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My Lemon Garlic Chicken Meal Prep is So Good!
I don’t know about you, but figuring out what to have for lunch can be a struggle. Leftovers? They’re fine, but I always thank myself when I have prepared, balanced lunches ready to go in the fridge. I started making this lemon garlic chicken meal prep a couple of months ago and I still love it. With this recipe, it takes just 45 minutes to make 4 lunches (10-ish minutes per meal is not bad, in my opinion!).
I made this recipe as easy as possible—the spiced chicken and zucchini cook in the same skillet while the potatoes are roasting in the oven. This recipe is better than any prepared lunch I’ve bought out recently. My kids even approve of it! When I packed it for them for lunch, they asked for it again the next day.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lemon juice: I prefer the brighter flavor of fresh lemon juice! You’ll need 1 lemon for ¼ cup of lemon juice.
- Olive oil: You can swap this for avocado or vegetable oil if that’s what you have.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic will taste best, but you can use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove instead.
- Dried oregano, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper: You can switch up the spices if you like—cumin, coriander, curry powder, dried mint, onion powder, etc.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Bone-in chicken breasts would take longer to cook, but you can easily use 24 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Yellow potatoes: These have a buttery texture! Yukon, russet, or sweet potatoes would work, too.
- Zucchini: Small zucchini are less watery and more flavorful. Yellow, summer squash is also really good!
Popular Additions
- Serve it with a sauce. Add pesto, ranch, or tahini sauce to each container.
- Add more vegetables. Toss 1-inch pieces of cubed butternut squash or cauliflower or broccoli florets with the potatoes so they roast together.
- Make it cheesy. Sprinkle grated parmesan or pecorino romano over the cooked potatoes, then pop them back in the oven so the cheese melts.
- Top it off with fresh herbs. Sprinkle chopped cilantro, parsley, or dill over everything.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Chicken Meal Prep
I recommend cooking the chicken and zucchini while the potatoes roast! They should be done in about the same time.
Roast the potatoes
Cook the chicken and zucchini
My Best Lemon Garlic Chicken Meal Prep Tips
- Don’t skip out on marinating the chicken. This is what will make the chicken flavorful. Just 20 minutes is enough—but longer is great, too.
- Don’t toss the marinade. You’ll need it for the zucchini! If you do toss it, though, I’d just season the zucchini with salt and pepper.
- Shake of the marinade before adding the chicken to the skillet. You want to get rid of excess moisture, which could stop the chicken from browning!
- Let the chicken rest before slicing. This allows all of the moisture in the chicken be reabsorbed so it stays juicy.
Recipe Help & Common Questions
This easy lemon garlic chicken meal prep recipe will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, I recommend just using the microwave! It should take just a few minutes.
The easiest way is to use an instant-read thermometer. Once the chicken reaches 165°F the chicken is done!
Yes, you can! I would add the chicken to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until it’s almost cooked, then add the zucchini and roast so they’re done at the same time. The chicken might not brown as well as it would in a skillet, but it’ll still taste great.
More Meal Prep Recipes:
- PB&J Meal Prep
- Chickpea Bites Meal Prep
- Tuna Salad Meal Prep
- Avocado and Egg Meal Prep
- Chicken & Hummus Meal Prep
- Taco Salad Meal Prep
If you try this feel good Lemon Garlic Chicken Meal Prep recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Lemon Garlic Chicken Meal Prep
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
For the sides
- 1 ½ pounds yellow potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 4 small zucchinis sliced in 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the potatoes on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper and toss to combine. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring once halfway through.
- When ready to cook the chicken, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off the excess, and place in the preheated pan (keep the marinade). Cook the chicken for 7-8 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and a thermometer reads 165ºF. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Add the zucchini to the bowl with the marinade and toss to combine. In the same skillet used to cook the chicken, add the zucchini with the marinade and cook on high heat, tossing occasionally until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble four meal prep containers with the sliced chicken breast, zucchini, and potatoes.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
