Copycat Chipotle Steak Burrito Bowl Recipe: Healthy Burrito Bowl Alternative

This copycat Chipotle steak burrito bowl recipe is a dream come true for Tex-Mex bowl lovers such as myself.  Once upon a time, I struggled with my weight. Did you ever see the movie Just Friends with Ryan Reynolds? I kind of looked like him, but without the retainer.

…And the fame.

There were several reasons why I was losing the battle of the bulge but my love of Mexican or Tex Mex inspired food was probably the biggest culprit. I was constantly experimenting with fajitas, burritos, bowls, tacos, and quesadillas. I worked with combinations like chicken, beef, shrimp, bacon, ranch dressing and all sort of vegetables.

When I decided to change my life and start getting back into the shape like I was in my youth, I practically cut out all of those spicy foods that I loved. I was not a happy camper when it came to my diet but I did drop the extra weight.

Sure, occasionally I would rush out to the nearest Mexican food joint on my cheat days but those days just seemed so far and in between. My biggest problem was that I didn’t understand nutrition and how to cut corners so that I could still enjoy all the foods that were no good for me.

With that being said, I would not plan to eat this regularly. Calorie counting is hard enough even when you are eating right.

How Many Calories Are In the Copycat Chipotle Steak Burrito Bowl?

The fact that Chipotle allows you to customize your burrito bowls is a good thing and I will admit that you can eat healthy at Chipotle if you know what to order. Their website, allow you to customize your bowl and see the nutrition in real-time.

With a little planning, you can tell them exactly what you want without ruining all the hard work you’ve been doing through diet and exercise. However, if you’re on a budget, Chipotle and Hothead Burrito can get very costly.

Here is a nutritional breakdown of an average Chipotle order:

• White rice is 210 calories and 40 carbs. This is not a good choice. I would avoid all rice.
• Steak is 190 calories and 2 carbs. This is a good meat choice.  You could slightly improve with chicken.
• Black beans are 120 calories and 22 carbs. If you like black beans, add them.
• Fajita vegetables are 20 calories and 4 carbs. Add away.
• Fresh tomato salsa is 25 calories and 1 carbohydrate.
• Sour cream is 115 calories and 2 carbs.
• Cheese is 10 calories and 1 carbohydrate.
• Romaine lettuce is 5 calories and 1 carbohydrate.

If that is all you ordered, your total would be 575 calories and 33 carbohydrates. All in all, this is a pretty healthy meal but why not make it at home and save some of your hard-earned dough or spend it on something you really love like the Nintendo Switch or something.

Healthy Burrito Bowls at Home and on a Budget

This copycat steak burrito bowl recipe will make 3 servings so you can customize it for more or less. Feel free to use whatever meat you like best. Steak is not a healthier option but I just love the taste.

I know that cooking feels like work to some people but this recipe is really simple and takes no time at all. If you have young kids as we do, it feels like there is no time to do anything. I do love cooking so this is not a chore for me and who doesn’t love good Tex-Mex food?

As I mentioned above, I stay away from rice but if you must have rice, then be my guest. I’m just not a big fan of the taste and the calories and carbohydrates just aren’t worth it to me. I would rather invest in foods that I love like steak, chicken or shrimp. I prefer Quinoa as an alternative to rice.

The first thing you’ll need to do is to make sure that your meat is properly defrosted. In this case, I am using fresh stir fry steak from the local market. You can buy a cut of steak but be sure to slice it into smaller, more manageable pieces before cooking your masterpiece.

Preparing the Vegetables for your Burrito Bowl

Start off by spraying a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray or whatever cooking spray you love and placing it on medium heat. Add garlic and onion for a few minutes but make sure the garlic doesn’t brown. Once garlic cooks too long, it has a tendency to become bitter.

Next, you will add a package of regular stir fry vegetables or vegetables of your choosing. I like to add about 1/2 a cup of black beans as well but you’ll need to strain them first. Black beans come in a can and like most can goods, they contain lots of salt (sodium). Too much salt will cause bloating and water weight.  Stir the mix continuously.

With the veggies cooking, open a can of refried beans and microwave them for about 2 minutes. Stir before serving. Next, you will need to add about 3 oz of stir fry steak and a 1/2 a package of fajita seasoning. The steak will not take long to cook so don’t overcook it.

Finishing Up Your Copycat Chipotle Steak Burrito Bowl

In a bowl, add the stir fry veggies and black beans to the bottom. Top with refried beans, cheese, salsa, sour creme, avocado, and steak. After all is said and done. The total calorie count for you bowl should be around 546 and the carb count will be around 48.

This recipe presents itself as a budget-friendly alternative but it also focuses on keeping the calorie and carb counts to a minimum. 546 calories is still above my normal daily meal intake for a meal but the steak burrito bowl would make a for a great cheat day meal.

Substituting chicken for steak would further reduce the calories and will be better for your overall health. If you are not overly concerned with calorie or carbohydrate counts, add the ingredients that you love at Chipolte or Hothead Burrito. It will still be much cheaper to make at home.

Additional Resources

I have compiled some additional resources if you would like to make your recipes closer to the authentic Chipotle menu. Keep in mind that these recipes are not designed to be weight conscience, low calorie or low calorie. They are intended to mimic the taste found in the restaurant.

Chipotle Copycat Cilantro Lime Rice is a recipe from the folks over at theslowroasteditalian.com using long-grain jasmine rice, fresh cilantro, lemon, lime, and orange juice as well as many other spices.

Copycat Chipotle Chicken is a recipe from the folks over at browneyedbaker.com using red onion, garlic, adobo sauce, olive oil and other spices.

Easy Copycat Chipotle Pico De Gallo is from the folks at http://myfrugaladventures.com using lime and cilanto along with fresh tomato, jalapeno, and red onion.

Copycat Chipotle’s Corn Salsa is a recipe from the folks at makingthymeforhealth.com. This recipe uses sweet corn, lime and lemon, cilantro, jalapeno as well as many other spices.

Chipotle Guacamole is a great recipe from the folks at stylecaster.com that uses avocado, lime, cilantro and jalapenos to mimic the wonder flavored salsa from Chipotle.

Chipotle Copycat Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas is a recipe from the folks at theslowroasteditalian.com that incorporates pork shoulder, olive oil, rosemary and bay leaves as well as many other spices.

Please be sure to check out our other great healthy, budget-friendly meals such as healthy dinner recipes, healthy chicken recipes, seafood dinners on a budget and low calorie and low carb snacks