How to Reheat Chipotle Bowl: 3 Easy Methods & Tips
Who doesn’t like the large, wholesome servings of delicious chipotle bowls? They are one of the most versatile dishes out there! And most often than not, you end up ordering more than needed.
But then what do you do with your leftover chipotle bowls? How to reheat a chipotle bowl?
Let me just put it out there first, there are so many options when it comes to freezing and reheating your chipotle burrito bowls. You can make them ahead of time, you can freeze them in parts, or you can even freeze them together!
And when it comes to reheating them, you once again have a lot of options!
So Can You Reheat Chipotle Bowls?
In short, yes. But to preserve its quality and taste, you will need to look after a few things while reheating your chipotle bowls.
Chipotle bowls, or chipotle burrito bowls, usually constitute fluffy rice, black beans, corn and tomato salsa, meats like chicken or beef, and cold ingredients like guacamole, sour cream, or even cabbage and veggies. Essentially, they are a burrito minus the tortilla.
Heating them can be an intimidating task for some. After all, you will have to first figure out a way to take care of your cold ingredients, plus heat your bowl so it’s nice and warm.
But you do not have to worry anymore, keep reading to find out how to reheat chipotle bowls and the best way to reheat them.
How To Reheat Chipotle Bowl – The Best Way
I’m not the biggest fan of using a microwave to reheat leftover food. After all, it is notoriously famous for its uneven heating technology and the risks of burning food before you even know it.
But when it comes to chipotle bowls, microwaving them will always be your best option!
Your chipotle bowls will reheat in the least amount of time when placed in the microwave, and they will be piping hot- just the way you like it!
To microwave your chipotle bowls, follow these steps:
- The first thing you wanna do is remove the cold ingredients from your bowl. This includes any tomato salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or even salad. Basically any ingredient you do not want to eat warm.
- Start by checking if your takeaway bowl is microwave friendly. Most often than not, it won’t be. I recommend transferring your ingredients to a microwave-safe dish.
- Pop your dish in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
- After that, take it out, stir it, and repeat.
- Keep doing this until it has achieved the desired temperature.
- Add all your other cold ingredients and serve hot!
How To Reheat Chipotle Bowl Using An Oven?
To those of you who have the time and patience to use an oven, I can guarantee you one thing, it will be worth the wait. Reheating your chipotle bowl in the oven can take a bit more of your time than a microwave normally would, but they will turn out equally fresh and warm!
To use an oven while reheating your chipotle bowl:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove all the cold ingredients, and then place the rest of your ingredients in an oven-safe dish.
- Use aluminum foil to cover your dish and trap the heat within your chipotle bowl.
- Reheat for about 15 minutes, or until warm.
- Add some cheese on top and the rest of your cold ingredients.
- Your chipotle bowl is ready!
How To Reheat Chipotle Bowl Using A Stovetop?
Most people would advise you against using a skillet or the stove to reheat your chipotle bowl. Using a skillet would require you to mix all your ingredients, technically turning them into a burrito filling instead of a bowl meal.
However, if you do not have a microwave at hand, and you do not have the time for an oven, you can still make a quick meal out by reheating your chipotle bowl on the stove.
To reheat chipotle bowl using stove:
- Heat your skillet on low-medium heat for about 2 minutes.
- Add some oil to it.
- Remove all the cold ingredients from your chipotle bowl, and move the rest of the ingredients to your skillet.
- Reheat these ingredients for 4-5 minutes, or until warm. Keep stirring gently.
- Once your ingredients have been reheated, you are ready to go!
- At this point, you can either stuff them in a tortilla or just transfer them to a dish and serve with cold ingredients!
Now that you know how to reheat chipotle bowls, you might also want to have a look at how you can store your leftover chipotle bowls. Can you freeze them? How long do they last?
Can You Freeze A Chipotle Bowl?
If you’re talking about your leftover chipotle bowls, you can’t. However, there are so many recipes that allow you to make freezer-friendly burrito bowls in advance. I particularly like this one.
Another trick followed by burrito enthusiasts around the world is to buy freezer containers and then freeze their chipotle bowls in them. The thing to be careful about here is to freeze your chipotle bowl within 2 hours of preparing them.
When freezing your chipotle bowl, remember to not add your vegetables and salsa to it. You can freeze the sour cream or guacamole, but vegetables are best added fresh.
Doing this will give you warm and delicious meals when you don’t have the time to prepare one. Which brings us to our next point, how do you thaw them?
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How To Thaw Chipotle Bowls?
Say you prepped large portions of chipotle bowls ahead of time and froze them. And now that you want to take it out, there is just one little thing you need to do.
Most people like to thaw their food directly in the microwave. And while this may be a viable option, to get the best quality and freshness out of your chipotle bowl, you should thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Slow and gradual thawing allows your food to achieve an even temperature and retains the original texture of your food.
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Another technique you could try is to take a baking bowl full of hot lukewarm water and place your bowl in this water. Once the water turns cold again, repeat the procedure with a new batch of lukewarm water. What this technique does is it saves your time from having to wait overnight, and it also evenly thaws your food bowl.
FAQ
Can you eat a chipotle bowl cold?
It is completely safe to consume cold chipotle bowls. If you wish, you can heat the meat in your chipotle separately and then add it to the rest of your cold burrito bowl.
For how long can a chipotle bowl sit out at room temperature?
No food leftovers should sit out for more than 2 hours. If you won’t be needing it soon, refrigerate it.
Can you reheat the chipotle bowl? Are they microwave safe?
You can reheat the chipotle bowl (the dish/recipe) in the microwave. But the packaging of these bowls is best kept away from the microwave. Use glass or ceramic bowls to avoid the chemicals from the containers leaching into the food.
Conclusion
Whether you want to reheat your leftover chipotle bowl, or you want to reheat a fresh batch of the frozen chipotle bowl, when done right you will absolutely love it. I would recommend taking out your microwave-safe plates and making a meal out of them!
Remember to refrigerate them at the right time, and never use takeaway containers for reheating purposes. You should be good to go!
