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can make everything ahead and still have it taste fresh, which means less stress when friends come over.
  • The carnitas are so tender and flavorful that people always ask if you went to a restaurant.
  • Customizing each bowl means everyone gets exactly what they want without fuss or judgment.
02 -
  • The carnitas absolutely need those 2 hours—rushing them by cranking up the heat will leave you with tough meat instead of the fall-apart texture that makes this dish work.
  • Don't assemble the bowls until you're ready to eat; the queso will stiffen as it cools and the salsa will make everything soggy if it sits.
  • Cornstarch in the queso is crucial—it prevents the cheese from separating when it cools, something I learned the hard way on my second attempt.
03 -
  • If you have time, crisp the shredded carnitas under a broiler for 2-3 minutes before serving—those crispy edges add incredible texture contrast.
  • Keep all your components warm but not hot; room temperature carnitas and slightly warm rice and queso create the perfect balance instead of everything being scalding.
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