Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowl (Printable)

Smoky chipotle chicken with roasted peppers and onions over rice, topped with fresh avocado salsa for a satisfying Mexican-inspired bowl.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Veggies

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 medium red onion, sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped
07 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Rice

13 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
14 - 2 cups water
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Avocado Salsa

16 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
17 - 1 medium tomato, diced
18 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
19 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
21 - Juice of 1 lime
22 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ To Serve

23 - Lime wedges
24 - Extra cilantro (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
02 - In a large bowl, combine chicken pieces, bell peppers, and red onion. Drizzle with olive oil. Add chipotle in adobo, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss well to coat evenly.
03 - Spread the chicken and veggie mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender and slightly charred.
04 - While chicken bakes, rinse rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 - Combine diced avocados, tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño if using, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Gently toss to combine.
06 - Divide rice among 4 bowls. Top with roasted chicken and vegetables. Spoon avocado salsa over each bowl. Garnish with lime wedges and extra cilantro as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • One pan means you actually have time to enjoy dinner instead of scrubbing three pots afterward.
  • The smoky, slightly spicy chicken pairs with cool avocado in a way that makes your taste buds genuinely happy.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and feels fancy enough to impress people without a complicated ingredient list.
  • Leftovers stay delicious cold the next day, which is a gift on a busy Tuesday.
02 -
  • Don't prep the avocado salsa until the last minute, or the avocado will brown and look sad; the lime juice helps, but fresh is always better.
  • Stir the chicken and veggies halfway through roasting, otherwise the bottom layer can stick and you'll lose that nice even caramelization.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the baking sheet; give the chicken and veggies room to roast rather than steam, which means better caramelization and deeper flavor.
  • If your avocados aren't quite ripe when you want to cook, buy them a day or two early and leave them on the counter—they'll be perfect when you need them.
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