By February. The football calendar is in a lull — signing day for seniors is past, spring practice is six weeks away, and the current season is eight months in the future. I use this lull intentionally. I read, I study other programs' film, I cook more. The lull is not empty. The lull is recharging.
Valentine's Day. Ruben would have been forty-one. I made his tres leches at midnight again — the ritual is established now, and rituals matter most when they're unremarked. I don't tell Lisa I'm making it for him. She knows. She leaves me the kitchen and goes to bed. In the morning she finds the dish in the refrigerator and doesn't comment on it. This is one of the ways she loves me that I can never fully articulate.
I've been having conversations with a freshman linebacker named DeShawn Willis. He's raw — inconsistent footwork, overcommits to the run — but he has something in the eyes that I've seen in a handful of players in my career: a competitive intensity that doesn't require external motivation. He burns internally. You can't teach that. You protect it and point it correctly.
Chicken mole on Sunday — not the forty-ingredient mole negro I made with Sofia but my everyday version: a combination of ancho, mulato, and chipotle dried chiles, almonds, a tablet of Mexican chocolate, the slow pan-building that takes forty minutes and rewards patience. Over rice. Every bite of a good mole tastes like an argument about what complexity means. I think I'm winning the argument, week by week.
When the mole is simmering and the kitchen belongs only to me, I want something on the table that honors that same Sunday-slow intentionality — a dish that rewards patience and layers flavor the way a good week layers purpose. This chicken burrito bowl captures that spirit: seasoned chicken, warm black beans and corn over rice, finished with whatever makes the bowl yours. It’s the kind of meal that asks you to pay attention to every component and rewards you for it.
Chicken Burrito Bowl
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups long-grain white rice, cooked
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
- 1 cup fresh pico de gallo or chunky salsa
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Season the chicken. In a small bowl, combine cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Pat chicken breasts dry and rub the spice blend evenly over all surfaces.
- Cook the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6—7 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing or shredding.
- Warm the beans and corn. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine black beans and corn. Warm for 4—5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Season lightly with salt.
- Build the bowls. Divide the cooked rice evenly among four bowls. Layer sliced or shredded chicken over the rice, then add a scoop of the beans and corn alongside.
- Add the toppings. Spoon pico de gallo over each bowl. Arrange avocado slices on top, add a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.
- Finish and serve. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 530 | Protein: 43g | Fat: 17g | Carbs: 51g | Fiber: 9g | Sodium: 690mg