Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Bowl (Easy Copycat Recipe)
You order the Cantina Chicken Bowl at Taco Bell because it feels like the one item on the menu that eats like a real meal. This copycat version layers tender simmered chicken over tomato-seasoned rice, then piles on black beans, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheddar, and crisp cabbage. The chicken simmers in a paprika-and-tomato broth that keeps every bite juicy rather than dry and chalky. Both the chicken and the rice hold in the fridge for days, so weeknight dinner comes together in the time it takes to shred lettuce.
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A Cantina Chicken Bowl is a layered rice bowl built on two cooked components and a handful of cold toppings. The base is a tomato-tinted long-grain rice seasoned with cumin, onion powder, and chicken bouillon. Over that goes chicken breast, cut small, simmered in a seasoned broth until it turns tender and picks up color from two kinds of paprika.
The toppings do the rest of the work. Warm black beans, shredded iceberg lettuce, and purple cabbage go on first, then sour cream, guacamole, and shredded cheddar finish the bowl. Nothing here requires a grill, a marinade, or special equipment.
At home, the recipe stretches further than a drive-thru order. One batch of rice and one pot of chicken build four to six bowls, and you control the salt, the portion size, and how much guacamole ends up on top.
Why is the Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Bowl perfect for meal prep?
Got a busy schedule, but don’t want to resort to expensive, unhealthy takeout? A Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Bowl makes feeding the family quick and easy with just a little bit of prep. You can simmer the chicken chunks and make the seasoned rice days ahead of time, then keep them in the fridge for the day when cooking from scratch isn’t gonna happen. When dinner rolls around, reheat the meat and rice while you get the toppings ready for a no-stress dinner or lunch.
What makes these bowls so good?
The tender chicken may take center stage, but every component of the dish makes this dish a hit. Even the bed of rice is loaded with intense flavors you just won’t find in most rice bowl recipes. But it is the earthy black beans and creamy guacamole, fresh iceberg lettuce, crunchy purple cabbage, tangy sour cream, and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese that make this bowl something you’ll want to make again and again.
Ingredients
For the pico de gallo:
- Roma tomatoes – Finely diced. Romas have thick walls and few seeds, so the pico stays chunky instead of turning watery.
- White onion – Finely diced, for crunch and a clean, sharp bite.
- Jalapeño – Seeded and minced. Removing the seeds and white ribs keeps the heat present but manageable.
- Fresh cilantro – Chopped, for the bright, grassy note that defines pico de gallo.
- Lime – Juiced, for acidity that lifts the whole mixture and keeps the tomatoes tasting fresh.
- Salt – Draws moisture from the tomatoes and sharpens every other flavor in the bowl.
For the Cantina Chicken:
- Chicken breast – The main protein. Its mild flavor stays out of the way of the seasoning.
- Chicken broth – The braising liquid, and the meaty foundation of the sauce.
- Tomato paste – Adds concentrated tomato flavor, body, and a touch of sweetness.
- Garlic powder – Gives even garlic flavor without the harsh edge of raw cloves.
- Onion powder – Adds savory onion depth that dissolves smoothly into the broth.
- Sweet paprika – Colors the chicken and adds gentle peppery sweetness.
- Smoked paprika – Deepens the color and adds the faint smokiness that reads as grilled.
- Salt – Seasons the chicken and pulls the other spices into focus.
- MSG – Optional, but it delivers the clean savory quality the restaurant version has. ACCENT is widely available.
- Nutritional yeast – Rounds out the seasoning with nutty, cheesy umami.
For assembling:
- Soft flour tortillas – Six-inch size. Flour is softer and milder than corn, so it holds the filling without competing with it.
- Iceberg lettuce – Shredded, for cool crunch that adds texture more than flavor.
- Purple cabbage – Shredded, for firmer crunch, a mild peppery earthiness, and color.
Ingredient Notes
- Use Roma tomatoes specifically. Beefsteak and vine tomatoes contain far more seed gel, which will pool at the bottom of the bowl and make the tacos soggy.
- Roll the lime hard against the counter before cutting it. A rolled lime gives noticeably more juice, and bottled lime juice has a dull, slightly bitter edge that shows up immediately in raw pico.
- Nutritional yeast is found in the health food aisle or in bulk bins, sold as flakes rather than powder. It keeps for months and is worth buying for this recipe alone.
- Buy tortillas from the refrigerated case if your store carries them. Shelf-stable tortillas contain more preservatives and tend to crack rather than fold.
How to make Cantina Chicken Bowls
To prepare the seasoned rice:
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Set aside.
- Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the unsalted butter.
- When the butter melts, add the rinsed rice and stir continuously to coat each grain with butter.
- Add the water, tomato sauce, onion powder, cumin powder, and chicken bouillon powder. Stir to dissolve the bouillon powder.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rice absorbs all the liquid.
- Remove the covered saucepan from the heat and set aside for five minutes. Fluff the rice before serving.
To cook the Cantina Chicken:
- Cut the chicken breasts into quarter-inch pieces. Set to the side.
- Place a pot over medium-low heat and add the remaining Cantina Chicken ingredients. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Stir the chicken pieces into the sauce, and bring it to a simmer.
- Don’t cover the pot and cook the chicken for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Set the pot aside and cover it.
To assemble a Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Bowl:
- Stir salt and cumin into the black beans and heat them in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave for a minute or two.
- Scoop the seasoned rice into a bowl.
- Spoon the Cantina Chicken over the rice. Add some of the extra sauce from the pot if you like saucy rice.
- Top with warm black beans, shredded iceberg lettuce, and purple cabbage.
- Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, some guacamole, and a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese.
What to serve with these rice bowls
A Cantina Chicken Rice Bowl makes a full meal on its own, but why not pair it with one or two of the recipes below for a Mexican-inspired feast?
Chili’s Presidente Margarita – This is not your typical dive bar Margarita. From the aged tequila to the inclusion of Presidente brandy, this premium-style Margarita recipe is meant to impress. It’s smooth and sweet, and almost too easy to drink, so don’t go overboard.
Chipotle’s Guacamole – Skip the guac from the store, and make your own. Chipotle’s Guacamole is simple, but wonderfully tasty. The creaminess of the avocados is lightened by fresh citrus juices and a touch of salt, while the chopped jalapeno, fresh garlic, and sharp red onions take this recipe to the next level of yum.
Poncho’s Mexican Buffet Sopapillas – Cap your meal off with these sopapillas. Think of them as Mexican beignets. They are great with just a touch of honey or a shake of cinnamon and sugar. Or if you are really ambitious, try serving these with cajeta, a caramel sauce made with goat milk!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Refrigerator Storage: Cool the chicken to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container with its sauce and refrigerate for up to three days. Store the pico de gallo in a separate airtight container for up to three days, though it is best in the first day or two. The pico will release liquid as it sits, so drain it before serving. Keep shredded lettuce and cabbage in their own container and expect them to wilt within a day or two.
Reheating Method: Warm the chicken covered over medium-low heat on the stove with a splash of chicken broth to loosen the sauce, which tightens in the fridge. Cook until heated through, about six minutes. Warm the tortillas fresh in a dry skillet right before serving. Never reheat the pico or the shredded vegetables.
Freezer Storage: The cooked chicken freezes well for up to three months in an airtight container with its sauce. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Do not freeze the pico de gallo. Raw tomatoes rupture as they freeze and thaw into a watery, mushy mixture with none of the crunch that makes pico worth making.
More Taco Bell Favorites
- Taco Bell Soft Tacos – The original seasoned beef version in the same flour tortilla. Make both and let people at the table pick their side.
- Authentic Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos – The hard-shell classic the whole menu was built on, with the seasoned beef recipe worth knowing by heart.
- Taco Bell Fresco Crunchy Taco Recipe – Swaps cheese for pico de gallo, so the pico you just made has a second home.
- Taco Bell Double Decker Taco – A crunchy taco wrapped in a soft tortilla with beans between the layers. The Cantina chicken works beautifully in it.
- Taco Bell Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes – Crispy, seasoned potatoes topped with warm nacho cheese sauce and sour cream. The side dish that finishes taco night.
Check out more of my easy Mexican food recipes and the best copycat Taco Bell recipes right here on CopyKat!
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Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Bowl Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
Seasoned Rice
- 1 cup long grain rice rinsed until the water runs clear
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
Cantina Chicken
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 4 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG (Accent) (optional but accurate)
- 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast finely chopped (1/4-inch cubes)
Bowl Assembly
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans drained and rinsed
- pinch salt optional
- pinch cumin powder optional
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce shredded
- 1/4 head red cabbage shredded
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup guacamole
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- To prepare the seasoned rice, melt the butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the washed rice and sauté until it becomes shiny. Add the water, tomato sauce, onion powder, cumin, and chicken bouillon powder. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before using.
- To prepare the cantina chicken, combine the chicken broth, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika, salt, MSG (optional), and nutritional yeast in a pot over low heat. Mix well. Add the finely chopped chicken. Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Warm the black beans in a small saucepan over low heat (or microwave for 1 to 2 minutes). Season with a pinch of salt and cumin if desired.
- To build each bowl, start with a generous scoop of seasoned rice. Add a portion of the cantina chicken with some of its sauce spooned over the top. Arrange the black beans, shredded iceberg lettuce, and shredded red cabbage around the bowl. Add a dollop of sour cream and a scoop of guacamole. Finish with a handful of shredded cheddar cheese. Serve immediately.
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