Busy week? I've got you covered. This meal features yogurt-marinated chicken breast, with herbs and spices, then served alongside tender baby broccoli and quinoa.
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Benefits of Meal-Prepping
Meal-prepping ahead can offer several advantages for your time, wallet, and health:
- Saves Time: Instead of scrambling to cook every night, you'll have healthy, pre-portioned meals ready to grab and go. This is a big time-saver during busy weeks.
- Saves Money: By planning your meals and buying groceries in bulk, you can avoid impulse purchases and expensive takeout meals.
- Healthier Eating: Meal prepping makes sticking to a healthy diet easier. You're in control of the ingredients and portion sizes, so you can avoid unhealthy additives and ensure you're getting the nutrients you need.
- Reduces Food Waste: With a meal plan, you're less likely to buy ingredients that go unused and spoil.
- Reduces Stress: Taking the guesswork out of mealtimes can reduce stress levels, especially on busy days.
If you want to improve your diet, save money, and free up some time in your week, meal prepping is a great strategy.
Ingredients You'll Need
Gather these ingredients to make your meal prep Greek chicken:
- Chicken breasts
- Plain yogurt (Greek yogurt works well here!)
- Olive oil
- Lemon: zest and juice from one lemon
- Dried oregano
- Minced garlic (or garlic powder)
- Chili flakes (optional, for a kick)
- Salt and pepper
On the side, we'll have:
- Baby broccoli
- Cooked quinoa
How to Make Greek Chicken
Add Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, oregano, garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl.
Mix the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Slice 3 chicken breasts in half to create 6 filets.
Pour the Greek Marinade over the chicken.
Marinate for 60 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Cook for 3-4 minutes per side over medium heat or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches 165°F (74°C).
Build the meals:
Each container gets roughly 1 cup of quinoa, 2 chicken breast filets, and 4 oz of baby broccoli.
More details on how to cook the quinoa and broccoli on the recipe card.
Meal Prep Tips
- Invest in reusable containers: Portion your prepped meals into containers suitable for storage and reheating. Glass containers are a good option as they're freezer-safe and don't leach chemicals.
- Label everything: Clearly label your containers with the contents and date to avoid confusion and prevent food waste.
- Clean as you go: Wash dishes and clean up as you prep to minimize the mess and make the process more efficient.
With a little planning and these tips, meal prepping can become a valuable tool to save time, eat healthier, and reduce food waste.
If you like this meal-prep chicken recipe, try my chopped Italian salad in jars next.
Are Baby Broccoli and Broccolini the Same?
No, baby broccoli and broccolini are not the same, although they are often confused. Here's the breakdown:
Baby broccoli: Is a young, immature plant with smaller florets and thinner stalks compared to mature broccoli. They are typically more tender and have a slightly sweeter flavor.
Broccolini: This is a hybrid vegetable deliberately created by crossing broccoli with Chinese broccoli (also called kai lan). It has long, slender stalks with smaller florets than broccoli, resembling Chinese broccoli. Broccolini boasts a milder and sweeter flavor compared to regular broccoli, with a slightly asparagus-like taste in the stalks.
How to Cook Quinoa
Rinse quinoa for a minute to remove bitterness. Combine rinsed quinoa with water or broth (1:1 ¾ ratio) in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes for fluffier grains. Fluff with a fork and enjoy!
More Crave-Worthy Recipes
- Chicken Burgers with Feta Mayo (Meal Prep)
- Balsamic BBQ Beef Kabobs
- Baked Sour Cream and Chive Chicken
- Donna's Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders Recipe
Meal Prep Greek Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 3 Glass storage containers with a lid
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice about 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 medium chicken breasts weighing 1.5 pounds
- 1 12 oz package baby broccoli
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 + ¾ cup water
- olive oil to cook the chicken, salt, pepper, and water to cook the baby broccoli
Instructions
Make the Greek Marinade
- Add Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, oregano, garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Place aside.
Prep the Chicken
- Pat the chicken breasts dry. Use paper towels to remove any surface moisture from the chicken breasts. This will help them sear better when cooking.
- Lay the chicken breast flat on the cutting board. Starting from the thicker end, carefully slice the chicken breast in half horizontally through the center, creating two thinner pieces. Repeat the process with the remaining 2 pieces of chicken.
Marinate the Chicken
- Pour the Greek Marinade over the chicken. Marinate for 60 minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Marinate for 60 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Cook the Chicken
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil until it shimmers slightly, but not smoking.
- Carefully place the chicken fillets in the hot skillet. Don't overcrowd the pan - cook them in batches if necessary. Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy.
Cook the Quinoa
- Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cool running water for about 1 minute. Rinsing removes the quinoa's natural coating, saponin, which can taste bitter.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa, water or broth (broth adds extra flavor), and a generous pinch of salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stovetop. Let the quinoa stand covered for an additional 5 minutes. This allows the quinoa to absorb any remaining liquid and steam for a fluffy texture.
- Fluff the quinoa with a fork to separate the grains.
Cook the Baby Broccoli
- In a pot, add about 1 inch of water.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- Place the baby broccoli florets in the water and cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on your desired tenderness. For crisp-tender broccoli, aim for 2-3 minutes. Steaming for a longer time will result in softer broccoli.
- After cooking the broccoli, remove it and place it in cold water to maintain its bright green color.
Build the Meal Prep Containers
- Each container gets roughly 1 cup of quinoa, 4 oz of baby broccoli, and 2 chicken filets.
- Place the lid over each container, label it with the date, and place it in the fridge to be enjoyed during the week. Good for 3 days.
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