Super Easy Chicken and Veggie Bowl Recipe – Perfect for Meal Prep!
tIt’s taken me a while to really learn this – and I’m still not great about consistently doing it – but meal prep saves you SO much time. And having more time than before is good for everyone. What would you do with an extra three to five hours in any given week? I know I’d spend some of those hours in a personal bounce house; I ain’t sharing with anybody.
Meal prep ideas range from super duper simple to shockingly complex. This recipe is going to be the former, and it’s packed with lots of good-for-you items, too. Think of it as an investment in your nutrition, your time, and your collection of food containers.
Meal Prep Containers
In fact, meal prep containers should be the next thing you buy if you don’t have solid ones already. Enther is wonderful for square options and Prep Naturals offers terrific circular bowls. The last thing you want to do is make a meal of 32 servings and have nowhere to put it. Then you’ll have to either throw the leftovers out the window or pull a Bruce Bogtrotter and eat the entire thing.
Variety is the Spice of Life (and Chicken Bowls)
Once your container situation is sorted out, it’s time to get cookin’. Chicken and veggie bowls are super easy and super delicious – and best of all, they’re customizable. This recipe uses broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, corn, asparagus, chicken, and rice, but you can absolutely mix it up. Do want to have your base be zoodles instead of rice? GET AFTER IT. Crave red peppers in place of asparagus? GO WILD. Need to replace the entire bowl with a cookie cake? That’s a different meal, but when has cookie cake ever let us down?
You can choose how long you want to marinate your chicken, but give it at least ten minutes on each side so it’s not dryer than Steven Wright. I’m just going all out with the 80s and 90s references today. Turtle power!
Whilst the chicken is marinating, you’ll get your vegetables and rice ready to go. I like using canned corn and pre-crinkled carrots because it saves some time. However, if you want to shuck your own, who am I to stop you? I am no one, that’s who. The vegetables will all cook in the same pan, which allows the flavors to morph into one beautiful, delicious cornucopia.
Combine the chicken, rice and vegetables and life will be good.
Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)
2 chicken breasts
1⅓ cups of white or brown rice
1 can of fresh cut corn
1 bag of crinkled carrots
1½ lb fresh asparagus
1 lb fresh broccoli
12 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
Marinade Ingredients
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and give ’em a good stir.
2. Boil 3 cups of water in a small to medium saucepan. Stir rice once and cover with lid. Let rice simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit another 5 minutes. Use a fork to ensure the rice is fluffy and to your liking.
3. Place the chicken breasts in the marinade, letting soak for at least ten minutes on each side.
4. While chicken is marinating, drizzle olive oil into a large skillet. Add vegetables and cook until they start browning and place in a separate bowl.
5. Cook chicken until internal temperature is between 165 and 175°F. Either add to skillet (about 10 minutes on each side until outside turns opaque, lowering the heat after you flip to the second side) or bake in the oven at 400°F for about 35 to 40 minutes.
6. Chop or slice chicken into small chunks or slices. Combine rice, vegetables, and chicken in your meal prep bowls and enjoy now or later!
