There are a lot of benefits to prepping chicken meals for the week on Sunday. For one thing, you have to deal with raw meat only once. Plus, who wants to think about what to pack for lunch or what to make for dinner once Monday rolls around and that to-do list explodes?
Stay ahead of the game (at least where eats are concerned) by cooking chicken into pre-portioned, healthy dinners — or lunches — to enjoy throughout the week.
And we’re not talking about unseasoned, blah-tasting stuff. These 21 chicken breast recipes are simple, but they’re anything but boring.
There are a lot of benefits to prepping chicken meals for the week on Sunday. For one thing, you have to deal with raw meat only once. Plus, who wants to think about what to pack for lunch or what to make for dinner once Monday rolls around and that to-do list explodes?
Stay ahead of the game (at least where eats are concerned) by cooking chicken into pre-portioned, healthy dinners — or lunches — to enjoy throughout the week.
And we’re not talking about unseasoned, blah-tasting stuff. These 21 chicken breast recipes are simple, but they’re anything but boring.
1. Healthy Roasted Chicken and Veggies
Photo: Gimme Delicious
Taste the rainbow — the healthier, non-Skittles way — with this super-straightforward recipe. The veggies and chicken are roasted at the same time in the same pan, so there’s minimal prep. Add a cooked grain to round out the meal.
Check out the recipe here.
2. Chicken Shawarma and Sweet Potato Fry Bowls
Photo: Half Baked Harvest
Skip the Middle Eastern food truck and make your own shawarma at home, using spices such as paprika and cumin to coat your chicken.
With couscous, olives, and a tahini-yogurt sauce making this portable dish even more flavorful, you’ll be the envy of your coworkers.
Check out the recipe here.
3. Healthy Greek Chicken Meal-Prep Bowls
Photo: Ally’s Cooking
Sectioned plastic containers are a must for meal-prep purposes, and this recipe is a perfect example of how useful they are. The yogurt sauce, chicken and veggies, and farro are best kept divided until it’s time to eat.
Check out the recipe here.
4. Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal-Prep Magic
Photo: Pinch of Yum
It’s easy, it’s got fewer than five main ingredients, it makes eight servings, it’s well-balanced, and it’s delicious. “Magic” is a pretty perfect word for this meal-prep recipe.
Check out the recipe here.
5. Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Cauliflower Rice
Photo: Fit Foodie Finds
Lime juice and cilantro keep the chicken tasting light and fresh, and the spicier cauliflower rice and black bean combo adds a kick of flavor. And since this dish is equally tasty hot or cold, it’s an ideal option for an on-the-go meal.
Check out the recipe here.
6. Jerk Chicken Meal-Prep Bowls
Photo: Food Lovin’ Family
Recipes like this one prove that meal-prepping is totally worth it. While it might be hard to believe, this flavor-packed combo of spicy chicken, sweet pineapple relish, and fragrant Spanish rice really can come together in just 30 minutes.
Plus, it’ll last you through four lunches or dinners. Check out the recipe here.
7. Fiesta Chicken Rice Bowls
Photo: The Girl on Bloor
“Fiesta” is right — brimming with spiced corn, brown rice, salsa, and peppers, these colorful chicken and rice bowls make every meal feel festive. They’re also prepped and ready to go in just 20 minutes. If only all parties were this easy to put together!
Check out the recipe here.
8. Meal-Prep Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls
Photo: Jar of Lemons
Skip the lines at Chipotle but still get plenty of Mexican-inspired flavor. From chicken and corn to rice and beans, this quick and easy combo gives you everything you want in a burrito bowl. Kale and cherry tomatoes add even more nutrition.
Check out the recipe here.
9. One-Pan Healthy Chicken and Veggies
Photo: Chelsea’s Messy Apron
This vibrant dish is as tasty as it is good-looking, thanks to seasonings like chili powder, onion powder, and paprika coating the colorful veg. There’s the option to add cheese, but with so much other fun stuff going on, we doubt you’ll miss it if you leave it out.
Check out the recipe here.
10. Tex-Mex Chicken Meal-Prep Bowls
Photo: Valerie’s Kitchen
The Tex-Mex flavor in these hearty chicken, rice, black bean, and veggie bowls comes from the easy addition of taco seasoning. They keep well for four days, so you’re set from Monday to Thursday, with the night off on Friday to celebrate your (not so) hard work.
Check out the recipe here.
11. Asian-Style Chicken, Veggies, and Rice Meal Prep
Photo: Recipe Righter
Sweet, sesame-coated chicken is a great complement to the simpler steamed veggies here, and brown rice (instead of the usual white) adds some extra fiber. Pack it into separate containers and it’ll look just like something out of your local Chinese takeout place.
Check out the recipe here.
12. Chicken Butternut Squash Pasta
Photo: Imma Eat That
Pasta salad is a pretty popular make-ahead dish, but you can make it even easier by portioning it for your weekday meals. This one is a satisfying mix of goat cheese, butternut squash, and walnuts. Nutmeg and basil add some unique flavor.
Check out the recipe here.
13. Chicken, Apple, and Pecan Salads in a Jar
Photo: Damn Delicious
Pack your meals in mason jars and you’ll look forward to digging into them every day. This layered salad doesn’t just look pretty — with dried cranberries and apples alongside the chicken in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing, it gives you tons of flavor in every bite.
Check out the recipe here.
14. Italian Chicken Meal-Prep Bowls
Photo: Eazy Peazy Mealz
This recipe uses quick-cooking, microwave-friendly rice for when you’re short on time (isn’t that always?). Even better, you can be completely flexible on the types of veggies and seasonings you choose to add to the dish.
So open the fridge and use whatever you have in there. Just treat this recipe as an easy guide to making simple Italian-style dinners that’ll last you all week.
Check out the recipe here.
15. Harvest Chicken Salad
Photo: Life Love and Good Food
Buying a salad can be a smart, nutritious option, but it can also get expensive and not-so-healthy. (Can you please add goat cheese, avocado, and bacon? Oh, and eggs… and wow, that fried chicken looks good. I’ll have ranch dressing, please.)
This one keeps things wholesome, but with apples, sweet potatoes, blue cheese, and almonds, it’s nowhere near boring.
Check out the recipe here.
16. Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry Meal-Prep Lunch Boxes
Photo: My Food Story
This recipe calls for chicken thighs, but you can easily use breasts and get away with it. Whichever you use, it’ll easily soak up the homemade teriyaki sauce, which has a lower sugar content than most bottled varieties.
Check out the recipe here.
17. Meal-Prep Slow-Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Quinoa Bowls
Photo: Project Meal Plan
If you have no time to meal-prep, let your kitchen appliances do the work for you. A slow cooker lets the chicken, pineapple, and peppers simmer for three hours in a sweet and tangy sauce while a rice cooker takes care of the quinoa.
All you have to do is scoop everything into containers. Check out the recipe here.
18. Baked Chicken, Broccoli, and Sweet Potatoes
Photo: Recipe Diaries
It’s back to basics with this three-ingredient meal. The combo is the quintessential healthy dinner — and for good reason: It’s easy to prep, it’s affordable, and it doesn’t require a lot of seasoning to be delicious.
Check out the recipe here.
19. Pizza Chicken Meal Prep
Photo: Meal Prep on Fleek
Hold off on grabbing a greasy midday slice for lunch.
This recipe, designed to make four individual meals, has the seasonings and sauce of a classic pizza but pairs them with chicken and spaghetti squash instead of bread for a higher-protein, fiber-packed meal that’ll keep you full longer.
Check out the recipe here.
