32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (2024)

By: Denise Bustard16 Comments
Posted: 6/17/17Updated: 8/13/20

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More than 32 delicious chicken breast meal prep recipes that will have you excited to eat your lunch! These recipes prove that boneless skinless chicken breasts are anything but boring.

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (1)

Chicken breasts are one of the most popular proteins for meal prep. Per pound, they contain fewer calories and grams of fat than chicken thighs, making them a smart choice for anyone who is trying to slim down.

Not only that, but chicken breastsare so versatile, they can go with just about anything...they really are a blank canvas!

I though it would be fun to round up some of my favorite chicken breast meal prep recipes from around the web, so you never have to get bored with your chicken breast routine!

But first, a few tips I've found to make sure that your meal prep chicken breasts stay moist and delicious:

  • Storethem in a sauce/vinaigrette- Storing and re-heating your chicken breast in a sauce helps lock in extra moisture, and same goes for chicken breast stored in a salad vinaigrette.
  • Bake them whole, then slice- Baking your chicken breast whole, rather than cubed or pre-sliced helps retain more moisture. Make sure you let them rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing up, as this prevents juices from running out.
  • Cut against the grain- cutting with the grain results in stringy, chewy chicken breast. This goes for slicing it raw (pre-baking) or slicing it after it cooks. See this article for a good visual guide of slicing against the grain.
  • Don't overcook!- chicken breasts can be tricky...a minute or two of extra time in the oven can mean dry dry dry. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C). Once you get a system down for cooking your chicken breasts, you don't have to worry about this. To cook whole chicken breasts, I recommend 425°F for 18 min (smaller 5 oz chicken breasts) to 28 min (larger 12 oz chicken breasts).

Alright, enough tips. Let's check out these 32+ chicken breast meal prep recipes!

Updated April 17 with new recipes! Scroll to the bottom to see them.

NEW: 7 Freezer Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (2)

NEW: make these Instant Pot Chicken Breast Freezer Packs on meal prep Sunday!Check this post out!

1. 7 Chicken Marinade Recipes You Can Freeze from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 2. Asian Chicken Mason Jar Saladsfrom Joyful Healthy Eats

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (4)

3. Honey Sesame Chicken Lunch Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 4. Honey BBQ Slow Cooker Taquitos from Kristine's Kitchen

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (5)

5. Make Ahead Lemon Chicken Sheet Pan Gnocchi from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 6. How To Add Variety To Meal Prep Chicken from Yummy Healthy Easy

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (6)

7. Mexican Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Meal Prep Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 8. Thai Peanut Chicken Meal Prep Bowls from From Valerie's Kitchen

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (7)

9. Meal Prep Pesto Chicken Pita Pocketsfrom Sweet Peas & Saffron // 10. Greek Chicken Roasted Cauliflower Meal Prep Bowls from Food Faith Fitness

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (8)

11. Slow Cooker Sweet Chili Chicken (3 Ways) from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 12. Meal Prep Cilantro Lime Chicken with Cauliflower Rice from Fit Foodie Finds

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (9)

13. Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 14. Meal Prep Roasted Chicken and Veggies from Gimme Delicious

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (10)

15. Maple Ginger Chicken Meal Prep Lunch Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 16. Honey Lime Chicken Sheet Pan from Life Made Sweeter

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (11)

17. Meal Prep Chicken Fajitas (Sheet Pan) from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 18. Italian Chicken Meal Prep Bowls from Eazy Peazy Mealz

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (12)

19. Jerk Chicken Meal Prep Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 20. Healthy Chicken Recipes in a Pressure Cooker or Crock Pot from The Creative Bite

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (13)

21. Spicy Chicken Meal Prep Bowls from Primavera Kitchen // 22.Slow Cooker Chipotle Honey Chicken Taco Salad Lunch Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (14)

23. Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad (Meal Prep) from Sweet Peas & Saffron // 24. Meal Prep Chicken Burrito Bowls from Gimme Delicious

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (15)

25. Garlic Parmesan Kale Pasta Meal Prep from Budget Bytes // 26. Meal Prep Honey Ginger Chicken Stir Fry from Fit Foodie Finds

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (16)

27. 20-Minute Meal Prep Chicken, Broccoli and Rice from Gimme Delicious // 28. Thai Chicken Lunch Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (17)

29. Hawaiian Chicken Meal Prep Bowls from Life In the Lofthouse // 30. One Pan Healthy Chicken and Veggies from Chelsea's Messy Apron

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (18)

31. Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Meal Prep Bowls from Gimme Some Oven // 32. Meal Prep Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad from Sweet Peas & Saffron

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (19)

33. Meal Prep Lunch Bowls with Spicy Chicken from Ally's Cooking// 34. Healthier Firecracker Chicken Meal Prep Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (20)

35. Buffalo Chicken Whole30 Meal Prep from 40 Aprons // 36. Caprese Chicken Salad Meal Prep Bowls from Sweet Peas & Saffron

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (21)

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

  1. Janell says

    Awesome. ..this is perfect for my body building nephew who is new to meal prepping and only knows one way to make chicken. Thank you

    Reply

    • Denise says

      Hope it will be helpful, Janell!

      Reply

  2. Aubrey says

    Can't wait to try these! New Year's resolution: get organized! I'm on my way!

    Reply

    • Denise says

      You can do it, Aubrey! Hope you enjoy some of the recipes 🙂

      Reply

  3. sara says

    Think you could make some of these and then freeze them and reheat in the microwave?
    I'm looking to fill my freezer with healthy lunches that I can just pull out and take to work.

    Reply

    • Denise says

      I'd refer to each recipe for whether they can be frozen or not. I do have a post with freezer-friendly lunches here: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/freezer-friendly-lunch-meal-prep-recipes/

      Reply

  4. Monica Johnson says

    thank you for this !!

    Reply

    • Denise says

      My pleasure!

      Reply

  5. skyone says

    Thank you so much for this post!

    Reply

    • Denise says

      Glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  6. Mickayla says

    Thank you! do you sell these 21 recipes in the card pack too?

    Reply

    • Denise says

      Hi Mickayla, these aren't all my own recipes, they belong to other bloggers 🙂 I don't currently have a meal prep ebook but I'm working on one!

      Reply

  7. Angie Hartline says

    Thank you for these recipes. I always struggle with what to make. I like the fact that these recipes contain most ingredients that are staples in my house. Very useful.

    Reply

    • Denise says

      So glad you found the post helpful, Angie!

      Reply

  8. Sheila says

    Thank you so much for this post! I make chicken all the time. Its nice to have some new ideas. I will be trying several of these!

    Reply

    • Denise says

      I'm so happy you found it useful, Sheila! Hope you enjoy the recipes 🙂

      Reply

32 + Chicken Breast Meal Prep Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How many chicken breasts for meal prep? ›

First, decide how much chicken you'll need for the week. If you're cooking for you and maybe one other person, about 3-4 pounds of chicken breast fillets should do the trick. If you have a larger family or want more leftovers, aim for 6-8 pounds.

How long will chicken last in meal prep? ›

Chicken is one of the best meats for meal prep because it's inexpensive and lasts for up to four days in the fridge after you've cooked it, so we're here to make sure that when it comes to chicken, your prep is perfect.

How much chicken do I need for 25 adults? ›

How Much Food to Serve at a Party
FOODSERVE 25SERVE 50
Meats
Chicken or turkey breast8–9 pounds16–18 pounds
Fish (fillets or steaks)7-1/2 pounds15 pounds
Hamburgers6-1/2–9-1/2 pounds13–15 pounds
35 more rows
May 23, 2024

How many chicken breasts for a meal? ›

Anywhere from 4 to 6 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts is enough for one adult and half that amount for kids. Most people are used to being served a single chicken breast on a plate; and while some pieces are cut into a 6-ounce portion, others can be up to 10 ounces in weight!

Is 3 chicken breasts a day too much? ›

The number of chicken breasts a person should eat in a day depends on their protein needs, body weight, and overall diet. Recommended Protein Intake: Aim for 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Chicken Breast Protein: One chicken breast typically provides around 25 to 30 grams of protein.

How many chicken breasts to feed 20 people? ›

For each adult, count on having about 4 to 5 ounces of cooked chicken, 10 ounces of uncooked boneless chicken breasts will yield approximately 6 1/2 ounces cooked, while 10 ounces of uncooked boneless chicken thighs will yield about 5 ounces cooked.

How do you keep chicken juicy when meal prepping? ›

FMC Tip: If you want to know how to meal prep chicken without it getting dry, the secret is cooking the chicken pieces whole. When you dice the chicken before cooking you lose a lot of the juices in the process. So keep the pieces whole until after the cooking and resting periods, then chop away!

Is it okay to meal prep for 5 days? ›

Meal-prepped soups and stews can last up to four days in the fridge. Chicken and rice can last up to five days in the fridge. Meal prep salads can last up to three days in the fridge. Meal prep food can also be stored in the freezer.

What is the best chicken for meal prep? ›

You can choose either chicken breasts or chicken thighs, but I tend to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the highest protein, lowest fat options when meal prepping. They're just a great protein for weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.

How many chicken breasts is 10 lbs? ›

A 10 pound bag has 160 ounces and would have roughly 22 chicken breasts in the bag.

How much chicken is enough for 30 people? ›

A rule of thumb is to consider 200–300 gms of chicken per person. Of course, the general composition of the crowd can affect the proportion.

How much buffet food for 30 guests? ›

Each adult will consume 1 pound of food total; children, about 1/2 pound. The more options you have, the less you need of each; decrease the main course portion sizes by 1 to 2 ounces if served on a buffet.

Is it okay to eat chicken breast every meal? ›

"Getting enough protein can also aid in satiety." Eating chicken every day is an easy way to reach those protein goals; Burgess points out that a simple 4-ounce serving of chicken provides 35 grams of lean protein. "Chicken in your meals can be a great way to meet your protein goals," she says.

Is 2 chicken breasts too much for dinner? ›

Eating two chicken breasts can be a part of a healthy diet, but whether it's healthy for you depends on various factors, including your overall dietary choices, portion sizes, and individual nutritional needs.

How many chicken breasts per meal prep? ›

How much chicken should I put in my meal prep? Generally, one serving of chicken is customarily around 3-4 ounces, meaning that one pound of chicken will make about 4 servings. I find this is a great place to start if estimating for a new recipe.

Is 2 chicken breasts too much for one meal? ›

Eating two chicken breasts can be a part of a healthy diet, but whether it's healthy for you depends on various factors, including your overall dietary choices, portion sizes, and individual nutritional needs.

What is a good amount of chicken breast per meal? ›

Enjoy 3–4 ounces (85–113 grams) of chicken per serving and choose healthy cooking methods like baking, grilling, stir-frying, or steaming whenever possible.

How much meat per meal prep? ›

A question we often get is “How much meat do I need?” The starting rule of thumb is: Boneless Meat: 1/2 lb. per person for adults and 1/4 lb. per person for children.

What are the portion sizes for meal prep? ›

The basic portion sizes that we want to aim for are this: 4 oz of protein, 1/2 cup of grains and 2 cups of veggies per meal. I use containers that hold 3 cups of food. My containers always contain around 2 cups of veggies, 1/2 cup of protein and 1/2 cup of grains — and that's enough for ME, a 5'3” woman.

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