Meal-Prep Burrito Bowl Lunches
Having a healthy lunch is really important to me. It gives me the energy to keep going through the day. However, finding the time to actually make lunch every day is difficult if not impossible. I often resort to eating a grilled cheese or quesadilla since my son will eat them and it’s easier to just make two than to make something different for myself.
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Then, I discovered meal prep. This started with dinners. I’d make freezer meals that I could dump into the crockpot in the morning and have dinner ready at night (like my French Dip Sandwiches). However, I needed to start doing it for lunch. That’s how I started doing these Burrito Bowl Lunches! They are super easy to prep and you get four lunches out of it that you can keep in the fridge and simply heat up when it’s lunchtime. Using glass containers, I was able to put it directly in the microwave to reheat.
To start, I took 4 thin chicken breast and seasoned them with garlic salt, white pepper, paprika, and chili powder. You could also use a premade taco seasoning if you wanted. I sliced a bell pepper into thin strips that I then cut in half. You can use one type of bell pepper, or half red and half green as I did. I’m not a huge fan of too many peppers which is why I used this smaller amount, you can use more. Then I took a red onion and sliced it into rings. The onion and peppers were seasoned with salt and pepper. I placed the peppers on one side of a nonstick sheet pan, the chicken in the middle, and the onion on the other side before drizzling it all with olive oil. Finally, I poured salsa over the chicken.
Then, I put the sheet pan in the oven and baked it at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. While it cooked, I started cooking some brown rice. Once the chicken was done, I sliced the chicken and put it aside to cool.
As soon as the rice was done, it was time to layer the bowls. First, a layer of cooked brown rice. The next layer was black beans, corn, and diced plum tomatoes.
Finally, I put the sliced chicken (one chicken breast per container) and divided the onions and peppers into the four glass containers.
To serve, I like adding shredded cheese and guacamole. However, I didn’t want to have these mixed in while the rest would be reheated so I made small bags of shredded cheese and used some small glass containers (baby food containers are perfect) for the guacamole. This way, I could reheat the burrito bowl and then easily add these ingredients afterward.
It was simple as that! Now, I had four burrito bowls that were prepped and ready to be reheated and eaten at lunchtime. And it only took me about 15 minutes to prep the bowls! They were filling, absolutely delicious and really healthy. With the chicken and the black beans, it has a great boost of protein that gives me all the energy I need to continue my day.
Do you make any lunches ahead of time? What are you favorite prep-ahead meals?
Delicious and nutritious chicken burrito bowls to prep ahead and grab to reheat for lunch. Perfect to pack and bring to work or just to eat at home.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season chicken breasts with garlic salt, white pepper, paprika, and chili powder and then place in the center of a sheet pan.
Slice the bell pepper and onion into strips and place peppers on one side of the chicken and the onion on the other side. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle olive oil over entire sheet pan. Top chicken breast with the jar of salsa.
Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes. When done, slice chicken and set sheet pan to the side to cool.
Divide all ingredients into 4 containers.
Layer the containers with brown rice. Then black beans, corn, and tomatoes. Finally the onion and peppers and 1 chicken breast per container.
Place containers in the fridge and store up to 4 days. Reheat for lunch and enjoy!
Put shredded cheddar into 4 Ziplock bags and guacamole into 4 small containers (like for baby food). This makes it easy to grab these and add on top of the burrito bowl after reheating.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season chicken breasts with garlic salt, white pepper, paprika, and chili powder and then place in the center of a sheet pan.
Slice the bell pepper and onion into strips and place peppers on one side of the chicken and the onion on the other side. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle olive oil over entire sheet pan. Top chicken breast with the jar of salsa.
Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes. When done, slice chicken and set sheet pan to the side to cool.
Divide all ingredients into 4 containers.
Layer the containers with brown rice. Then black beans, corn, and tomatoes. Finally the onion and peppers and 1 chicken breast per container.
Place containers in the fridge and store up to 4 days. Reheat for lunch and enjoy!
Put shredded cheddar into 4 Ziplock bags and guacamole into 4 small containers (like for baby food). This makes it easy to grab these and add on top of the burrito bowl after reheating.
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46 Comments
Sarah
Yum, these look great. My husband would love these. Will have to give them a try sometime.
Kat
My husband loves when I do these!
Kaity | With Kids and Coffee
Yesssss this is one of my very favorite things to meal prep! Burrito bowls are always such a good call. These look particularly yummy! 🙂
Kat
Thanks! Me too. I’ve done this a few different ways, but this is the easiest and best!
Monica
This look so tasty!! I really need to start trying to do meal prep in my house. It would save me so much time.
Kat
It really does. Freezer meals save even more time. Once I move ill be doing more of those and will share all my recipes!
Shamanth
This looks simple and delicious. Thanks for sharing 😊
Kat
It is both!!!
Ayana Nell
I’ll have to save this one for when baby gets here! My husband would love this and it looks super easy!
Kat
It is! I’m so happy I’m moving and will have a bigger freezer since I’m going to be a meal prepping machine when my newest arrives!
Natalie
Ooo these sound really good ! Love how simple the recipe is too !
Kat
Thanks! It really is easy to make.
Rikki
You had me at burrito. I love mexican food, and haven’t had too much fsince starting to eat healty.
Kat
This is a healthy way to eat it again!
Kassidy
Yes! My husband leaves for work at 5 am and I’m generally a good morning person so i make him lunches but I’m sure he’s tired of cold meat sandwiches! This is so simple and amazing idea!
Kat
Mine leaves at the same time and took deli sandwiches for years! He got sick of it and that’s how I started lunch prep. It benefits me too!
Floby
And Kat you made me hungry again!!! Something to cook for the summer and spring. This is a good idea for recipe, love it as always from you!
Kat
Thanks!!! If I made you hungry, I did my job! Haha
Heather
What a great idea! I need to meal prep more often.
Kat
I find it makes life easier!
Lynneah
I have never actually thought to meal prep for myself as a SAHM. I need to start!! Thanks for the idea!
Kat
I stay at home now as well, but I find it still makes life a lot easier!
beautyandpoetry.com
Mouth watering. Going to make this tonight.
Kat
I hope you enjoy it!!!
Emily
Exactly what I needed! Trying to eat healthier and this not only will be health, it seems easy and time saving! Trying this this weekend!
Kat
I hope you enjoy! It really does save me a lot of time.
Stephanie Stebbins
Oh, my goodness! This looks delicious! What a great idea to add the cheese and guac in separate containers within so you have all of the ingredients right there. Definitely adding this to my recipe box! Thanks!
Kat
I’m glad you liked it!
Marysa
That’s a pretty cool idea! How neat to be able to assemble a burrito on the spot. Definitely something I would love to try!
Kat
It’s very tasty and healthy.
Anne Mari
Love this!!! All my favorite ingredients. Thanks for sharing.
Anne Mari (www.pursesandpugs.com)
Kat
Thanks! My favorite ingredients as well.
Sarah
That looks DELICIOUS! What a great make ahead idea! I’m home all day and my husband comes home for lunch, but I might make this for a quick to throw together dinner. Thank you for sharing!
Kat
It would be great for that as well!
Tamanna
Wow, I totally believe in heathy recipes. This one looks easy and yum. Definitely giving it a go.
Kat
I hope you enjoy! It’s definitely healthy!
Ashley Solberg
This is such a perfect meal to prep ahead! It looks absolutely delish!
Kat
It is! I love having these to grab and eat!
Paulette
This totally reminds me of Chipotle, delicious and you’ll get more bang for your buck. I’ll have to give meal prep a try. I usually try to cook meals that will last us for two days so I don’t have to cook every single day. If it goes on for a third day we will get bored.
Kat
Makes sense. I usually make this and my husband and I split the 4 meals so that we don’t get bored.
Emily
This is so easy and looks divine! I am excited to try it out.
Kat
It’s so good, I hope you enjoy!
Shannon @ Traditional Mom Modern World
Yum! This looks like a great make ahead healthy lunch. I’d sub cauliflower rice to make it KETO friendly 😉
Kat
Perfect! There’s a way to make it for anyone!
Justine
I love a good healthy lunch and this is such a great meal prep recipe, I’ll definitely be giving it a go 🙂
Kat
Thanks! I definitely enjoy it!