Meal prepping is becoming increasingly popular these days, and it’s not without good reason.
The first, most obvious reason many people take to meal prepping is to lose weight.
Since meal prepping is the act of planning and preparing your meals ahead of time, it means you have homemade meals at the ready when hunger calls.
Related: Meal Prep 101: How to Meal Prep for Weight Loss
If you have homemade meals sitting in the fridge, chances are you aren’t going to go out to eat and leave that food you slaved away at to spoil.
But just having meals prepared doesn’t guarantee weight loss. There’s more to the process than that.
In order to lose weight, you need to be in a caloric deficit, meaning you need to be eating slightly less than what your body needs to sustain itself.
Since you are preparing your meals, you have control over the portion sizes so you can add as much or as little as your body needs for each meal.
This is where weight loss starts to happen because you’re eating meals based on your daily macronutrient goals needed for weight loss instead of mindlessly overeating.
Pretty simple, right?
Meal prepping is also a great way to eat healthier since you’re reaching for a wholesome, balanced meal instead of the takeout menu.
There are so many people who use meal prepping as a way to stay on track with their health and fitness goals, from weight loss, to building muscle, or just eating healthier.
So whether you’re an avid follower of #mealprepsunday or meal prep is entirely new to you, it’s a tool you should have under belt.
The Low-down on Meal Prepping
Before we get to the easy meal prep recipes below, let’s go over some important meal prepping details.
The reality is, most meals can be meal prepped, you just have to know how to do it right.
All of these tips hold true whether you’re following the chicken meal prep recipes below or you’re trying to convert your favorite recipe into a meal prep-friendly version.
Balance is Key
Ever notice how many servings of rice you get when eating out?
It’s way more than you’d make yourself, right?
One of the great things about meal prepping is that, unlike when eating out, you get to decide your portion sizes.
Your meals for weight loss should be balanced, meaning they contain adequate portions of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. These are known as your macros and your body needs certain ratios of each to run properly.
This portion guide will quickly show you how to create a balanced meal.
You can also calculate your macros, divide them between your meals throughout the day (not necessarily the same for each meal), and track them using MyFitnessPal to make sure you’re hitting your goals.
How to Meal Prep Chicken for the Week
Chicken can be a tricky meat to meal prep because it’s so lean and gets so dang dry when reheated.
But…. there are a few things you can do to prevent this from happening!
Do You Need to Prep the Chicken?
Yes.
Before you even think about cooking chicken, you first need to brine it.
For a wet brine, you:
- Add 1/4 cup salt to 6 cups water (room temperature)
- Mix until salt dissolves
- Add chicken
- Place in fridge for 30 minutes
- Rinse chicken and pat dry
Why?
Salt breaks down certain proteins in the chicken that prevent the meat from contracting while cooking, meaning it’s more difficult for the juices to leak out.
Essentially, the salt helps the chicken retain the juices it already contains while adding more moisture from the water.
Once the chicken has been removed from the brine, you either coat it in:
- Olive oil + seasonings
- Marinade
- BBQ sauce
Then it’s time to start cooking.
How Do You Cook Chicken for Meal Prep?
There are a number of ways you can cook chicken, as you’ll see from the meal prep recipes below.
These are all meal prep-friendly ways to cook chicken:
- Crockpot: Have other things to do than cook all day? With a slow cooker, you can have your whole week’s worth of meals cooking while you’re out and about and come home to a heavenly aroma.
- Instant Pot: For those days when you’re in a rush, the instant pot will save your day. You can quickly and efficiently cook multiple items in a pressure cooker at once, making it the ultimate multitasker.
- Grill: You can’t beat the taste of meat cooked on a grill. If weather isn’t cooperating, you can use an indoor grill. It’s great for meat and veggies!
- Oven: Either whole or diced, you can throw the chicken on a baking tray by itself or with some vegetables to cook. Meanwhile, you can prepare other meals and snacks.
- Stove: Although the stovetop requires more hands-on cooking, it’s a quick way to cook up some chicken and doesn’t require other gadgets.
What you use depends on the chicken meal prep recipe you use or what you have time for, but they’re all great options.
If you cooked the chicken whole, make sure you don’t cut it open until it’s cooled off or until you’re ready to eat it.
This will prevent the juices from flowing out and therefore prevent your chicken from drying out.
How Long Does Chicken Last in the Fridge?
According to the Federal Food Safety database, cooked chicken should only be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days.
This is one of the reasons many people prep half their meals on Sunday and the other half on Wednesday (or your days of choice).
The Best Meal Prep Containers to Store Your Food In
The freshness of your food is largely affected by the storage containers you use.
I only recommend glass storage contains for reheated foods because unlike plastic, glass doesn’t contain harmful chemicals such as BPA or phthalates that can leak into your food when heated up.
Glass is also non-porous, so your food will always taste fresh. No funky plastic flavors around here.
I also love and highly recommend these reusable food storage bags that are BPA-free. They even come with cute little designs!
Let’s Get Cooking
Now that you know the basics of cooking and storing chicken, you can put these these healthy meal prep recipes for weight loss to use!
25 Flavorful Chicken Meal Prep Recipes
One common problem people face when meal prepping is getting tired of the same old plain chicken and rice dishes.
And if you aren’t one to season your food, this can get old real fast.
So how do you meal prep and not get bored?
That’s where these delicious, yet healthy chicken meal prep recipes come in to save the day.
It’s mind-blowing that there are so many different variations of chicken and vegetables you can make without much effort.
By simply switching up the marinades, seasoning, and veggies you use, you won’t get tired of eating the same thing over and over again.
Because you won’t be eating the same thing anymore!
Let these chicken meal prep ideas for weight loss (or gains) show you just how tasty meal prepping can be!
1. Crockpot Curry Chicken
Image courtesy of Fit Foodie Finds.
Healthy meal prep recipes don’t get easier (or tastier!) than this crockpot curry chicken.
Minimal, whole ingredients are used to bring you this gluten-free, paleo, and keto dish that is just bursting with that delicious coconut curry flavor!
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 440
- Fat: 21g
- Protein: 30g
- Carbs: 33g
Get the recipe: Crockpot Curry Chicken
2. Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal Prep Magic
Image courtesy of Pinch of Yum.
These spicy chicken and sweet potato bowls are just one of many delicious variations of chicken and veggies.
Adding in sweet potato is a great way to curb your sweet tooth while getting in important nutrients your body needs.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 222
- Fat: 4.9g
- Protein: 28g
- Carbs: 15.3g
Get the recipe: Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal Prep Magic
3. Italian Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Image courtesy of Eazy Peazy Mealz.
Adding in fresh and powerful flavors like basil, rosemary, thyme, and paprika are the perfect way to spice up your meal prep.
And that’s just what this Italian chicken and veggie recipe calls for.
Plus it’s a sheet pan recipe, so you only need one baking tray to create this yummy dish.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 305
- Fat: 6.4g
- Protein: 53.1g
- Carbs: 7.1g
Get the recipe: Italian Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
4. Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls
Image courtesy of Jar of Lemons.
Who doesn’t love a good burrito bowl?
These contain a good ratio of protein and carbohydrates and with the addition of a healthy fat like an avocado, make a healthy and balanced meal.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 370
- Fat: 4.6g
- Protein: 39.6g
- Carbs: 43.3g
Get the recipe: Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls
5. Healthy Roasted Chicken and Veggies
Image courtesy of Gimme Delicious Food.
An easy way to speed up the meal prep process is throwing everything on a pan and roasting it in the oven.
That means less hands-on cooking time and fewer dishes to clean up. And you have more time to prep your snacks.
Sounds like a win-win situation to me.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 15.2g
- Protein: 20g
- Carbs: 6.6g
Get the recipe: Healthy Roasted Chicken and Veggies
6. Grilled Chicken Fajita Kebabs
Image courtesy of Fit Foodie Finds.
Chicken fajita kebabs are the perfect reason to break out your grill (or indoor grill!).
All you have to do is chop, marinate, skewer, and plop them on the grill, making these kebabs the perfect meal prep idea.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 216
- Fat: 6g
- Protein: 28g
- Carbs: 13g
Get the recipe: Grilled Chicken Fajita Kebabs
7. Greek Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Image courtesy of Eazy Peazy Meals.
For tender and juicy chicken, you can’t go wrong with a marinade.
The flavors from the chicken and vegetables give this Greek meal prep bowl a flavor that can’t be beat, giving you a lunch to look forward to every day.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 527
- Fat: 22.2g
- Protein: 43.6g
- Carbs: 39.9g
Get the recipe: Greek Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
8. BBQ Chicken Breasts
Image courtesy of Damn Delicious.
A super easy, yet still delicious, way to enjoy your chicken meal prep dishes is to coat them in a sticky, sweet sauce.
Well would you look at that – here’s a great example of a tasty barbecue chicken recipe you can make and actually look forward to eating!
Add a side of veggies and your meal is complete.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 323
- Fat: 2.9g
- Protein: 39.3g
- Carbs: 34.3g
Get the recipe: BBQ Chicken Breasts
9. Chicken Shawarma and Sweet Potato Fry Bowls
Image courtesy of Half Baked Harvest.
Chicken shawarma and sweet potato fries are the perfect way to add more flavor to your meal prep.
And the best part?
You can have all of this in only an hour.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 521
- Fat: 25.5g
- Protein: 49.7g
- Carbs: 27.4g
Get the recipe: Chicken Shawarma and Sweet Potato Fry Bowls
10. Honey Mustard Chicken & Potatoes
Image courtesy of Cafe Delites.
One pan meal prep recipes, like this honey mustard chicken with potatoes, make your job a whole lot easier.
More time to prepare other meals and fewer dishes to clean up? Yes, PLEASE!
Plus, this one is full of honey mustard-y goodness that won’t bore you every day.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 530
- Fat: 28g
- Protein: 27g
- Carbs: 42g
Get the recipe: Honey Mustard Chicken & Potatoes
11. Cilantro Lime Chicken with Cauliflower Rice
Image courtesy of Fit Foodie Finds.
Simply swapping out normal rice for riced cauliflower is an easy way to lower your calorie and carbohydrate intake.
Worried about flavor? Don’t be.
The chicken and cauliflower rice are both seasoned to give you an enjoyable low carb, high protein meal prep recipe you’ll love!
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 378
- Fat: 21g
- Protein: 32g
- Carbs: 16g
Get the recipe: Cilantro Lime Chicken with Cauliflower Rice
12. Chicken Pad Thai
Image courtesy of Life Made Sweeter.
Chicken Pad Thai should always be an option. And now it is thanks to this easy recipe.
This is the perfect way to curb your cravings without eating your whole day’s worth of calories in one meal.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 491
- Fat: 10g
- Protein: 18g
- Carbs: 82g
Get the recipe: Chicken Pad Thai
13. Jerk Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Image courtesy of Food Lovin’ Family.
Sweet and spicy, what better combo is there?
The pineapple is the real star of this dish, working to bring all the flavors together for a meal you’ll love.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 380
- Fat: 4.7g
- Protein: 39.8g
- Carbs: 42.3g
Get the recipe: Jerk Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
14. Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
Image courtesy of Life Made Sweeter.
When a pressure cooker or slow cooker is involved, you know the recipe is going to be a breeze to make.
That means this sweet and sour chicken is Meal Prep Sunday approved.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 291
- Fat: 5g
- Protein: 27g
- Carbs: 34g
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
15. Southwestern Fiesta Chicken
Image courtesy of Kevin and Amanda.
For a flavorful meal you can throw together in less than 30 minutes, look no further than this southwestern fiesta chicken.
You can be in and out of the kitchen in as little as an hour and have all your meals prepped for the week ahead.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 503
- Fat: 17.7g
- Protein: 30.8g
- Carbs: 56.9g
Get the recipe: Southwestern Fiesta Chicken
16. One Pan Healthy Chicken and Veggies
Image courtesy of Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
One of the less popular aspects of meal prep is the cleanup process.
But thanks to this one pan healthy chicken and veggies recipe, your prep and cleanup times are minimal and you’re still left with a delicious meal.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 524
- Fat: 28.6g
- Protein: 40.4g
- Carbs: 31.6g
Get the recipe: One Pan Healthy Chicken and Veggies
17. Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls
Image courtesy of Sweet Peas and Saffron.
Turning fajitas into a meal prep bowl means you still get all the awesome flavors, just not as many carbs since there’s no tortilla.
These fajita lunch bowls are the perfect healthy on-the-go meal prep recipe to make when you’ve got a full week ahead of you.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 479
- Fat: 19g
- Protein: 30g
- Carbs: 41g
Get the recipe: Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls
18. Sun Dried Tomato, Kale, and Chicken Sausage Quinoa Bake
Image courtesy of Fit Foodie Finds.
Tired of boring ol’ chicken breasts? Chicken sausages are a great way to switch up your meal prep for much needed variety!
The addition of sun dried tomatoes, kale, and quinoa make this casserole-style dish hearty, filling, and full of wholesome flavors.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 318
- Fat: 11g
- Protein: 22g
- Carbs: 31g
Get the recipe: Sun Dried Tomato, Kale, and Chicken Sausage Quinoa Bake
19. Honey Sesame Chicken Lunch Bowls
Image courtesy of Sweet Peas and Saffron.
Simple, yet flavorful is what meal prep is all about.
These honey sesame chicken bowls are the perfect way to get a healthy Asian-inspired meal using only minimal ingredients.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 445
- Fat: 11g
- Protein: 33g
- Carbs: 56g
Get the recipe: Honey Sesame Chicken Lunch Bowls
20. Tex Mex Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Image courtesy of Valerie’s Kitchen.
It never hurts having more burrito-type bowl ideas on hand.
Different seasonings and vegetable pairings help keep your meal prep interesting and healthy.
All you need is 30 minutes and you’ll have these Tex Mex chicken meal prep bowls made and ready for the entire week.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 447
- Fat: 14g
- Protein: 32.6g
- Carbs: 49.6g
Get the recipe: Tex Mex Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
21. Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Image courtesy of Fit Foodie Finds.
The Moroccan-inspired dry rub on these chicken thighs it out of this world.
And the leftover sauce at the bottom of the instant pot makes sure this chicken meal prep bowl is juicy and anything but boring.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 346
- Fat: 15g
- Protein: 26g
- Carbs: 30g
Get the recipe: Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
22. Chicken Meal Prep Burrito Bowl
Image courtesy of Damn Delicious.
Instead of running to Chipotle everyday and eating over 1000 calories for lunch, bring one of these chicken burrito bowls with you.
They’re simple to make and half the calories!
You can easily swap out the chicken for ground turkey or beef if that’s what you prefer and you’ll have yourself a homemade burrito bowl to your liking.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 536
- Fat: 22.3g
- Protein: 42.4g
- Carbs: 44.2g
Get the recipe: Chicken Meal Prep Burrito Bowl
23. Crispy Chili Chicken with Broccoli
Image courtesy of Kitchen Sanctuary.
A little indulgence every now and then never hurt nobody.
For those days, or weeks, when you’re craving takeout, this crispy chili chicken meal prep recipe is just what you need.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 436
- Fat: 16g
- Protein: 26g
- Carbs: 51g
Get the recipe: Crispy Chili Chicken with Broccoli
24. No-Cook Meal Prep Burrito Bowls
Image courtesy of Eat. Lift. Play. Repeat.
Short on time?
These no-cook burrito bowls are a cheap and easy chicken meal prep recipe you can whip up in no-time.
Canned veggies, salsa, lettuce, and a rotisserie chicken are all you need and you’ve got a whole weeks worth of meals planned out.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 292
- Fat: 4.8g
- Protein: 43.2g
- Carbs: 17.7g
Get the recipe: No-Cook Meal Prep Burrito Bowls
25. Harvest Chicken Salad
Image courtesy of Life Love and Good Food.
A little different than most of the chicken meal prep recipes on this list, this harvest chicken salad is a great way to dress up a salad for a hearty, filling meal.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 600.4
- Fat: 32g
- Protein: 33.3g
- Carbs: 51.8g
Get the recipe: Harvest Chicken Salad
26. Pesto Chicken and Veggies
Image courtesy of Buzzfeed.
Pesto coated chicken and veggies makes for a simple, yet flavorful meal.
You can swap out the tomatoes and green beans for carrots, broccoli, asparagus, or any other vegetable and still have a delicious, yet different, meal.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 232
- Fat: 13.3g
- Protein: 21.9g
- Carbs: 11.7g
Get the recipe: Pesto Chicken and Veggies
The Possibilities Are Endless
The key to long-term success is to eat things you enjoy (not just plain chicken and rice) and switch things up so you don’t get tired of eating the same things every day.
With so many different chicken meal prep recipes to choose from, it’s impossible to not find something you like.
These chicken meal prep ideas are a perfect example of all the different macro-friendly meals you can make and enjoy eating for your health goals.
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