These Chicken Meal Prep Bowls are an easy, flavorful way to prep lunches or dinners ahead of time without sacrificing variety or comfort. Juicy pan-seared chicken breast, creamy mashed cauliflower, and sautéed vegetables come together into a balanced, satisfying meal that reheats beautifully throughout the week.
Why Meal Prep Works So Well
Meal prepping is one of the easiest ways to simplify your week. Cooking once and portioning meals ahead of time means:
- Less last-minute cooking
- Fewer takeout orders
- More time during busy weekdays
I have several chicken meal prep recipes on the blog, like Spicy Chicken Meal Prep Bowls, Greek Chicken Salad Bowls, and Chopped Chicken Salad, and this one follows the same idea — simple ingredients, great flavor, and easy assembly.
This recipe is written for cooking everything at once and portioning it out, but it’s flexible enough to fit different meal-prep styles.
Key Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts — I’ve tested this recipe many times, and boneless, skinless chicken breasts always work best. I usually slice them into cutlets because they cook faster and more evenly, which is perfect for meal prep.
Cauliflower, Zucchini, Red Bell Peppers, Red Onion & Garlic — This veggie combo is one I keep coming back to. I’ve tried swapping things in and out based on what I had in the fridge, but this mix always gives the best balance of flavor and texture. The cauliflower turns smooth and creamy when mashed, the zucchini adds softness and color, the red peppers get slightly sweet, the red onion adds depth, and the garlic ties everything together. I’ve tested this combo so many times and it never disappoints.
Parmesan Cheese — I always recommend shredding it yourself. I’ve tried the pre-shredded kind, but freshly grated Parmesan melts better and gives so much more flavor.
Butter & Olive Oil — I’ve tested using just one or the other, but a mix of butter and olive oil gives the best result. The butter adds richness, and the olive oil is perfect for sautéing without things burning.
How to Keep Chicken Breast Juicy
Cutting the chicken breasts into thinner cutlets helps them cook quickly and evenly, which prevents them from drying out. Avoid overcooking, and always let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing.
When reheating, a damp paper towel over the container helps lock in moisture.
Recipe Tips
- Chicken breasts are cooked through once it has reached the internal temperature of 165F. An instant-read meat thermometer is a super helpful kitchen tool.
- I love my cast iron skillet but if you don’t have one, a regular skillet will work just as well.
- For the mashed cauliflower, you can use frozen cauliflower instead of rice. Simply thaw it before cooking it.
How Far Ahead Can I Meal Prep Chicken?
Chicken can be meal-prepped up to 4 days ahead of time. Be sure to store the chicken in an airtight container to ensure freshness. Before storing it in the fridge, let the chicken cool to avoid condensation. Be sure to keep the meals refrigerated until you’re ready to eat.
Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Video
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
Follow @primaverakitchen on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #primaverakitchen. We’d love to see your recreation.
How many net carbs are in this recipe? How much is the serving? I am making 15 bowls, 5 each for 3 people. And how can I put the recipe in Carb Manager? I can’t seem to find it! thank you xo.
You probably need to add all the ingredients individually on the Carb Manager app to get this info. Thanks
I made this yesterday and am having it for lunch. It’s delicious 😋
Happy to hear that!
Great meal prep option! I spread this across 5 meals and added some extra veggies such as sugar snap peas, asparagus and Swiss chard. Very filling lunch option, thank you!!
Happy you liked it!
I made this tonight and it was a hit! DELICIOUS! I will definitely be making this again. I also added roasted garlic and chopped up some red onion in the spinach. I do need to season the chicken a little more before baking, but it was really tasty.
Happy you liked this recipe. Spinach and red onions are great addiction to this recipe.
Can I add another cheese instead of parmesan please
You can skip parmesan if you prefer.
I just made these for my husband and he said they where fantastic and that I need to add these to my meal prep list for him because he definitely wants them again
That’s amazing! happy to hear that 😉
What if you dont have onion powder
You can replace it for your favorite ground spices.
Just made this and gosh it’s so yummy! Even the kids enjoyed the chicken and Mashed Cauliflower and were asking for seconds! Definitely a new Fave!!
Aww so happy to hear that. Your comment made my day!
I do not have a streamer available. Can I boil the cauliflower until it’s tender?
Yes you can.
Very tasty, but I would cut down on the oil and butter next time
You can totally adjust it according to your liking 😉