This BBQ Chicken Bowl is fresh and full of flavor! With tangy BBQ chicken plus black bean and corn salsa on a bed of cilantro lime rice, then drizzled with BBQ sauce and creamy ranch, the combo of flavors and textures is SO good.
These BBQ bowls might just be my favorite meal prep recipe of all time! All of the components are easily made ahead of time then kept in the fridge until it’s time to eat.
Then, it’s just a matter of a few minutes to assemble the bowls and lunch or dinner is made!
We’ve got a bed of bright and zesty cilantro lime rice and juicy BBQ chicken. Black bean and corn salsa plus pico de gallo bring lots of veggie power to this BBQ rice bowl, then we have cheddar and creamy avocado, plus a couple of drizzles of BBQ sauce and ranch. Finally, I’ve topped off this BBQ Chicken Bowl with French fried onions for crunch.
This BBQ chicken rice bowl is fast, fresh, and fantastic!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Meal-prep worthy – You’re definitely going to want to meal-prep this one! It feels so great knowing all of the components for these BBQ bowls are in the fridge and ready to go, for an easy low-effort meal anytime.
- Versatile – The beauty of bowls is that they’re so easy to customize for individual tastes and diets. If someone’s avoiding dairy, just leave off the cheese. Kids not crazy about avocado? More for someone else!
- Healthy – These bowls are a great source of protein plus offer a variety of veggies for a wide range of nutrients.
- They taste amazing! – I am completely in love with how the flavors and textures all work together in this delicious BBQ chicken bowl.
Recipe Notes
This BBQ Chicken Bowl recipe is as simple as promised! Just a a few minutes for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make a BBQ Chicken Bowl to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cilantro lime rice – With fresh chopped cilantro and tart lime juice, my Cilantro Lime Rice is full of flavor and the perfect base for bowls.
- BBQ chicken – Prepare my 30-Minute BBQ chicken breasts. Another option is to go with shredded BBQ chicken bowls. My Crock Pot BBQ Shredded Chicken is perfect, and super easy to make, too!
- Black bean corn salsa – Fresh and feisty black bean corn salsa is made with corn, beans, cilantro, red onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno, and citrus juice.
- Pico de gallo – This chunky Mexican salsa has tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, onion, lime juice, and fresh cilantro. It can be found in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores, or you can easily whip up a batch of my homemade pico de gallo recipe.
- Avocado – Creamy avocado is the perfect counterpoint to the spicy, crisp, and tangy components in this barbecue chicken bowl. To check for ripeness, the avocado should give just a little when pressing on it. Once it’s just right, keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it.
- Cheddar cheese – I love shredded cheddar in these BBQ bowls, but shredded pepper jack would be great, too.
- BBQ sauce – Whip up a batch of homemade BBQ sauce or grab your favorite variety at the store.
- Ranch dressing – Make homemade buttermilk ranch or spicy jalapeno ranch for an extra kick! Or pick up your favorite ranch dressing from the grocery store.
- French fried onions – Usually found in the condiment aisle at the grocery store, crispy French fried onions add the perfect crispy crunch to these BBQ rice bowls!
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Honey BBQ Chicken Bowl– Add a couple of tablespoons of honey to the BBQ sauce before drizzling over the top. I love the added sticky-sweetness!
- Hawaiian BBQ Pineapple Chicken Bowls– Swap in Hawaiian BBQ sauce and add pineapple tidbits or chunks to the bowls.
- BBQ Ranch Chicken Bowls– To add more ranch flavor to these BBQ Chicken Bowls, try ranch chicken bites or slow cooker ranch chicken in place of the BBQ chicken.
- BBQ Ground Chicken Bowls– Seasoned ground chicken is also excellent in these BBQ chicken bowls.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make BBQ Chicken Bowls.
Add rice to the bowl.
Top with BBQ chicken.
Add black bean and corn salsa and pico de gallo.
Arrange sliced avocado on top and sprinkle with cheese.
Drizzle extra BBQ sauce over the top.
Add ranch dressing and sprinkle on crispy fried onions.
Recipe Tips
- Use shallow bowls – There are a lot of layers here! You want to be able to grab a bit of everything in every bite, and in a deeper bowl, the BBQ chicken with rice and vegetables can get buried. Layer your ingredients in a shallow bowl so you can see (and get to) it all!
- Don’t skip the fried onions! – The crispy, onion-y crunch seals the deal. I think they’re mandatory!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Grab already-prepped ingredients – Many of the components of this BBQ pulled chicken bowl can be found already made at the store. Grab grilled chicken from the deli and chop it up then mix it with some BBQ sauce. Find black bean and corn salsa on the salsa aisle and fresh pico de gallo in the deli section. You have some options when you’re short on prep time!
- Plan ahead – Make the BBQ chicken and cilantro lime rice for meals earlier in the week, then save the leftovers for these BBQ Chicken Bowls later on.
- Meal prep it – Prepare all of the components ahead of time for this BBQ chicken bowl. Healthy and easy lunch or dinner will be a cinch in a day or two!
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Bowl
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of babecue, it will pair well with many of your favorite cookout or BBQ side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Classic Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad
- Jiffy Corn Casserole or Easy Mexican Cornbread
- Easy Baked Macaroni & Cheese
- Cowboy Baked Beans with Ground Beef
Recipe FAQ’s
How much protein do BBQ Chicken Bowls have?
With protein-rich ingredients like chicken, black beans, and cheese, these BBQ Chicken Bowls have approximately 30 grams of protein per serving.
How can I make this BBQ Chicken bowl vegetarian?
To make this bowl vegetarian, I’d suggest omitting the chicken and adding black beans such as my recipe for making canned black beans taste amazing. Drizzle a little extra BBQ sauce over the top.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Healthy Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Hibachi Bowl
- Baja Bowls
- Shredded BBQ Chicken Casserole
- Baked Southwest Chicken Casserole
BBQ Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
- 3 cups cilantro lime rice, prepared, warm
- 2 cups diced BBQ Chicken, warm or cold
- 1 cup black bean corn salsa
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ½ cup French fried onions
Instructions
- Gather 4 shallow bowls. Place ¾ rice in the bottom of each bowl.
- Top rice in each bowl with ½ cup diced or shredded BBQ chicken, ¼ cup black bean corn salsa, ¼ cup pico de gallo, and ¼ of the diced avocado.
- Then sprinkle on each bowl 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese and drizzle 2 tablespoons of each BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. Finish by topping with crispy french fried onions.
Recipe Notes
- Diced BBQ Chicken: Shredded BBQ chicken can be used instead.
- Cheddar cheese: Another favorite cheese will work here, too. Pepper Jack is delicious and adds a touch of heat.
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