Turning 40 has been amazing. A few weeks before my birthday, Rick asked if I wanted a party. Of course, I said, “No,” because it’s not polite to say yes, right?

But as I got to thinking, I realized I didn’t care about etiquette (in this situation), and I wanted a party. So, I got to work planning and after exploring my options, I decided on a menu of a copycat Chipotle catering buffet. 

The 40th Birthday Party Guest List

My church is my family, so naturally, my guest list was comprised of my church, along with Rick’s parents and sister. I didn’t send out invitations. My goal was a casual night hanging out with my friends, so I kept it low-key.

Actually, I did not feel like making invitations.

Moving along. I ended up with about 45 people, which, after hosting 80 for New Year’s Eve, seemed like an intimate gathering. Thank heavens for a miracle dream house that can accommodate such numbers. 

Birthday Decorations for a Low-Stress Win

Sometimes I have bursts of creativity, like when I’m prepping for April Fools foods, but most of the time, I’m not very crafty.

I really wanted a balloon arch but didn’t realize how much I wanted one until a couple of hours before my party, which was a little too late to pull it all together. So, Loo organized herself and her siblings to cut out construction paper balloons and tape them to the window. It turned out so good, and being the sentimental person I am, I loved it even more than an actual balloon swag. 

The Birthday Gift of Cleaning

I know there are people out there who have five kids and a clean house, but I’m not one of them. I thought when I moved into a new house with a clean start, I’d stay on top of things, but it turns out I’m actually the same person I was before. 

So, Rick gave me the gift to beat all gifts, a cleaning lady in the form of my beloved Gracie Lou. This girl is dear to my heart, and I’ve gotten to watch her grow from a spunky eight-year-old who refused to fall for anything to a beautiful, kind, and sweet woman. 

So, she came over the night before, and we cleaned together so that I wasn’t even stressed out the day of the party.

Copycat Chipotle Buffet for 45 Guests

Originally, I said, “I don’t want to be stressed out about cooking, so I’m going to have it catered.” But, after calling a few places and realizing dinner would have to start at $10 a head and to be what I wanted it to be, the cost would be much higher, I decided cooking wouldn’t be so bad after all!

So, I decided to do a copycat Chipotle catered dinner buffet. It turned out so well. I’ll share the recipe and amounts I did because this is an easy way to feed a lot of people on a budget. 

Keep in mind, my party guests were families, so about half of them were children. I try to always keep track of what I make for large parties and how much was left over, and I wrote next to this list of what I used, “Perfect amount of food.” There were 45 guests ranging in age from two through 70.

• 6 pounds chicken
• 6 pounds ground meat
• 4 cups rice (uncooked)
• 4 cans black beans
• 3 cans pinto beans
• 3 pounds sour cream
• 2 pounds shredded cheese
• 2 bags prewashed romaine salad bags
• 2 pounds queso (from Costco)
• 1 big bag tortilla chips (from Costco)

Recipes for Copycat Chipotle Buffet

Cilantro Lime Rice:

• 2 cups basmati rice 
• 3 T butter

Saute until golden

• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tablespoon lime zest
• 4 cups water

Add to rice, cover, and boil until cooked

• 3 T lime juice
• 1 cup fresh, chopped cilantro

Toss with cooked rice 

Chipotle Chicken:

• 2 adobo chili and 2 T sauce from a can
• 2 rehydrated dried chilis
• 1 ½ tsp cumin
• 1 ½ tsp oregano
• ¼ cup onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• ⅓ cup lime juice

Blend in a food processor and toss with 4-6 pounds of rotisserie chicken. Put into a crock pot and set to low for a couple of hours or until hot. Can add a little water if it seems dry.

Taco Meat

I used elk burger and taco seasoning according to the directions on the seasoning packet. That’s not really a Chipotle copycat, but it was easy, and everyone liked it.

I added milk to the sour cream so it would be softer, like the stuff Chipotle serves. And I separated the beans with aluminum foil and put them in a crock pot. I used A LOT of crock pots, so thankfully, I have friends who share.

Party Aftermath

I have the best people in my life! Gracie Lou organized the other ladies to completely clean up, and I didn’t have to do anything. They even packed the leftovers in reusable containers and put them in the fridge. That may have been the greatest gift!

I had so much fun I even considered throwing myself a party every year!