Chipotle: Another Restaurant Reproduction

By Erica 

I live in a very small town about 40 minutes from Dallas, 40 minutes from Fort Worth and an hour from Waco. While I adore living in my town, the lack of restaurants is sometimes disheartening. We have some really great locally-owned restaurants that not only offer fabulous food, but also have prices that make going out to eat actually feasible.

The thing I miss most of all are the chains. I know, I know. A food writer who isn't waxing poetic about locally grown, organic, fair-trade restaurants?! Burn me on a pyre of Cooks Illustrated if you must, but I will speak my truth! <insert fist pump here.>

One of my favorite not-really-fast-food chains is Chipotle. Unfortunately for my tummy and Chipotle's bottom line, the closest locations are at least a half hour from my house. This means going as often as I'd like an impossibility. Let's be honest here; I'd eat a burrito bowl five nights a week if there was a location in my town. I'd cut somebody for a chicken burrito bowl right now, as a matter of fact.

I'm pretty sure it's unhealthy to have these types of thoughts about corn salsa.

While the Chipotle menu items are extremely tasty, they are not extremely complicated. Which means they're perfectly suited to reproducing at home. I've got chicken breasts roasting away in the crock-pot right now and tonight I'll make some garlic black beans, and some cilantro lime rice. I've got corn salsa, sour cream and monterey jack and cojito cheese all ready to go. This will be the first time I've tried these particular recipes so I'll update soon to let you know how they turned out. You know, in case you're considering shanking the guy in the cube next to you with your letter opener because he got a barbacoa burrito for lunch and you didn't.

{Image Source: www.chipotle.com}

Comments

[rachel]

I know this isn't the point, but I grew up in Waco and now live in Fort Worth, and I really, really, want to know where you live. I'm plotting a map right now.

[Erica]

I have my very first internet stalker! Her name is Rachel. Hooray!!

[Elsha]

I'm curious to see how your recipes turn out, but I'm not gonna lie, there's a Chipotle here so I'll probably never try them. Also? I may have my dinner plans for tonight!

[rachel]

Do I have to do more than be curious to be a stalker? I've always wanted more internet drama in my life!

[Erica]

I'm pretty sure there's way more to stalking than a nice comment, but I'm trying to be Internet Famous over here, and all the famous people have stalkers.

[elisabeth]

Iowa Girl Eats has a recipe she uses for her Chipotle cravings. I've made it and am quite satisfied.

However, I can also walk to Chipotle from my house, so I'll be dining there more than slaving over a hot stove. :)

http://iowagirleats.com/2009/09/15/4-step-homemade-chipotle-burrito-bowl/

[elisabeth]

Correction: I made it and WAS quite satisfied! :)

Hope you've got yourself a winning dish. Sounds yummy!

[A.]

I found this recipe a couple weeks ago and it reminded me very much of a burrito bowl. We've had it twice since I found it. Delicious! (I add a can of enchilada sauce as well, near the end of cooking time, to make it a little saucier.)

http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/07/taco-chicken-bowls-1066-recipe-133.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BudgetBytes+%28Budget+Bytes%29&utm_content=Google+Reader