Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
These chicken meal prep bowls have been part of my weekly routine for years. On Sunday afternoons, I season chicken breast with paprika and oregano, sear it until golden, make a batch of creamy Parmesan mashed cauliflower, and sauté zucchini, red pepper, and red onion in the same pan. Everything gets portioned into four containers, and just like that, we have real food ready for the whole week. No deciding what to cook at 6pm, no takeout temptation, just open the fridge and eat.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CHICKEN
- ▢2 chicken breasts
- ▢1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ▢1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢1 teaspoon paprika
- ▢1 teaspoon onion powder
- ▢salt and pepper
- FOR THE MASHED CAULIFLOWER
- ▢1 medium cauliflower cut into florets
- ▢¼ teaspoon garlic clove minced
- ▢1 ½ tablespoons butter
- ▢¼ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ▢salt and black pepper to taste
- FOR THE VEGGIES
- ▢1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢½ tablespoon butter
- ▢2 cups zucchini chopped
- ▢2 cups red bell pepper chopped
- ▢2 cups red onions chopped
- ▢1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- FOR THE CHICKEN:
- Cut the chicken breasts into thinner cut by placing chicken breast on a cutting board. Hold it flat with one hand. Using a sharp knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces*.
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, place the chicken with olive oil, oregano, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together.
- Place seasoned chicken breast in the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, turning once. Chicken will be ready when it gets the internal temperature of 165˚F. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate.
- FOR THE MASHED CAULIFLOWER
- Fill a large pot with about 2 cups of water, and bring it to a boil. Then, place a steamer basket in the bottom of the pot. Add the cauliflower florets to the steamer basket.
- Cover the pot, and steam until the cauliflower is fork-tender, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat, uncover the pot and let the cauliflower cool for 3-5 minutes.
- Place the steamed cauliflower and garlic in a food processor or blender jar, and puree/blend until the cauliflower is completely smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl, add the butter, Parmesan, salt, and ground black pepper, and stir well to combine. Set aside.
- FOR THE VEGGIES
- In the same skillet you seared chicken breast, heat oil and butter. Add onions, bell pepper and zucchini. Saute them until tender. It’s about 4-5 minutes. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
- MEAL PREPPING:
- Place an even amount of chicken, veggies, and mashed cauliflower into 4 glass containers. Cover with the lid, and place in the fridge for up 4 days. Heat in the microwave for about 1½ – 2 minutes. The time depends on the power of your microwave.
Notes
To store: Store the chicken bowls in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Reheat the bowls in the microwave until heated through.
To freeze: I would recommend only freezing the chicken as the vegetables won’t hold up well. Freeze the chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
To freeze: I would recommend only freezing the chicken as the vegetables won’t hold up well. Freeze the chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.