Jerk Chicken Meal Prep Lunch Bowls: bring a taste of the tropics to work with you! These lunch bowls are sweet and spicy, and packed full of healthy veggies and quinoa to power you through your afternoon.
I'm so happy to be finally sharing this recipe with you!
These jerk chicken meal prep lunch bowls have been sitting in draft mode since February 8. Isn't that sad? I even teased our Lunch Prep Challengers with images, but wasn't able to share it with you due to...morning sickness.
For some reason, this little baby does not want mama to even look at a picture of chicken, but I have to tell you, I'm feeling fantastic today and these bowls look darn delicious.
So I'm happy to be finally sharing this super simple recipe with you!
Don't forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!
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Now I always feel verrrry nervous when I make a recipe from another person's culture. I read a comment that my jerk chicken marinade was not even close to jerk but it was tasty. LOL! I'll take it. Let's call this 'Denise's version of jerk chicken' 😉
I used the rub from this Jamaican Chicken Sheet Pan recipe, in fact these two recipes are quite similar. You could totally swap the quinoa for potatoes, or even sweet potatoes (I'm dying to try that version!)
It might not be 100% authentic in terms of the exact spice blend, but it definitely tastes good, especially with the fresh mangos...there is no better combination in the work if you ask me!
These photos only contain 1 mango split between 4 bowls, but trust me, you're going to want to up it...go for 2 mangos. You really need the extra sweetness, it is the absolute best part of these jerk chicken meal prep lunch bowls!
And absolutely, adjust the cayenne to taste. I like mine medium-hot, but I am also kind of a wuss. Ben, who puts Sriracha on everything would definitely want to crank it up.
How I enjoyed my jerk chicken meal prep lunch bowls? Mix them all up and heat gently. If you want, keep the mango separate and add it to the heated bowls. Your choice!
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this jerk chicken meal prep lunch bowl recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
Tips for your perfect Jerk Chicken Meal Prep Lunch Bowls
- SHORTCUT: cut the chicken into 2-3 inch strips and you can cook the chicken and veggies for the same amount of time (15-20 minutes)
- Cook your rice in a rice cooker so you can focus on the chicken and veggies
- These are my all-time favorite meal prep containers
- Swap the jerk chicken rub out for this brown sugar chili rub and add peaches or nectarines (you probably want to cut them fresh)...flavor bomb!!
- Swap this recipe for this Jamaican Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner which uses potatoes
- looking for more Jamaican recipes? Check out this Jamaican Jerk Seasoning and this Shortcut Jamaican Jerk Chicken Marinade!
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Jerk Chicken Meal Prep Lunch Bowls
Ingredients
Jamaican Rub
- ½ tablespoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/16 teaspoon cayenne for mild spice or ⅛ teaspoon (for spice-ay!)
Jerk Chicken Lunch Bowls
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- juice 1 lime
- 2 bell peppers cut into large chunks
- 1 large zucchini cut into large chunks
- 2 mangoes cubed
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425°F.
- Cook quinoa according to package directions and allow to cool.
- Stir together the rub ingredients and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken in half the olive oil and lime juice. Sprinkle with half the rub and toss to coat evenly.
- Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- While chicken is baking, prepare the veggies: toss in the remaining olive oil, lime juice and rub. Arrange on a second baking sheet, or around the chicken breasts when the 10 minutes is up.
- Bake for another 15 minutes, until chicken and veggies are baked through.
- Divide cooled quinoa and veggies amongst four 2 cup capacity storage containers.
- Slice the chicken and divide evenly amongst the containers.
- Top with fresh mango
- StorageStore in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Re-heatMix everything up and re-heat gently OR keep mango separate until after heating.
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Video
Nutrition Information
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Kirsten says
Great recipe! I doubled the cayenne and halved the sugar but it was still waaaay too sweet for me and I couldn’t taste any heat at all (but I have an asbestos mouth when it comes to cayenne!). Definitely be making this again though, but will double and halve again until I balance out the flavours for my own taste. Thanks so much - lunches this week are a breeze!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Kristen! Thanks for the feedback, definitely increase the cayenne if you have a tolerance for heat (I am such a wuss!). Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review!
Sara says
Wow! These were amazing! My husband approved too!
Thank you!
Denise says
Yay! So happy to hear that, Sara! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a nice review <3
Michelle says
Made this recipe tonight, caught myself eating every little piece of chicken that "fell off" while slicing 😉 VERY good!! I can't wait to devour these over the next few days, thanks for the recipe!
Denise says
LOL! Glad you enjoyed it, Michelle 🙂
Lisa says
Hi there. I recently found your blog and am trying out some of your yummy looking recipes. For your nutritional calculation, how much did you estimate your 2 large chicken breasts weighed? Thank you!
Denise says
Hi Lisa! The chicken breasts I use are around 7 oz each, so 14 oz total. For the nutrition I think I just selected '2 chicken breasts', but I've played around with the MyFitnessPal calculator and gives me a really similar to putting in exact oz.
Shelby says
Is there something that would sub in well for the mangos for a hubby with tropical fruit allergies?
Sarah Hancotte says
i was wondering the same thing! I thought that peaches might do well instead of mango
Denise says
Hi ladies! My first suggestion would be pineapple, but that's tropical too, so I'm guessing that won't work. Peaches would be amazing, any sweet fruit, really...even sweet strawberries might be nice (but if they aren't super sweet they are just not the same). Let me know if you give them a try 🙂
Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven says
These lunch bowls look INSANELY good, Denise! I wouldn't mind having these on standby for lunch every day!
Denise says
Thanks so much, Sarah!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
Oh wow, I would kill to have a fridge full of these, I am the WORST at lunch.
Denise says
It definitely makes things easier when you don't have to think about lunch 🙂