This meal prep recipe for chicken and vegetables in a creamy homemade mayo-pesto sauce is a family favorite, healthy meal. It’s the perfect solution for a busy weeknight dinner!
Is it Hard to Prepare Meals in Advance?
You do not have to spend an entire day in the kitchen meal prepping. It can be done in a few spare minutes to make your weeknights easier. Cooking in bulk is more efficient and it is budget-friendly, too!
If the idea of making meals that you can heat and eat later sounds great but overwhelming, don’t worry. Remember that you can start small with something like this meal prep recipe for chicken and vegetables.
The chicken and vegetables will be divided into four servings. If you use it for lunches, you can cook once and eat it four times during the week, or once a week for a month. It is up to you.
Your options for easy meal prep are nearly endless, but here are a few guidelines and tips:
- Meals with meat like beef, fish, turkey or chicken and vegetables will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days.
- Meats, rice, potatoes and veggies all freeze well and will keep well frozen for 3 to 4 months.
- Each meal should include a balance of protein, vegetables and carbohydrates.
- To prevent mushy food, sometimes it’s best to keep any sauce or gravy separate and add it when you are ready to serve the meal.
How do I Start Making the Meal Prep Recipe for Chicken and Vegetables?
Here are a few tips to get you started preparing meal prep recipes like a pro.
- Invest in meal prep containers with separate compartments. They are available in glass, silicone, and BPA-free plastic – I prefer glass meal prep containers. For this chicken and vegetables meal, the ingredients are combined, but there are times you may want to separate ingredients.
- Start with something simple, like this easy chicken and vegetables meal prep recipe.
- Make large batches of ingredients so that you have plenty of cooked protein, chopped veggies and prepared rice or grains ready to use.
What Chicken and Vegetables Go Well Together?
Chicken is the food world’s blank canvas! Because of this, it can be combined and cooked in many different ways.
This meal prep recipe calls for sweet potatoes and green beans. But you can use any veggies that freeze well or that your family prefers. Examples include corn, carrots, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Use your imagination and create your own version of this meal prep recipe for chicken and vegetables! Check out my Low Carb Chicken Meal Prep Bowls (Web Story) for another version.
Other Meal Prep Recipes
- Garlic Shrimp and Veggies Meal Prep Bowls
- Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep Bowls
- Shrimp Vegetable Skillet (Meal Prep)
- Shrimp and Sausage Vegetable Skillet (Meal-Prep)
- One-Pan Italian Sausage Meal-Prep Bowls
- Easy Roasted Veggies Meal-Prep Bowls
- Low-Carb Shrimp Fajita Meal-Prep Bowls
- Healthy Meatloaf Meal-Prep Bowls
Meal Prep Recipe for Chicken and Vegetables
Video
Ingredients
For the green sauce
- 4 tbsp homemade mayo
- 2 tbsp homemade pesto
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp garlic minced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the chicken bowls
- 1 pound free-range organic boneless chicken breasts cut in cubes
- Salt and ground fresh black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled and diced
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
- 1 pound fresh green beans cut at a diagonal in 1 and 2-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
For the sauce
- In a small mason jar, add all the ingredients for the green sauce and mix well to combine. Set aside.
For the chicken bowls
- In a bowl, add chicken, salt, black pepper, paprika and dried oregano. Mix everything well and set aside for about 15 minutes.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Cook garlic for about 30 seconds and then add seasoned chicken.
- Sauté the chicken for about 7-10 minutes or until it is cooked through. Don’t forget to stir well. Set chicken aside.
- In the same skillet, add the sweet potatoes and chicken broth. Stir all well and cover skillet with a lid. Do not forget to stir occasionally.
- Cook for about 7-10 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are almost cooked.
- Add green beans, a little bit of salt, pepper and crushed red pepper and cover the skillet. Cook for about 4-5 minutes until tender.
- Return the chicken to the pan, and stir to combine thoroughly.
Meal-prepping
- Place an even amount of chicken, sweet potato and green beans into 4 different medium glass containers. Cover with the lid and place in the fridge for up to 4 days. Heat in the microwave for about 1.5 or 2 minutes. Pour the green sauce over it and enjoy!
Tips
- Nutrition Facts don't include green sauce.
- Cut the chicken into even-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- If you'd like, you can swap chicken breasts for chicken thighs.
- The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavourful it'll be. Marinate it overnight for the most flavour.
- To store: Store the meal prep chicken and vegetable bowls in the fridge for up to 4 days in airtight containers.
- To reheat: Reheat the chicken and vegetable bowls in the microwave until heated through.
- To freeze: I would recommend only freezing the chicken as the vegetables won’t hold up well. You can freeze the chicken before cooking, in the marinade as well. Freeze the chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Jennifer Miller says
This looks like an excellent dish! I just wish I had enough time in the day to meal prep. Since I don’t have that luxury right now, I’ve been getting by with Meal Prep Delivery. I bet their food tastes just as good as that savory chicken dish you talked about above! If someone could give me some tips on how to free up more time, I would love you (lol). If not, try out the company I linked above. You won’t regret it!
Janine Cardoso says
Hi,
Can these be cooked, cooled & then frozen?
Thanks Janine
Olivia says
Yes you totally can!