Another Recipe Creation ~ Southwest Chicken Bowl

After seeing all of those Jack-in-the-Box commercials about their new bowls, I thought to myself "I can make that at home and make it really healthy." I decided to take this one on.

Southwest Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Sauce ~ My Version

Cooking Spray
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp dried cumin
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried, ground oregano
pinch of crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1 in strips
1 can reduced sodium black beans, drained of most of their water
4 oz (or approx 3/4 cup) shredded cooked chicken
2 cups cooked brown rice
5 tbsp light sour cream
juice of 1 lime
pinch of salt, cumin & chili powder, to taste
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
8 tbsp of your favorite salsa

Saute the onion and jalapeno with cooking spray approximately 3 min or until almost tender. Add seasonings and cook 1 min. Add red bell pepper and cook until onions are translucent. Add the black beans and chicken until heated through. While that is heating, combine sour cream, lime juice and seasonings in a small bowl. Put aside and remove chicken mixture from heat. Mix the rice into the chicken mixture and then distribute evenly among 4 bowls. Divide the sour cream mixture, cilantro, avocado, and salsa evenly to top the mixture. Enjoy! (Total cooking time approx 15 min)

Nutrition Information:
324 calories, 10.4 g fat, 2.3 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 31 mg cholesterol, 579 mg sodium, 41.9 g carbs, 10.4 g fiber, 4.7 g sugar, 15.6 g protein, 38% RDA vit A, 46% RDA vit C, 10% RDA calcium, 48% RDA iron

I prefer a little bit of bite to the red bell pepper. If you like it cooked more, add it with the onion at the beginning of the recipe. I used the frozen organic brown rice from Trader Joe's and leftover chicken from a roast I made recently. I put the rice in the microwave and shredded the chicken while the vegetables were cooking. This dish ends up looking similar to a Lousiana Dirty Rice. If you prefer a more clean-looking presentation, do not mix the rice into the chicken mixture. Simply divide the rice evenly into the bowls and then top with the chicken mixture. You can easily add 1/4 cup reduced fat cheese to each serving without making this an unhealthy dish (I like the Trader Joe's or Sargento Mexican Blend).

Compare the Nutrition Information here to the information posted on the Jack-in-the-Box website:
713 calories, 19 g fat, 6 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 67 mg cholesterol, 1273 mg sodium, 109 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 27 g protein