These burrito bowls are bright, handheld-lunch-friendly bowls: tender slow-cooker shredded salsa chicken piled over fluffy cauliflower rice, finished with creamy guacamole, melty cheddar, black olives and a dollop of sour cream for contrast.
The slow cooker does most of the work — cook the chicken on high for 4 hours (or 6 hours on low) with just 10 minutes active prep — which makes these perfect for back-to-school batch cooking and easy weekday lunchboxes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe is built for busy weeks: it packs well, stays tasty reheated, and keeps lunches interesting with simple toppings kids recognize.
Batch-cook the chicken and cauliflower rice once, then portion and mix-and-match toppings all week for quick, reliable lunches.
How to Make the Bowls
- Place 1 pound chicken breasts or chicken thighs and 1 1/2 cups salsa in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken using two forks so it soaks up the salsa juices.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the riced cauliflower (from 1 head cauliflower, riced) and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower rice is heated through and tender.
- Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (reserve a small amount for garnish if you like), then remove the skillet from the heat.
- Assemble bowls by making a base of the cauliflower rice, then top each portion with shredded salsa chicken, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 4 ounces guacamole, 4 ounces sliced black olives, 4 ounces sour cream, and additional chopped cilantro as desired.
- Divide the cauliflower rice and toppings between lunch containers. Place any extra sides in a separate compartment and pack the lunch bag with an ice pack if the meal will sit for more than a short period.
Pack Safely for School
Perishable components should be kept cold and refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking or assembling. Use an insulated lunchbox with at least one frozen or gel ice pack to keep food chilled until lunchtime.
Store guacamole, sour cream and other wet toppings in separate small airtight containers. If you’re packing bowls several hours in advance, keep the warm elements (chicken and cauliflower rice) chilled and add warm-ups onsite or reheat before packing.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
- Use an ice pack and an insulated lunch tote for packed lunches.
- Pack guacamole and sour cream in sealed containers and add them at mealtime if possible.
- Choose airtight portion containers to prevent leaks and cross-contamination.
Low-Carb Swap Ideas
This recipe already uses cauliflower rice as a low-carb base. To keep carbs low while varying textures, swap the cauliflower rice for a bed of chopped romaine or shredded cabbage for a crunchier bowl.
Small swaps help keep meals interesting without changing the core recipe.
- Use chopped romaine or shredded cabbage instead of cauliflower rice for a salad-style bowl.
- Swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt to cut fat while keeping creaminess.
- Keep the guacamole — it’s low in carbs and adds satiety and flavor.
- Use pre-riced cauliflower to save time and keep the bowl low-carb.
Quick Assembly Tricks
When packing multiple lunches, portion the cauliflower rice into containers first, then top with chicken and cheese. Pack wetter items (guacamole, sour cream) in small separate containers to add at lunchtime.
If you want warm lunches, reheat chicken and rice at home and place into an insulated thermos; keep cold toppings separate until ready to eat.
- Layer order: cauliflower rice → shredded chicken → cheese. Add cold toppings just before eating.
- For grab-and-go, pack cheese with the chicken so it melts slightly during reheating.
- Label containers with the date if you batch-cook more than one day at a time.
Tips for Success
Choose the right chicken: Either chicken breasts or thighs work — thighs stay a bit moister, while breasts shred leaner. Use the same 1 pound called for in the recipe card.
Keep toppings fresh: Pack guacamole and sour cream in small airtight containers and add them to the bowl just before eating when possible to prevent sogginess.
Speedy reheating: Reheat a single portion of shredded chicken in the microwave until steaming hot (about 60–120 seconds depending on your microwave) or warm briefly in a saucepan until hot through.
Shortcuts to save time: Use pre-riced cauliflower or a store-bought rotisserie chicken (shredded) to skip the slow-cooker or ricing step when you’re in a rush.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Final Notes
This recipe is designed for easy batch cooking and flexible lunches—mix and match toppings to keep things fresh all week.
Pack smart with airtight containers and an ice pack, and you’ll have satisfying, lunchbox-ready burrito bowls every day.
Healthy Lunchbox Chicken Burrito Bowls
Equipment
- Equipment
- The Best Homemade Kids’ Lunches on the Planet
- Kids Lunch Box
- Dips or Dressings
- ice pack
- 101 Packed Lunches
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups salsa
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 head cauliflower riced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped, divided
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 ounces guacamole
- 4 ounces black olives sliced
- 4 ounces sour cream
Instructions
- Place chicken and salsa in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken using two forks.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the riced cauliflower and sauté about 5 minutes, until the cauliflower rice is heated through and tender.
- Stir in chopped cilantro, combine, and remove the skillet from the heat.
- Assemble bowls by making a base of the cauliflower rice, then top with shredded salsa chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, guacamole, sliced black olives, sour cream, and additional chopped cilantro.
- Divide the cauliflower rice and toppings between lunch containers and place any extra lunch sides in a separate compartment.