BBQ Chicken Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound chicken breasts
• 4 cups chicken broth or water, for cooking the chicken
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 1/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 to 8 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped into strips
• 1 cup pico de gallo or your favorite salsa
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese, optional
• Crushed tortilla chips, for topping

Directions

1. For the make-ahead barbecue sauce, or if you prefer, swap in 3/4 to 1 cup bottled sauce: stir together all of the BBQ sauce ingredients, from ketchup through cumin, in a saucepan set over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Fair warning: this sauce gets splattery once it’s hot, so your stovetop and countertops may need a little attention afterward. Take the pan off the heat.
2. You should end up with about 1 2/3 cups of sauce. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 1 to 2 weeks.
3. For the chicken, or if you prefer, use 2 cups shredded cooked chicken: put the chicken breasts in a 4-quart or larger lidded pot, then pour the chicken broth over them. The chicken should be covered by about an inch; add more broth or water if you need to. Set the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165F at the thickest part. If it needs more time, cook it another few minutes. Move the cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board with tongs and let them cool briefly.
4. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull it into bite-sized shreds. Keep it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
5. For the rice, or if you prefer, use 3 cups cooked rice: combine the rice with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of water, or enough water to cover it by about an inch. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Cook until the rice is tender, 35 to 45 minutes, or follow the package instructions. Take a peek now and then, and add more water if the pan looks dry before the rice is done.
6. Let the cooked rice cool, then move it to a storage container. Refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
7. To put the burrito bowls together, warm the barbecue sauce for a few minutes in a small pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded chicken and stir until it’s coated in the sauce. Let the chicken stay in the pan until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes, then turn off the heat.
8. Warm the corn and black beans, either together or separately, in a pan or skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to the corn and beans, then turn off the heat.
9. Warm the rice in the microwave or in a pan. For the microwave, put the rice in a large bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for about 1 minute, then check whether it’s hot all the way through. If there are still cold spots, stir it and keep microwaving in 15-second intervals until it’s as warm as you like.
10. Divide the rice, chicken, corn, beans, romaine lettuce, and pico de gallo among 4 bowls. Add cheese if you’re using it, then crumble a few tortilla chips over each bowl for extra crunch.