Khloe Kardashian -- James Harden and Comfort Food to the Rescue (VIDEO)

Khloe Kardashian got the hell outta Dodge -- heading to Houston to rendezvous with her new BF and some chicken ... the day after all the Lamar Odom drama.

James Harden and Khloe were spotted leaving a Chipotle in H-Town Thursday afternoon. We're told Khloe jetted out of L.A. to celebrate James' birthday this weekend.

The trip was pre-planned and NOT a knee-jerk reaction to the run-in with Odom -- which witnesses described as an "ambush" ... though Lamar adamantly denies that.

As for their lunch stop -- we're told the couple loaded up with several chicken bowls, extra guac, and water ... to go.