High-Protein Meal Prep Bowls
Per serving (1 bowl)
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
11g of protein per 100 calories, more than 2 of the other 6 lunch recipes here.
I bake all the chicken at once on a sheet pan rather than cooking it in batches on the stovetop, which is most of what makes this an actual meal-prep recipe instead of just a recipe you happen to have leftovers from. Everything goes into containers while it's still warm, then cools in the fridge with the lid cracked for the first hour, which keeps condensation from turning the rice soggy by day three.
Why you'll love this
- 44g of protein per serving from a full portion of chicken breast
- One sheet pan for the chicken, batch-cooked for four lunches at once
- Reheats well, no soggy rice by day three
Recipe
High-Protein Meal Prep Bowls
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the garlic, salt, and pepper, and place on a lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
- While the chicken bakes, steam or microwave the broccoli until just crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Toss the broccoli with the remaining olive oil, remaining garlic, and a pinch of salt.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
- Divide the rice, broccoli, and sliced chicken evenly among 4 containers. Drizzle each with tamari.
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- 4 meal-prep containers
Notes
- I let everything cool with the container lids cracked open for about an hour before sealing and refrigerating. Sealing hot food immediately traps steam, and that condensation is what makes rice go soggy by the third or fourth day.
- Regular soy sauce works in place of the tamari, but it contains wheat, so the recipe is no longer gluten-free.
- I slice the chicken after it rests, not before. Cutting into it right off the pan lets the juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 395 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 44g |
| Carbs | 26g |
| Fat | 12g |
| Fiber | 1g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Chicken breast: FDC #171477 (Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted), 31.0g protein / 165 kcal / 3.57g fat per 100g. 1.5 lb raw (680g) scaled to a 74% cooked yield for whole-muscle poultry = 503g cooked.
- Rice, cooked: FDC #168878 (Rice, white, long-grain, regular, enriched, cooked), 2.69g protein / 130 kcal / 0.28g fat / 28.2g carb / 0.4g fiber per 100g; FDC's own 1 cup measure = 158g, used here for 2 cups (316g).
- Broccoli: FDC #747447 (Broccoli, raw), 2.57g protein / 39 kcal / 0.34g fat / 6.27g carb / 2.4g fiber per 100g; FDC's own 1 cup measure = 76g, used here for 2 cups (152g).
- Gluten-free tamari: FDC #174278 (Soy sauce made from soy (tamari)), 10.51g protein / 60 kcal / 0.1g fat / 5.57g carb / 0.8g fiber per 100g, 1 tbsp = 18g (FDC measure). 3 tbsp = 54g.
- Batch totals (2026-10-06): 174.4g protein, 1,580 kcal, 46.4g fat, 103.3g carb, 5.3g fiber, garlic counted at 2 cloves = 6g; divided by 4.
- Garlic: FDC #1104647 (Garlic, raw), 6.62g protein / 143 kcal / 28.2g carb per 100g.
- Olive oil: FDC #171413 (Oil, olive, salad or cooking), 100g fat / 884 kcal per 100g, 0g protein.
Storage
Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Let the containers cool with the lids cracked for about an hour before sealing, which keeps condensation from making the rice soggy.
FAQ
How long do these actually keep?
4 days in the refrigerator is a safe, reliable window for cooked chicken and rice stored properly. Reheat until steaming hot before eating.
Can I freeze these?
The chicken and broccoli freeze well for up to 2 months. Rice can go a bit grainy after freezing and thawing, so cooking a fresh batch to pair with frozen chicken is often a better result.
Can I swap in a different vegetable?
Yes. Green beans, snap peas, or roasted bell peppers all work in the same amount and hold up well over several days of reheating.
Looking for more meal-prep options: the crockpot chicken is a hands-off way to batch-cook the protein for the week.
Is Chicken High in Protein? answers how big one chicken breast really is, which helps when you’re portioning four containers.
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