Loaded up with tender, flavorful grilled chili lime chicken breast, garlic rice, lime salsa verde slaw and lots of your favorite taco toppings, these Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Taco Bowls are a healthy and delicious lunch or dinner.
You have had burrito bowls, but what about a taco bowl? These Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Taco Bowls with Salsa Verde Slaw are loaded up with everything you would expect to find in grilled chicken tacos including juicy grilled chicken coated in a spicy chili lime blend, tangy pickled red onions, flavorful slaw in a lime and salsa verde vinaigrette, creamy avocado, and crisp sliced radishes all served over a quick garlic rice.
They are healthy and delicious with a combination of lots of crisp and crunchy veggies, healthy fat from the avocado, and protein from the grilled chicken. All piled up in a big bowl, these Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Taco Bowls are super satisfying (they say eating from a bowl makes you happier after all) and perfect for lunch or dinner. You can even meal prep and make this ahead, so it really is the perfect recipe.
What’s in These Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Taco Bowls?
These taco bowls may seem like a lot of ingredients, but don’t let that intimidate you. They come together pretty quickly. Plus each part adds it’s own layers of flavor and texture, building to the perfect bowl.
The grilled chicken is tender and flavorful. Coated in a flavorful spice rub, the chicken gets a nice char and brings just a little smoky heat thanks to some chipotle powder. It is one of my favorite elements. But if you are sensitive to spice, you can substitute smoked paprika or just leave it out.
The garlic rice brings an extra depth of flavor, and it is super easy to make. Just sauté lots of minced garlic in a little butter before adding your rice and water to the pot. When cooking, the garlic softens and the garlicky flavor infuses throughout the rice.
How Do You Make the Lime Salsa Verde Slaw?
I am not usually a huge slaw fan, but there are sometimes when it is an absolute necessity. For example, nothing beats cool crisp slaw piled on a pulled pork sandwich and beef or chicken tacos are always better with a tangy lime slaw (like with these Chipotle Orange Brisket Tacos with Jalapeno Lime Slaw). And these Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Taco Bowls are another one of those times.
This Lime Salsa Verde Slaw, is a quick mix made with shredded cabbage, some tart lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, a couple of spoonfuls of your favorite salsa verde, and a little honey to balance out the spice with sweetness. With just a few simple ingredients, this slaw is super flavorful, adding the tang, spice, sweetness, and crunch that these taco bowls need. Plus if you have any extra dressing that collects at the bottom of the bowl, be sure to spoon this over your chicken when serving, simply delicious!
What Else Can I Add To These Grilled Chili Lime Taco Bowls?
I love to load these taco bowls up with lots of toppings. My favorites include fresh cilantro, sliced rainbow radishes, quick pickled red onions, extra salsa verde, and sliced or mashed avocado. You can also add some other taco toppings such as:
- Your favorite red salsa
- A spoonful of sour cream or greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar, pepper jack, monterey jack, or colby jack cheese
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Extra lime juice
- Grilled corn
- Pinto or black beans
Looking for More Healthy Taco Recipes?
It’s no secret that I love a good taco any way you serve it. If you are with me, check out some of my other favorite easy taco recipes:
- Chile Lime Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple and Poblano Salsa
- Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos with Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw
- Oven Baked Crispy Beef and Cheese Tacos
- Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Strawberry Avocado Salsa
If you make these Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Taco Bowls with Salsa Verde Slaw, don’t forget to comment and rate the recipe below to let me know what you think! You can also share your photos and tag me @NamasteHomeCooking on Facebook or @NamasteHomeCooking on Instagram. I love hearing from everyone!
Chili Lime Chicken Taco Bowls with Salsa Verde Slaw
Ingredients
Chili Lime Chicken
- zest from 1 lime
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
Pickled Red Onions
- 1/2 cup thin sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- pinch of salt
Garlic Rice
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp butter
Salsa Verde Slaw
- 1/4 cup lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp salsa verde
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cups shredded cabbage
Garnishes
- Cilantro
- Sliced radishes
- salsa verde
Instructions
- Make the quick pickled red onion in a small bowl by combining sliced onion, vinegar, and salt. Stir to combine and press the onion down if needed to submerge. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- For the rice, sauté garlic in melted butter over low heat for 1 - 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add rice and cook an additional minute to toast. Add water, increase heat to bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until rice is soft. Remove from heat, rest 5 minutes and fluff with fork.
- Preheat grill pan (or heavy cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat.
- Pound thicker parts of chicken breasts until even thickness (about 1 - 1 1/2 inches) - This is optional but helps it cook more evenly.
- Combine chicken seasonings in a small bowl. Coat chicken breasts with oil and sprinkle both sides liberally with seasoning to coat - the chicken should be covered in a good layer of seasonings.
- Grill chicken on medium-high heat, leaving undisturbed for first 6-7 minutes to ensure good grill marks. Flip and continue cooking, flipping as need to prevent burning, a total of about 20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165 (cooking time may vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken).
- While chicken cooks, mix together first 4 slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Add in shredded cabbage. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper.
- Rest chicken 5 minutes then slice.
- Assemble bowls with rice, slaw, sliced chicken, and desired toppings.