Meal Prep Recipes

Korean Gochujang Chicken Bowl

Per container, about +/-10%.

Sweet, savory and gently spicy, with sesame and a tangy cucumber salad on the side.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Chicken and marinade

• 1000 g (2.2 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 10 ml (2 tsp) toasted sesame oil
• 5 cloves garlic, grated
• 10 g (about 1½ tbsp) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 60 g (3 tbsp) gochujang
• 30 g (2 tbsp) sriracha
• 60 g (3½ tbsp) low-sodium soy sauce
• pinch of ground white pepper

Gochujang cucumbers

• 350 g (1 large cucumber), sliced
• 20 g (1 tbsp) gochujang
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 12 g (2 tsp) low-sodium soy sauce
• 10 ml (2 tsp) rice vinegar
• 2 g (1 tsp) gochugaru or chili flakes (the easy one to skip)optional
• 5 ml (1 tsp) toasted sesame oil
• 1 scallion, sliced

Rice

• 500 g (2¾ cups) long-grain white or jasmine rice, rinsed
• 3 g (½ tsp table salt) salt

To serve

• 2 scallions, sliced, for garnishoptional
• sesame seeds, for garnishoptional

Steps

1. Marinate the chicken (best done the night before, but 20 minutes works): whisk the sesame oil, grated garlic, ginger, 60 g gochujang, sriracha, 60 g soy sauce and white pepper in a large bowl, add the thighs and turn until every piece is coated. Refrigerate 20 minutes up to 24 hours. Gochujang is thick and needs time to get past the surface.
2. Heat the oven to 430°F (220°C) with a rack in the upper third. Line a large sheet pan with parchment, or use two pans: the thighs should not touch, or they steam instead of roast.
3. Make the cucumber salad: mix the 20 g gochujang, 2 grated garlic cloves, 12 g soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochugaru, 5 ml sesame oil and the sliced scallion in a bowl, toss with the cucumber, season with a pinch of salt and white pepper, and refrigerate. It should taste punchy, because the rice is plain.
4. Cook the rice: put the rinsed rice, 830 ml (3½ cups) cold water and 3 g salt in a large pot with a lid (this is the source's ratio for jasmine; if your bag gives a different ratio, follow the bag). Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, drop to the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then take it off the heat and leave it covered for 4 minutes. Cue: the water is gone and there are small steam holes across the surface. Fluff with a fork.
5. Roast the chicken: spread the thighs on the pan and bake about 20 minutes, until the thickest piece reads at least 165°F (74°C), which is the USDA minimum for poultry. Thighs eat better at 175°F (80°C), so give them 3 to 5 more minutes if you want them tender. For a little char, switch to the broiler for the last 5 minutes and watch the whole time: the sugars in gochujang go from charred to burnt fast.
6. Rest the chicken 5 minutes, then slice it into strips or dice it. Cutting early lets the juices run onto the board.
7. Pack 5 containers: about 280 g (1¾ cups) cooked rice, about 150 g sliced chicken, and one fifth of the cucumber salad in a small separate cup. Garnish with scallion and sesame seeds if using. Get everything into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking.

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months.

USDA says 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so treat 4 as the limit. Freeze the chicken and rice only. Keep the cucumber salad in its own cup and do not freeze it (source). Reheat to 165°F (74°C).

Weak points and notes

• Weakest point: the water ratio. Rice varies by brand, so trust the cues (water gone, steam holes) over the 12 minutes.
• The marinade is salty: about 1.1% salt by chicken weight with low-sodium soy sauce. Regular soy sauce pushes it near 1.5%, so keep to low-sodium and do not marinate past 24 hours.
• Gochujang heat varies a lot by brand and many are labeled mild, medium or hot. Pick mild or medium.

Source

Chef Jack Ovens, Korean Chicken Rice Bowls
Changes: Rice raised from 60 g to 100 g dry per container (the published version is 579 kcal) to reach the calorie target. Cucumber weight and water ratio are mine.

One-Pan Baked Butter Chicken and Rice

Per container, about +/-10%.

Creamy, tomatoey and warm-spiced; very saucy, not hot.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Chicken and marinade

• 1200 g (2.6 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 120 g (½ cup) plain whole-milk yogurt
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice (about ⅓ lemon)
• 6 g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 3 g (1 tsp) ground turmeric
• 4 g (2 tsp) garam masala
• 1 g (½ tsp) cayenne pepper or pure chili powder
• 2 g (1 tsp) ground cumin

Sauce

• 30 g (2 tbsp) ghee or butter, melted
• 245 g (1 cup) tomato passata (plain tomato puree)
• 180 ml (¾ cup) heavy cream
• 6 g (1½ tsp) white sugar
• 7 g (about 1¼ tsp table salt) salt, split between marinade and sauce

Rice

• 540 g (about 3 cups) basmati or long-grain white rice

To serve

• ½ cup cilantro leaves, for garnishoptional

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or 360°F (180°C) if it is a fan oven.
2. Mix the marinade in a large bowl: yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, turmeric, garam masala, cayenne, cumin and about a third of the salt (2.5 g). Add the thighs and toss until coated. Leave them in the bowl while the sauce starts; marinating overnight is optional, because the meat takes on flavor as it bakes (source).
3. Make the sauce in a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish: stir the melted ghee, passata, cream, sugar and the rest of the salt (4.5 g) together. Bake the sauce alone for 20 minutes. This is the source's method for boneless thighs: they cook much faster than bone-in, so the sauce gets a head start.
4. Start the rice while the sauce bakes, following the package directions for 540 g.
5. Nestle the thighs into the hot sauce, smooth side up, and scrape any marinade left in the bowl onto the chicken. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, basting once around the 10 minute mark. Cue: the sauce turns from pink to orange-red and the thickest thigh reads at least 165°F (74°C). Thighs are better at 175°F (80°C) if you can spare a few minutes.
6. Rest 5 minutes. If the sauce looks thin (oven and pan variation), lift the chicken out and slide the sauce back into the oven for a few minutes. It thickens quickly (source).
7. Taste the sauce and add a pinch of salt if needed: it will be diluted by the rice. Pack 6 containers with about 270 g (1⅔ cups) cooked rice, 2 pieces of chicken, and a generous ladle of sauce. Garnish with cilantro if using.

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months.

Durations are from the source (fridge 3 to 4 days). Cream sauces can look slightly split after thawing; stir while reheating to 165°F (74°C).

Weak points and notes

• Weakest point: the sauce-to-chicken ratio. The published sauce was written for 1.2 kg of bone-in thighs (less meat), so with 1.2 kg boneless it is a little thinner per portion. For a saucier version make 1.25x the sauce, which adds roughly 40 kcal per container.
• Salt lands light: 7 g is about 0.4% of the pan (chicken, marinade and sauce), under the 0.6 to 1% I would aim for in a sauced dish, and the plain rice dilutes it further. Taste the sauce when the chicken is done and stir in up to ½ tsp (3 g) table salt if it tastes flat.
• The source's own nutrition panel (545 kcal and 44 g fat per piece) appears to count chicken skin even though the recipe says to remove it. These macros are for skinless thighs.

Source

RecipeTin Eats, One Pan Baked Butter Chicken
Changes: Boneless thighs instead of bone-in, using the source's own boneless method (sauce goes in the oven first). Rice portion added. Sauce quantities are as published.

Taco Beef Rice Bowl

Per container, about +/-10%.

Seasoned beef, black beans, corn, salsa and melted cheese over rice.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Beef

• 454 g (1 lb) 85/15 ground beef
• 28 g (1 packet, about 3 tbsp) mild taco seasoning

Bowls

• 280 g (1½ cups) long-grain white rice
• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) black beans, rinsed and drained (about 240 g of beans)
• 150 g (1 cup) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 113 g (4 oz, about 1 cup) shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack
• 340 g (1⅓ cups) mild salsa
• 2 scallions, sliced

Steps

1. Cook the rice first so everything else can happen while it steams: 280 g (1½ cups) dry rice with water per the package, which makes roughly 4 to 5 cups cooked. Fluff with a fork.
2. Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles, 8 to 10 minutes. Cue: no pink left and the crumbles reach 160°F (71°C), the USDA minimum for ground beef. If your pan is dry add a teaspoon of oil.
3. Stir in the taco seasoning and 120 ml (½ cup) water. Simmer about 5 minutes, until the water has reduced to a saucy glaze that coats the meat rather than pooling. Take it off the heat.
4. While the meat simmers: thaw the corn (a minute in the microwave), rinse and drain the beans, shred the cheese and slice the scallions.
5. Divide among 4 containers: about 1¼ cups cooked rice, then beef, corn, beans, cheese, salsa and scallions. Let the containers cool, then refrigerate within 2 hours.
6. To eat, reheat 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese melts and the middle is steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months.

USDA says 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so treat 4 as the limit. Freezes fine without fresh toppings. Reheat 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese and reach 165°F (74°C).

Weak points and notes

• Macros assume you do not drain the beef fat. If a pool of grease forms and you spoon it off, each bowl drops by roughly 30 to 50 kcal.
• Weakest point: rice yield. The source gets 4 cups cooked from 1.5 cups dry; USDA values give closer to 5 cups. Measure by dry weight and divide evenly.
• The source's own nutrition panel (569 kcal, 48 g carbs per bowl) does not add up against its ingredient list. The rice, beans and corn alone are about 60 g of carbs per bowl, so these macros come from summing the ingredients.

Source

Budget Bytes, Easiest Burrito Bowl Meal Prep
Changes: Beef-only, mild seasoning and mild salsa. Rice listed by dry weight (the source's 1.5 cups dry).

Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice Bowl

Per container, about +/-10%.

Bright and fresh: lemon-yogurt chicken, lemon rice, cucumber tomato salad, tzatziki, feta and olives.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Chicken

• 1000 g (2.2 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 80 g (⅓ cup) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 20 g (1½ tbsp) olive oil
• 22 ml (1½ tbsp) lemon juice, plus 1½ tsp zest from the same lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 g (about ⅔ tsp table salt) salt

Lemon rice

• 400 g (about 2⅛ cups) long-grain white rice
• 780 ml (3¼ cups) low-sodium chicken broth
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) lemon juice
• 12 g (3 tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 g (⅓ tsp table salt) salt

Cucumber tomato salad

• 225 g (1½ cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 350 g (1 large English cucumber), diced
• 55 g (about ⅓ medium) red onion, thinly sliced
• 22 ml (1½ tbsp) lemon juice
• 14 g (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 1.5 g (¼ tsp table salt) salt

To assemble

• 300 g (1¼ cups) tzatziki
• 100 g (⅔ cup) crumbled feta
• 50 g (⅓ cup) pitted kalamata olives, halved

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment or foil.
2. Marinate: whisk the yogurt, 20 g olive oil, lemon zest, 22 ml lemon juice, garlic and 4 g salt in a large bowl. Add the thighs and turn to coat. Leave 15 minutes at room temperature while you do the rest, or refrigerate up to 8 hours (source). Yogurt marinades are low in free acid, so overnight is not a texture risk.
3. Cook the rice: combine 400 g rice, the broth and 2 g salt in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Rest off the heat, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff, then stir in 45 ml (3 tbsp) lemon juice and the parsley.
4. Make the salad: toss the tomatoes, cucumber and red onion with 22 ml lemon juice, 14 g olive oil and 1.5 g salt. For meal prep, pack it in its own container, because cucumbers shed water.
5. Roast the chicken: lift the thighs from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and lay them on the pan without touching. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the thickest piece reads at least 165°F (74°C) and the edges are golden. Thighs are more tender at 175°F (80°C). Rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.
6. Pack 5 containers: about 260 g (1⅔ cups) cooked rice and 150 g sliced chicken in one compartment, salad with the olives in another, and 60 g tzatziki plus 20 g feta in a small cup to add at serving. Refrigerate within 2 hours.

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months.

Per the source, store chicken, rice and salad separately; they keep 3 to 4 days. Add tzatziki and feta at serving. Only the chicken and rice freeze well.

Weak points and notes

• Weakest point: seasoning. The chicken marinade is light on salt, about 0.4% of the chicken weight against the usual 0.75 to 1.25%; the feta, olives and tzatziki carry the bowl. If the chicken tastes flat, sprinkle a pinch of salt on the slices as you pack them.
• The source says chicken breasts or thighs. Thighs hold up to reheating much better than breast.

Source

Real Food Whole Life, Greek Chicken Bowls with Tzatziki
Changes: Scaled about 1.45x to 1 kg of thighs for 5 containers, using the source's oven method. The source oil list says 2 tbsp but its steps use 3; this version uses 2½ tbsp total and no pan oil because the chicken is baked.

High-Protein Baked Ziti

Per container, about +/-10%.

Italian comfort food: meaty marinara with a creamy cottage cheese and mozzarella layer.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Pasta and sauce

• 454 g (16 oz) ziti
• 14 g (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), diced small
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 454 g (1 lb) lean ground beef (93/7 as published; 85/15 works)
• 227 g (½ lb) Italian chicken or turkey sausage, casings removed, or fully cooked and chopped
• 1225 g (5 cups) marinara sauce (two 24 oz jars, using most of the second)
• 8 g (⅓ cup) fresh basil, chopped small, plus extra to top
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• salt, to taste (start with 2 g / ⅓ tsp table salt)
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cheese layer and topping

• 454 g (16 oz, 2 cups) full-fat cottage cheese
• 227 g (8 oz, 2 cups) shredded mozzarella, divided: 1 cup in the cheese layer, 1 cup on top
• 50 g (½ cup) shredded or grated parmesan
• ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp garlic powder

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the ziti.
2. Cook the ziti a minute or two short of the package time (al dente, roughly 9 to 11 minutes), then drain. It keeps softening in the oven, so mushy pasta now means mush later.
3. While the pasta boils, heat the olive oil in your biggest deep skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the beef and sausage and cook, breaking them up, 8 to 10 minutes until no pink remains (beef at least 160°F / 71°C, chicken or turkey sausage at least 165°F / 74°C).
4. Add the marinara, ½ cup (120 ml) water, basil, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy.
5. Mix the cheese layer in a bowl: cottage cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the parmesan, ¼ tsp Italian seasoning and ¼ tsp garlic powder. Keep the other cup of mozzarella for the top.
6. Fold the drained pasta into the meat sauce. If your skillet is too small for this, fold it together in the empty pasta pot.
7. Assemble in a deep 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish: half the pasta and sauce, then dollops of the cheese mixture spread evenly with a spatula, then the rest of the pasta, then the reserved cup of mozzarella.
8. Bake 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden in spots and the edges bubble. Rest 5 minutes so it slices cleanly, then cut into 6 equal portions.
9. Make-ahead option (source): assemble, refrigerate, and bake from cold at 375°F (190°C) for 40 to 45 minutes.

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months.

Durations are from the source. Reheat from frozen at 350°F (175°C) covered for about an hour (source), or to 165°F (74°C) in the microwave from thawed.

Weak points and notes

• Macros carry the widest uncertainty of the set. Scaling the source's own panel (559 kcal per 1/8) gives about 745 kcal per 1/6, while summing the ingredients gives about 795. The figure shown is the ingredient sum, so the real number is probably between the two.
• Published numbers use lean (93%) beef. With 85/15 beef add roughly 25 to 50 kcal per container.
• Use full-fat cottage cheese, as the source stresses: low-fat melts less creamily.

Source

The Balanced Nutritionist, High Protein Baked Ziti
Changes: Cut into 6 big portions instead of the published 8. Amounts are as published.

Chicken Fried Rice

Per container, about +/-10%.

Savory soy, ginger and garlic with egg, veggies and crispy rice edges.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Rice

• 340 g (about 1¾ cups) dry long-grain or jasmine rice, cooked ahead and chilled (about 950 g / 6 cups cooked)

Stir-fry

• 600 g (1.3 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 7 g (½ tbsp) olive or avocado oil
• ½ medium yellow onion (about 75 g), diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 g (2 tsp) fresh ginger, minced
• 340 g (12 oz, about 3 cups) frozen mixed vegetables
• 5 large eggs, beaten
• 28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, divided
• 4 scallions (about ⅓ to ½ cup sliced), plus extra for topping

Sauce and seasoning

• 140 g (½ cup) low-sodium soy sauce
• 4.5 g (¾ tsp table salt) salt, divided
• ¼ tsp black pepper

To serve

• sriracha or red pepper flakes, to tasteoptional

Steps

1. Cook the rice first: 340 g (about 1¾ cups) dry rice with water per the package. Spread it in a thin layer on a sheet pan and cool it in the fridge at least 30 minutes, or make it a day ahead. Warm, wet rice turns gummy in the pan, and cold rice is what lets the grains fry separately.
2. Prep everything: dice the chicken, onion, garlic and ginger, slice the scallions, beat the eggs, and measure the soy sauce. A stir-fry moves fast once it starts.
3. Heat the oil in your largest skillet or a wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with ½ tsp of the salt and the pepper, and cook 8 to 10 minutes until golden and at least 165°F (74°C) inside. Cue: if it releases liquid, turn the heat up until the pan goes dry and the pieces brown. Move to a plate.
4. Melt ½ tbsp of the butter in the same pan. Cook the onion, garlic and ginger with the remaining ¼ tsp salt for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the frozen vegetables and cook 4 to 5 minutes until tender and no longer icy.
5. Push the vegetables to one side, pour in the eggs, and scramble until just set, about 1 minute. Move the eggs and vegetables to the plate with the chicken.
6. Fry the rice in two batches (6 cups in one pan is too crowded to crisp): melt half of the remaining butter, add half the cold rice and spread it flat. Leave it alone 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom crisps, then stir, flip, and repeat once or twice. Cue: you hear crackling, not steaming. Repeat with the second batch.
7. Return everything to the pan: the rice, chicken, eggs and vegetables. Add the scallions and soy sauce and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes until evenly colored and steaming hot. Taste it, and add soy sauce a tablespoon at a time only if it tastes flat; with 6 cups of rice instead of the source's 4, it may.
8. Cool in shallow containers and divide into 4. Refrigerate within 2 hours.

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months.

Durations are from the source. Cool fast in shallow containers. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of soy sauce or water to freshen it, to 165°F (74°C).

Weak points and notes

• Weakest point: time. The source lists 45 minutes assuming the rice is already cooked and chilled; if it is not, add the rice cooking and cooling. Cook it the day before and the recipe fits your window.
• Pan load: 6 cups of rice is why the frying is split into two batches. Skipping that makes steamed rice instead of fried.
• Thighs stay juicier than the source's breast through reheating, and take 2 to 3 minutes longer to brown.
• This is likely the saltiest recipe in the set (the soy sauce alone is most of it). If you are watching sodium, skip the added salt in step 4 and season at the end.

Source

Eating Bird Food, Chicken Fried Rice
Changes: Thighs instead of breast, 5 eggs instead of 4 and 6 cups of rice instead of 4 to reach the calorie target (the published version is 518 kcal). Soy sauce kept at the published ½ cup.

Thai Peanut Chicken Noodle Bowl

Per container, about +/-10%.

Sweet, salty and nutty peanut sauce with lime, a crunchy cabbage and carrot slaw, and rice noodles.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Chicken

• 680 g (1½ lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 34 g (2 tbsp) soy sauce
• 18 g (1 tbsp) fish sauce
• 14 g (1 tbsp, packed) brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice
• 14 g (1 tbsp) neutral oil, for the pan

Peanut sauce

• 130 g (½ cup) creamy peanut butter
• 51 g (3 tbsp) soy sauce
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) rice vinegar
• 28 g (2 tbsp, packed) brown sugar
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice
• 2 g (1 tsp) fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• pinch of red pepper flakesoptional

Noodles

• 227 g (8 oz) dry rice noodles
• 5 ml (1 tsp) neutral oil, only if storing the noodles overnight or longer

Slaw

• 210 g (3 cups) shredded green or red cabbage, or coleslaw mix
• 110 g (1 cup) shredded carrots
• 5 g (2 tbsp) chopped cilantro
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Slaw dressing

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) lime juice
• 14 g (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 2 g (⅓ tsp table salt) salt

To finish

• 35 g (¼ cup) crushed roasted peanuts
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Steps

1. Marinate the chicken: toss the thighs with 34 g soy sauce, the fish sauce, 14 g brown sugar, 2 minced garlic cloves and 15 ml lime juice in a bowl or zip-top bag. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours. The source allows overnight, but lime juice starts to make the surface of chicken mealy past a couple of hours, so I would stop at 2.
2. Cook the noodles per the package. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water so they stop cooking and shed surface starch. If you are packing them more than a day ahead, toss with 1 tsp oil so they do not weld together.
3. Cook the chicken: heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lift the thighs out of the marinade, let the excess drip off, and lay them in the hot pan in batches so the pan is never more than two-thirds full. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side until deeply caramelized and at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Discard the leftover marinade. Rest 5 minutes, then slice or dice.
4. Make the peanut sauce: whisk the peanut butter, 51 g soy sauce, rice vinegar, 28 g brown sugar, 15 ml lime juice, ginger, 1 minced garlic clove and the pepper flakes. Gradually whisk in 60 ml (¼ cup) warm water until smooth and pourable, adding a splash more if needed. It thickens in the fridge, so make it a little looser than you want it.
5. Toss the cabbage, carrots, cilantro and scallions together. Whisk the lime juice, olive oil and salt for the dressing and keep it separate for meal prep (toss it on the day you eat it; dressed slaw goes limp).
6. Pack 4 containers: noodles on the bottom, then one quarter of the chicken and slaw. Add 1 tbsp crushed peanuts and a lime wedge. Put the peanut sauce (about 80 ml / ⅓ cup each) and slaw dressing in small leakproof cups. Refrigerate within 2 hours.
7. To eat, pour over the sauce and squeeze the lime right before you start. Serve cold or warm the chicken and noodles briefly first.

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: not recommended.

USDA says 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so treat 4 as the limit. Keep the peanut sauce, slaw dressing and lime separate and add them just before eating (source). Rice noodles and slaw turn mushy when frozen.

Weak points and notes

• Time: the source lists 1 hour 10 minutes including the 30 minute marinade, so about 40 minutes of actual work. It is the longest recipe in the set.
• Macros: the source panel says 816 kcal; summing the ingredients gives about 835, so the two are close.
• The peanut sauce is salty (soy and fish sauce). The 30 minute to 2 hour window keeps the chicken itself from over-salting, and the marinade is discarded.

Source

Easy Healthy Recipes, Thai Peanut Chicken Meal Prep
Changes: Amounts are as published. The red pepper flakes are optional.

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Per container, about +/-10%.

Scrambled egg, bacon, cheddar and scallion in a big flour tortilla; wrapped in foil and frozen.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Filling

• 12 strips regular-cut bacon (about 96 g cooked)
• 18 large eggs (about 900 g), beaten
• 4 scallions, chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, dicedoptional
• 4 g (¾ tsp table salt) salt
• 168 g (6 oz, about 1½ cups) shredded cheddar or pepper jack

Assembly

• 6 flour tortillas, 10-inch burrito size
• 6 sheets heavy-duty foil, 10 x 12 inches, and a freezer bag

To serve

• hot sauce or salsa, for servingoptional

Steps

1. Warm the tortillas: char each one for 10 to 15 seconds per side on a hot dry griddle or over a gas flame until flexible with a few brown spots. This makes them pliable enough to roll without cracking and improves the flavor (source). Keep them under a towel.
2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat in two batches, 4 to 5 minutes per batch, until cooked through but still pliable; very crisp bacon shatters when you roll it. Drain on paper towels.
3. Whisk the eggs with the salt, then stir in the scallions and bell pepper if using.
4. Pour off the bacon grease, leaving about 1 tsp in the pan. Scramble the eggs in two batches of 9, so the pan is never crowded: let the eggs set on the bottom, then stir a few times. Cue: stop when they are just set and still slightly glossy. They finish cooking when reheated, and overcooked eggs go rubbery.
5. Assemble: put a generous ¾ cup (about 150 g) of egg on the bottom third of a tortilla, then 2 bacon strips and about ¼ cup (28 g) of cheese. Fold the bottom up over the filling, fold in the left and right sides, and roll into a tight cylinder. Set seam side down. Repeat for all 6.
6. Let the burritos cool uncovered for about 15 minutes. Wrapping them hot traps steam, which turns into ice crystals and soggy tortillas.
7. Wrap each in a sheet of foil, put them in a freezer bag, and label it with the date. Refrigerate any you will eat within 4 days; freeze the rest.
8. To reheat (all from the source), until the center is at least 165°F (74°C): thawed overnight in the fridge, bake in the foil at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes, turning halfway, then unwrap and bake 5 minutes more. From frozen, bake in the foil at 425°F (220°C) for 45 minutes, turning halfway, then unwrap and bake 5 minutes; let stand 2 minutes. Microwave from frozen (the source's least favorite): unwrap, cover with a paper towel, 1 minute, turn, then 1 to 1½ minutes more, and stand 2 minutes. Air fryer from thawed: unwrapped, 400°F (200°C) for 8 to 9 minutes, turning halfway.

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months.

Freezer time is from the source. For the fridge the source says 4 to 5 days and USDA says 3 to 4 for leftovers, so 4 is the limit here. Reheat until the center is 165°F (74°C).

Weak points and notes

• Weakest point: fit. Three eggs plus bacon and cheese is a full 10-inch tortilla. If the filling does not close with room to fold, take out a spoonful of egg rather than forcing it.
• Bacon is the calorie-uncertain item (regular, center-cut and thick-cut differ). Macros assume regular-cut at about 8 g cooked per strip.

Source

Skinnytaste, Freezer Breakfast Burritos
Changes: Upsized to 3 eggs, 2 bacon strips and 28 g cheese per burrito in a 10-inch flour tortilla. The published version is 261 kcal (about 1.7 eggs, 1 bacon strip, 2 tbsp cheese, low-carb 8-inch tortilla).

Shortcut Chicken Enchiladas

Per container, about +/-10%.

Cheesy, saucy rotisserie chicken and refried bean enchiladas; mild.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Filling

• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) refried beans
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 340 g (12 oz, 3 cups) shredded Monterey Jack, divided: 1 cup in the filling, 2 cups on top
• 250 g (about 2¼ cups) shredded rotisserie chicken meat, skin and bones discarded
• freshly ground black pepper

Sauce and assembly

• 454 g (16 oz jar, about 1¾ cups) mild tomato salsa
• 12 corn tortillas, 6-inch

To serve

• 60 g (4 tbsp) sour cream, for serving (about 2 tbsp each for 2 containers; optional)optional

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Mix the filling: in a bowl stir together the refried beans, oregano and 1 cup (113 g) of the cheese. Add the shredded chicken, season with black pepper, and stir until evenly combined.
3. Stir the salsa together with 1 cup (240 ml) water in a bowl. Spread 1 cup of this mixture over the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish.
4. Warm the tortillas: stack them, wrap them in damp paper towels, and microwave until warm and pliable, about 15 seconds (source). Cold corn tortillas crack when rolled.
5. Fill and roll: put about ¼ cup of filling on each tortilla and roll up like a cigar. Lay them seam side down in the dish, packed side by side so they fill it evenly. Press them gently with your hands so they start to soak up the sauce.
6. Pour the rest of the salsa mixture over the rolls and sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups (227 g) of cheese.
7. Bake about 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the enchiladas are hot in the center (165°F / 74°C).
8. Cut or scoop into 4 portions of 3 enchiladas each. Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours. Add sour cream at serving if you want it (about 50 kcal for 2 tbsp).

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months.

The source gives no storage guidance. USDA: leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 3 to 4 months frozen (quality). Reheat to 165°F (74°C), covered, in the oven or microwave.

Weak points and notes

• Weakest point: portion size. The source calls this 4 to 6 servings; at 6 servings each is only about 500 kcal and 30 g of protein, so I split it 4 ways.
• A Costco rotisserie chicken yields roughly 450 to 900 g of meat depending on the bird (one shopper weighed 1 lb 13 oz, about 820 g), so one bird covers the 250 g this batch needs and leaves plenty for another meal.
• Macros move about 35 kcal depending on corn tortilla brand and how much chicken ends up in the filling.

Source

Food Network Kitchen, Shortcut Chicken Enchiladas (PDF supplied by Michael)
Changes: Mild salsa instead of medium-spicy, and no pickled jalapenos. Packed as 4 containers of 3 enchiladas instead of the published 4 to 6 servings, to reach the calorie target.

30-Minute Turkey Chili over Rice

Per container, about +/-10%.

Savory, tomatoey beer-simmered chili with beans, served over rice with melted cheese; no heat.

Ingredients (whole batch)

Chili

• 40 g (3 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 9 g salt (1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher, about 1¾ tsp Morton kosher, or 1½ tsp table salt); weigh it, since brands differ by almost 2x per spoon
• 5 g (2 tsp) mild chili powder
• 1 g (1 tsp) dried oregano
• 16 g (1 tbsp) tomato paste
• 454 g (1 lb) ground turkey, 93/7
• 355 ml (12 oz) Mexican lager-style beer
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
• 1 can (15.5 oz / 439 g) kidney beans, rinsed and drained (about 260 g of beans)

Per container

• 225 g (about 1¼ cups) long-grain white rice, for 4 containers
• 112 g (4 oz, 1 cup) shredded Monterey Jack, 28 g (¼ cup) per container

To serve

• sliced scallions, cilantro, avocado or tortilla chips, for servingoptional

Steps

1. Start the rice: 225 g dry rice with water per the package, which makes about 4 cups cooked (roughly 160 g / 1 cup per container). It runs alongside the chili.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet (12 inch) over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, chili powder and oregano and cook about 3 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens and the spices smell fragrant.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute until it darkens a shade.
4. Add the turkey and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook about 3 minutes, until it is no longer pink on the outside. It finishes cooking in the sauce.
5. Pour in the beer and simmer about 8 minutes, until it has reduced by about half. Cue: the pan looks saucy rather than soupy and it no longer smells strongly of beer.
6. Crush the canned tomatoes by hand into the skillet and add their juices and the beans. Bring to a boil.
7. Cook uncovered, stirring now and then, about 10 minutes, until thick. Cue: a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a clean trail that fills in slowly. The turkey must reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA minimum for ground poultry; it will after this simmer.
8. Pack 4 containers: about 160 g (1 cup) cooked rice, then roughly a quarter of the chili. Cool in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Add 28 g (¼ cup) of Monterey Jack on top when you reheat, so it melts.
9. Double batch: use a 5-quart Dutch oven or two skillets. The beer reduction and the final thickening take longer in a bigger pot (my estimate is 10 extra minutes), so go by the cues.

Storage

Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months.

The source gives no storage guidance. USDA: leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 3 to 4 months frozen (quality). Cool in shallow containers, and reheat to 165°F (74°C).

Weak points and notes

• Weakest point: without the chipotle the chili loses its smoke and most of its heat. The tomato paste and beer carry the depth now. If you want some back, mince half of one chipotle in adobo plus 1 tsp of its sauce into step 3; that should stay well under half a jalapeno of heat per bowl (my estimate), but start there.
• Salt: the source says 1 tbsp kosher salt without naming a brand. In Diamond Crystal that is about 9 g, roughly 0.6% of the finished pot, the bottom of the usual 0.6 to 1% range for soups, and the canned beans and tomatoes add more. In Morton it would be about 15 g, about 1% before the cans, which is too salty. This version specifies 9 g; taste at the end.
• Macros assume 93/7 turkey. With 85/15 turkey each container is about 30 kcal higher and 2 g lower in protein; with 1½ lb of turkey it is about 85 kcal higher and 10 g higher in protein.

Source

Food Network Kitchen, 30-Minute Turkey Chili
Changes: The chipotle chile and its adobo sauce are removed (the only pepper in the recipe). Served over rice with cheese for the calorie target. Makes 4 containers as written; double everything for 8.