Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowl (Printable version)

Smoky chipotle chicken and roasted peppers atop fluffy rice with zesty avocado salsa and fresh cilantro.

# What You 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 tbsp olive oil
06 - 2 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped
07 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Rice

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

→ To Serve

23 - Lime wedges
24 - Extra cilantro (optional)

# Step-by-step guide:

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 25–30 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 - In a bowl, combine diced avocados, tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño if using, lime juice, and salt. Gently toss to combine.
06 - Divide cooked rice among 4 bowls. Top each with roasted chicken and vegetables. Spoon avocado salsa over each bowl. Garnish with lime wedges and extra cilantro as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks on one pan while rice simmers beside it, leaving your sink mercifully empty.
  • The chipotle-smoked spice blend tastes complex and homemade without requiring a trip to specialty stores.
  • Fresh avocado salsa adds brightness that cuts through the richness, making you feel like you're eating something actually good for you.
02 -
  • Don't prepare the avocado salsa more than 15 minutes before eating, or the avocado will brown and taste slightly bitter instead of buttery and fresh.
  • If your chicken pieces are larger than an inch, they'll cook unevenly and some will dry out while others are still pink inside—cut everything roughly the same size.
03 -
  • Don't stir the pan constantly while roasting; let things sit long enough to develop some color and char, which is where the smoky flavor comes from.
  • If you're cooking for someone heat-sensitive, prep the salsa components separately so they can control their own jalapeño situation.
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