These popular Honey Sesame Chicken Lunch Bowls have chicken breast, rice and veggies tossed in a delicious sticky sauce. Perfect for healthy meal prep lunches.
Stir fries are such a great choice for meal prep because they store and reheat well. Some of my faves include this Cashew Chicken Stir Fry, this Vegan Ginger Teriyaki Stir Fry, and today's honey sesame stir fry bowls!
This is one of the most popular recipes on the site (it was my first meal prep recipe to go viral!), and I'm pretty sure I know why.
It's delicious, versatile, easy to prep and keeps so well for meal prep!
Reasons you'll โก honey sesame chicken lunch bowls
- they taste great, even on day 4
- you can stash in the fridge or freezer
- you can make a ton of different swaps, and still have a delicious lunch
Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these meal prep bowls. Itโs so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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The sauce
When it comes to stir fry, the sauce the most important thing (if you care about flavor, that is). This honey sesame sauce takes 5 minutes to shake up and uses simple pantry staples:
- honey- well, obviously! But if you find yourself in a pinch, you can swap maple syrup and it will be totally fine.
- reduced sodium soy sauce- I recommend seeking out the low sodium stuff. Regular may end up too salty in this recipe!
- water or chicken stock- or make your own homemade bone broth for a bigger nutrient boost
- sesame oil- toasted or regular is fine
- red pepper flakes- for a little kick; leave it out if you are serving kids
- corn starch- or swap for arrowroot powder
Looking to switch up your flavors? I have SEVEN different stir fry sauces here!
The stir fry
The stir fryTo make cooking go as easily as possible, I recommend having all your veggies and chicken chopped up ahead of time, and your sauce pre-mixed. That way, you can just work through the recipe without distraction.
Here's what we're using in this recipe
- veggies- go for 4-6 cups. I am using broccoli and snap peas, but you can use pretty much any stir fry vegetable in here.
- protein- 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breast (which is roughly 2 large breasts), chopped into 1 inch pieces.
- carbs- I like basmati rice as it has a low glycemic index, meaning it won't digest as quickly as regular white rice and will keep you feeling full for longer.
- check out these 3 Tips for Perfect, Fluffy Rice
- check out How to Cook Brown Rice (stove top & rice cooker)
Let's talk swaps
Just like any stir fry, you can swap out the sauce, the protein, the veggies, the carbs and end up with totally different meals.
Here are some of my fave swaps
- carbs- swap for quinoa, brown rice, or cauliflower rice
- sauce- I'm obsessed with this maple ginger stir fry sauce, or go classic with this teriyaki sauce
- protein- swap the chicken breast for chicken thighs or go vegetarian with tofu
- veggies- swap for carrots, bell peppers, squash, slaw, or whatever is hiding in your fridge that needs to be used. Keep in mind cook times will change with different veggies.
Other popular meal prep Lunch recipes
- Turkey Taco Meal Prep Bowls
- Cold Sesame Noodle Meal Prep Bowls
- Caprese Chicken Salad Meal Prep Bowls
- Fruit on the Bottom Overnight Oats
- Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps
This post was originally published in 2016. It has been republished with new photos and tips in 2019; same great recipe!
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Honey Sesame Chicken Lunch Bowls
Ingredients
Honey Sesame Sauce:
- ยผ cup chicken stock or water
- ยผ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ยผ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Chicken Lunch Bowls:
- ยพ cup rice (uncooked; or roughly 2 cups cooked)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 3 cups broccoli (chopped into small pieces)
- 3 cups snap peas (ends trimmed)
- 2 large chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch cubes)
- salt & pepper
- sesame seeds (garnish)
Instructions
- Shake together all honey sesame sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Cook rice according to package instructions. Divide between 4 storage containers.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Add broccoli and snap peas. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until bright green and tender. Add to the rice in the storage containers.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Add the chicken to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes (if desired). Cook for 7-10 minutes, until cooked through.
- Add the sauce to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes, until thickened.
- Add the chicken to the lunch containers and drizzle with sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat to serve.
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Tips:
Video
Nutrition Information
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Tyla Gunning says
This recipe is AMAZING! added a bit to much soy so my end result was very strong in soy sauce but other than that being my own fault it's INCREDIBLE! Can't wait to have this amazing meal for lunch for the next few days :D!
Denise says
So happy you enjoyed it Tyla!
Erin says
Made this over the weekend and was feeling unsure going into lunch today as my last few attempts at meal prepping have been average at best. However, this was great! A few people told me it smelled amazing and it tasted just as good as it smelled. Even better, it was very filling. This is definitely a keeper for me, easy prep and a delicious meal.
Brianna says
instead of using broccoli can i use carrots? do i cook them the same way as the broccoli?
Denise says
Hi Brianna! You can absolutely sub the carrots for broccoli. I think they'd cook for a similar time, depending on how you cut the carrots ๐ Hope you enjoy!
Mary says
I made these the other day and am just now enjoying one for lunch. The flavor is awesome and my husband approved!
Denise says
So glad you're enjoying your lunches this week, Mary!
Ellie says
This looks greats looking to try this for work next week as lunch just a bit confused by the cup measurements? Is there anything I can use instead of cups to measure the ingredients?
Denise says
Hi Ellie, unfortunately I don't have weight measurements for these ingredients. I did find in my notes that 3/4 cup uncooked rice is 140g/5 oz. Hope that helps ๐
Christy says
Just ate this for lunch today. So delicious!!! pretty easy to make too. I just did some frozen veggies I had in the freezer, still worked great. Thanks for the recipe!
Denise says
So happy you liked it Christy!
Mike says
Hi, where can I find that sauce shaker or something similar? Thanks!
Denise says
Hi Mike, I love using my Oxo Good Grips Salad Dressing Shaker, or just a jar with a secure lid ๐
Mavis says
I have heard that heating olive oil can make it a carcinogen. Any thoughts on that?
Denise says
Hi Mavis, I actually worked for 7 years in cancer research and have NEVER heard that before. In fact if you type 'olive oil carcinogen' into PubMed, you will find a whole lot of articles that suggest that olive oil has anti-cancer properties. I wouldn't recommend heating olive oil over high heat, though, since it has a low smoking point. Hope this answers your question ๐
Neha says
I just wondered what size your Pyrex lunch boxes were (2cups?)
Denise says
Hi Neha! I used the 2 cup snapware containers (these ones). They put the price up on Amazon but I've heard they're a great deal at Walmart!
Denise says
Hi Lawren, they are heated up like a stir fry ๐ I hope you enjoy them!
Denise says
Yes!
Cindy says
I am trying to not eat rice or pasta... what do you suggest in place of that?
Denise says
Hey Cindy! You could use cauliflower rice, quinoa, barley, any other grain. I hope you like it ๐
Wendy says
I made these for lunch this week and they are delish! Thanks for such a great recipe!
Denise says
I'm so happy you liked them Wendy! Thanks for reporting back ๐
Naomi says
Hey this looks delicious was just wondering about the chicken. If I used already cooked frozen chicken is it safe to reheat it again to make the meal and then reheat when eating? Or would you say it's better to use fresh chicken?
Denise says
Hi Naomi! I haven't tried making this particular dish with already cooked/frozen chicken, but I have frozen lots of my slow cooker chicken recipes after cooking and they seem to keep well in the fridge after thawing. I can't find any official food safety information about this though...so if you are nervous, go for the fresh chicken instead.
Natalie says
do you store the chicken in the fridge or the freezer?
Denise says
Hi Natalie! I store the whole thing assembled with the sauce and everything in the fridge. I haven't frozen them as I don't enjoy freeze/thawed rice.
Laura says
The ads on this sight make it impossible to navigate.
Denise says
Laura, can you tell me if you're on mobile or desktop?
Denise says
Hi Maxine, I'm sorry I have no idea of what "1R 1Y 1-2 G and 2tsp" means? Could you please clarify?
Courtney says
The R, Y, G and tsp are 21 Day Fix container counts.
Johnny says
My wife and I just made this dish and it was delicious!!! We will definitely keep this as an easy go to recipe.
Denise says
I'm so glad you guys liked it Johnny! Thanks for reporting back ๐
Julie says
Caleries?
Denise says
Just added that info at the bottom of the recipe card! 450-ish, but there are suggestions if you want to lighten it up ๐
Jamie says
I'm following the SlimFast Plan (2 shakes, up to 3 100-calorie snacks, and 1 healthy 500-calorie meal per day), and these bowls are perfect--tasty, filling, and easy! I now have dinner for the next four nights. Thanks so much!
Denise says
I'm so glad they work on your plan Jamie! They'd be perfect for dinner ๐
Glenda says
Made this today and it was absolutely amazing! Added a red pepper for part of the broccoli and peas and used brown rice but didn't change anything else. I could have split the recipe into 6 and would have had plenty. I am trying freezing the other 3 bowls so we will see. I will definitely make this again!
Denise says
So happy you liked them Glenda! I'd love to know how it freeze/thaws ๐