How to reheat a Chipotle Bowl really depends on the amount of effort you want to put in and the equipment you have available to you. There are a few different ways and even some convenient hacks that we will let you know of in this article. Keep reading to discover all of the ways you can reheat a Chipotle burrito bowl and find out which one is best for you!
How to Reheat Chipotle Bowl in the Microwave
We're going to start with the easiest one first, the microwave method. Although it does not give the best results, the microwave is the quickest way to having your food be hot and ready in just a few simple steps.
This method is perfect for younger teens and college students living in a dorm, busy professionals using only what they have in the break room at work, or anyone who's had a long day and just wants a quick meal.
In this step-by-step guide, we'll show you how to reheat your leftovers with the microwave using only what you have in the bag, assuming you still have plastic utensils and napkins.
How To Do It:
- Pull out the leftover Chipotle Bowl from the fridge and place it on the countertop.
- Open and flip over the lid and place it next to the bowl.
- Scoop out the cold ingredients such as the guac, lettuce, sour cream, and fresh salsa with a spoon and put those on top of the lid. If your bowl is wet and soggy, you can transfer the main ingredients to a different microwave-safe container.
- Take a napkin from the bag or a fresh paper towel. Make it damp by sprinkling a little water on top and laying it flat on top of the bowl.
- Put the bowl in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. 30 if less than half of the bowl is full, 45 if more than half the bowl is full.
- After the first heating interval, take it out of the microwave and stir the ingredients. This helps the food heat evenly throughout the bowl. Put the damp napkin back on top.
- Put it back in the microwave for 30-45 more seconds.
- Put the cold ingredients back on top of the hot food. You can either scoop them back on individually with the spoon or for a faster way, just flip over the lid with the fresh ingredients back over the top. Be careful, as doing the second way can be messy if you don't aim right.
How to Reheat Chipotle Bowl in the Oven
The oven method is a great way and potentially the best option to reheat your Chipotle leftovers or even to make it better from the start! If you eat your meal fresh at the restaurant, that's one thing, but what if you take it to go?
Let's be honest, by the time you get home from the restaurant, your fresh Chipotle bowl is already cold. I know it's extra work and you obviously went out to eat to avoid cooking in the first place but heating it up in the oven can make it even better than how they give it to you.
No matter if you're heating up the whole thing from the start or reheating the leftovers on the next day, we got you covered in the step-by-step process below.
How To Do It:
- Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.
- Pull out your leftovers, take off the lid, flip it over, and place it next to the bowl. Assess how much food you have:
- If you only have a small amount of food left, about half or less, you can use the aluminum lid that came with the original packaging to reheat your food in the oven. This is a great way to save on washing dishes after. Push the ingredients that you wish to keep cold to the other side of the bowl. Then scoop the other ingredients onto the aluminum lid. Be careful not to overflow so that they don't spill over and fall while in the oven.
- If your bowl is full, you will need to use an oven-safe dish such as a glass dish or a baking sheet. If using a baking sheet, put a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil over it first before the food. If using a glass dish, drizzle a little bit of oil and spread it around with a napkin or spatula. Scoop the fresh vegetables onto to the lid and then dump the rest into the dish that will go in the oven.
- Once the oven is at 400, put your food in and cook for 5-7 minutes. Pull it out when the time is up and check it. If it needs more, spread the food around with a spatula and put it back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pan using oven mitts or a cloth towel and place it on the stove. With a spatula, scoop the hot ingredients back into the original bowl or a fresh plate. Then scoop the cold ingredients back on top of that or simply flip the lid for convenience.
How to Reheat Chipotle Bowl in the Air Fryer
Using the air fryer is fantastic for heating your leftover Chipotle bowl. It is similar to the oven method but can be even better because it can be ready in half the time! The air fryer method is most recommended when you have only a portion of your bowl left, preferably enough that can fit on top of the aluminum foil lid.
If you have too much, this process can get frustrating and messy. If you have the right amount, then this option is the easiest and best way to turn cold leftovers into a delicious meal!
- Place your to-go container on the countertop and remove the lid. Flip it over and place it next to the bowl.
- Push the cold toppings to the other side of the bowl. Then scoop the remaining ingredients onto the aluminum lid. Be careful not to overflow so that they don't spill over and fall while in the air fryer.
- Place the full lid into the air fryer basket and start cooking. Check the food after every 3 minutes. The air fryer tends to burn food if you're not watching it because of how strong it is.
- Once it's done, carefully remove the lid from the air fryer basket. You can rebuild your bowl however you like: Dump the hot ingredients back into the original container, dump the cold ingredients onto the lid, or start fresh with a new plate.
How to Reheat Chipotle Bowl on the Stove
Maybe a stove is your only option at this time or you're just looking to try something new. Using a stove top pan isn't the easiest way to reheat your leftovers but it will get the job done and it allows for adding some extra ingredients or flavors.
- Put a frying pan on the stove and set the burner to medium heat. Take out your leftovers. Remove and flip over the lid and place it next to the container.
- Scoop out your cold ingredients such as the guac, sour cream, lettuce, and salsa, and put them on the lid.
- Drizzle the pan with a little oil and dump in your main ingredients.
- Spread the food around evenly throughout the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- (Optional) Add extra protein by cracking in a couple of eggs with extra oil for a fried rice burrito bowl! Or add in the hot sauce you got from the restaurant and stir it around in the pan to really incorporate those flavors!
- Once it's ready, pour the hot ingredients back into the bowl and top with the fresh ingredients from the lid. And enjoy!
How to Turn Your Chipotle Bowl into Multiple Meals
Salad Bowls!
Turning your Chipotle burrito bowl into salad bowls is an easy way to get multiple low-calorie meals out of one purchase! Go to your grocery store and grab a bag of chopped lettuce or spring mix.
When you get home, pull out a bowl and fill the bottom with a bed of greens. Then scoop one-third or one-half of the burrito bowl over the top of the lettuce. These are great to make the morning before work to have a healthy meal for lunch for a couple of days!
Tacos!
For extra carb loading or to make your burrito bowl as filling as possible, grab some corn tortillas and turn it into several tacos. Lay out three taco shells on a plate and microwave for 30 seconds or sear on a hot pan for 3 minutes.
Grab a spatula and scoop out a thin slice of the burrito bowl and put it in the center of your warmed tortilla. Be sure to get to the bottom of the bowl with the spatula to make sure you get every ingredient.
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
Is it Safe to Microwave Chipotle Bowl in the Original Container?
You most definitely want to remove the lid before putting it in the microwave. However, the paper bowls that Chipotle uses are safe to use in the microwave.
Is it Safe to Heat Leftovers on the Aluminum Lid?
While heating food on aluminum does in fact release a very small amount of harmful chemicals into the food, experts say that it is not enough to pose any health risk to the human body of healthy individuals. Only those who have a specific sensitivity to aluminum should err on the side of caution.
Use this information at your own discretion and make sure to do more research on the subject since I am not a doctor that can give you the exact answer to this question!
What Other Sauces Could I Use?
If you run out of your leftover Chipotle sauces and want to make a delicious homemade sauce, give this Taco Bell Baja Sauce or this Taco Bell Chipotle Sauce copycat recipe a try! They're so good with all Mexican food dishes!
4 Ways to Reheat Chipotle Bowl
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- chipotle bowl
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.
- Pull out your leftovers, take off the lid, flip it over, and place it next to the bowl. Assess how much food you have:
- If you only have a small amount of food left, about half or less, you can use the aluminum lid that came with the original packaging to reheat your food in the oven. This is a great way to save on washing dishes after. Push the ingredients that you wish to keep cold to the other side of the bowl. Then scoop the other ingredients onto the aluminum lid. Be careful not to overflow so that they don't spill over and fall while in the oven.
- If your bowl is full, you will need to use an oven-safe dish such as a glass dish or a baking sheet. If using a baking sheet, put a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil over it first before the food. If using a glass dish, drizzle a little bit of oil and spread it around with a napkin or spatula. Scoop the fresh vegetables onto to the lid and then dump the rest into the dish that will go in the oven.
- Once the oven is at 400, put your food in and cook for 5-7 minutes. Pull it out when the time is up and check it. If it needs more, spread the food around with a spatula and put it back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pan using oven mitts or a cloth towel and place it on the stove. With a spatula, scoop the hot ingredients back into the original bowl or a fresh plate. Then scoop the cold ingredients back on top of that or simply flip the lid for convenience.
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