Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowl (Printable)

Smoky chipotle chicken with roasted peppers and onions over rice, topped with fresh avocado salsa.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken and Vegetables

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

→ Serving

23 - Lime wedges
24 - Extra cilantro (optional)

# Directions:

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 and add chipotle in adobo, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
03 - Spread chicken and vegetable mixture evenly on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender with slight charring.
04 - 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 without breaking avocado pieces.
06 - Divide rice among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with roasted chicken and vegetables. Spoon avocado salsa over each bowl. Garnish with lime wedges and extra cilantro as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything roasts on one pan while the rice cooks itself, so you're cleaning up instead of hovering over the stove.
  • The chipotle marinade soaks into the chicken and veggies, giving every bite a deep, smoky kick that tastes way more impressive than the effort required.
  • The avocado salsa adds a cool, tangy contrast that makes the whole bowl feel bright and complete.
  • It's endlessly tweakable, so you can swap proteins, add beans, or pile on extra toppings depending on what's in your pantry.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the sheet pan or the chicken and veggies will steam instead of roast, and you'll miss out on those crispy, caramelized edges that make this dish sing.
  • Taste your chipotle in adobo before adding it, because some brands are much spicier than others, and you can always add more heat but you can't take it away.
  • Let the rice rest covered after cooking so it finishes steaming and becomes perfectly fluffy instead of sticky or mushy.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper instead of foil for easier cleanup and to prevent any sticking, especially with the marinade's sugars caramelizing on the pan.
  • Chop your chipotle peppers finely and mix them well into the marinade so every bite has that smoky heat distributed evenly, not just concentrated in random spots.
  • If your avocados aren't quite ripe, let them sit in a paper bag with a banana overnight, and they'll be perfectly creamy by the time you need them.
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