High Protein Chicken Meal Prep (Easy & Over 50g Protein!)

Who said chicken meal prep has to be boring? Not me! This delicious recipe is made with make-ahead components, so it saves time when you assemble each bowl. If you are looking for chicken meal prep ideas that keep you full, this is definitely the one since it’s packed with veggies and over 50g of protein. If you want even more inspiration, check out my full collection of Budget Meal Prep Ideas for busy workdays.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Here is why this chicken meal prep will become your weekly staple:

• Saves time: This is the definition of easy chicken meal prep. It uses make-ahead components like tender chicken thighs, so it’s easy to break the dish down into sections instead of cooking it all at once.
• High protein: If you need a consistent high protein chicken meal prep, this is it. With over 50g of protein per bowl, it crushes your macro goals effortlessly. Consider making Easy Cottage Cheese Egg Bites for a full day of protein.
• Customizable: I love to incorporate an array of veg into my meal prep to load up on fiber, as it keeps you fuller for longer, similar to my Delicious Chicken Bolognese.

Try some other chicken meal prep ideas like Mini Chicken Pot Pies, Greek Chicken Salad and Baked Chicken and Cauliflower.

This chicken meal prep relies on affordable, flavorful staples.

• Chicken thighs: I enjoy using thighs as they stay juicier than breasts. However, you can easily swap this for chicken breast meal prep if you prefer a leaner cut – just be careful not to overcook it! And then if you have leftovers, make TENDER Cast Iron Chicken Breast. 
• Mixed Peppers: These peppers add delicious sweetness and are essential for cheap meal prep ideas. But you can swap them for whatever veggies are on sale to keep costs down.
• Cheddar cheese: Since this recipe has Mexican-inspired seasoning with cumin and paprika, I love adding cheddar. But if you swap the seasoning for something more Mediterranean (like my 20-minute Chicken Piccata), try mozzarella or feta instead.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations/ Adaptations

The best thing about this chicken meal prep is that it is a master base for endless variations.

• Grain bowls: If you need filling chicken lunch ideas for work, add a scoop of rice, canned bean, quinoa, or couscous to the base. Then you can use whatever grains you have to make the Jennifer Aniston Salad as well – it takes 10 minutes and is PERFECT for meal prep.
• Protein swaps: This is the ultimate high protein chicken lunch, but you can easily swap the chicken for beef or pork. You could also make it vegetarian with tofu like in this Crispy Soy Tofu, Aubergine & Rice.
• Veggie loaded: Use any fresh vegetables you prefer. I enjoy aubergine, courgettes, and onions. If you want to eat more plants, you could also try my Vegetarian Burrito Bowl and Smokin’ Chickpea Vegetarian Gyros meal prep recipes.

How to make the Best Chicken Meal Prep

Preheat oven to 390°F (180°C)

Note: If you have extra time/ plan ahead, marinade the chicken in your fridge a couple of hours before preparing the rest of the meal prep.

1. Start by adding the cumin, paprika and garlic powder to the chicken thighs (Image 1).
2. Toss to combine, then coat with 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil. Then season generously with salt and pepper (Image 2).

3. Add the can of plum tomatoes, chilli (deseeded if you like less heat), garlic cloves, and a handful of coriander into a blender cup (Image 3).

4. Then roughly blitz to combine (Image 4). 

5. Prepare all the vegetables in a large bowl (Image 5).

6. Add the vegetables into a large baking tray and pour the spicy salsa over the veg along with 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil. Use a spatula to ensure all the veggies are evenly coated in the salsa. Pop in the oven for 30-35 minutes (Image 6).

7. After around 30 minutes, use a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Once the pan is piping hot, add the chicken and refrain from stirring to achieve a nice sear (Image 7).

8. Cook on 1 side for 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium, rotate the chicken and cook for a further 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken (Image 8).

9. Assemble the meal prep bowls by adding the saucy roasted veggies as a base, placing the chicken on top and storing until you’re ready to eat (Image 9).

10. When it’s time to eat, reheat the bowls for 2 minutes in the microwave. Then you can serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheddar, coriander, and a squeeze of lime (Image 10). 

Here are some other delicious chicken recipes from around the world to give you inspiration: Greek Chicken Bowls, Lebanese Inspired Chicken Pilaf and Thai Green Chicken Curry.

How to Bulk Prep Chicken for the Week

With this chicken meal prep recipe, I roast the chicken thighs on top of the veggies for ease. However, there are other ways to bulk prep:

• Boil and Shred: Boil in broth for 12 mins, then shred. Great for salads.
• Air Fry: The air fryer is excellent for speed. Season and cook thighs for about 30 minutes.
• Bake: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and bake for 20-25 minutes. This is great if you want to prep 2kg of chicken at once.

Serving Suggestions

This chicken meal prep is versatile enough to be eaten on its own or paired with simple sides like Crispy Garlic Fries, Easy Skillet Roasted Corn, or Airfryer Hash Browns. It fits perfectly into a rotation of healthy high protein chicken recipes.

If you want to expand your menu of simple high protein chicken recipes, try:

• 30-Minute Cream of Mushroom Chicken
• The Best Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
• Marry Me Chicken Tortellini
• Easy Shredded Chicken Tacos in Crockpot
• Tender Thin Sliced Chicken Breast in Oven (Delicious)
• Easy Sauteed Chicken Breasts (in just 15 minutes!)

Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions

Once you have each of the elements prepped for this chicken meal prep, you can begin assembling the recipe. Start by adding the cooked veggies to the containers. Then, add the cooked, boneless chicken thighs. Proper storage is key to keeping your healthy chicken meal prep tasting fresh though:

Refrigerator: Store the bowls in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them. You should assemble the chicken + veg and store in airtight containers for up to 4 days, but leave the sour cream, coriander, and lime to the side until serving.

Freezer: You can freeze most elements of this chicken meal prep for up to 3 months, but skip freezing the sour cream or fresh lime.

Reheat: Allow the bowl to defrost overnight in the fridge, then pop it in the microwave for a few minutes until heated through.

If you need some advice on reheating, see these articles: The Best Way to Reheat Chicken Wings in the Airfryer, How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken and The Best Way To Reheat Salmon.

FAQs

Craving some pasta recipes next? Make Pasta al Limon, Delicious Roasted Brussel Sprout Pasta and Sausage and Fennel Pasta.