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overhead shot of caprese chicken salad meal prep bowls on gray counter
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5 from 1772 votes

Caprese Chicken Salad Meal Prep Bowls

Caprese chicken salad meal prep bowls are fresh, summery and delicious. With baked chicken, fresh cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, quinoa and basil leaves all drizzled in a balsamic vinaigrette.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Fat, Low Salt
Servings: 4
Calories: 464kcal

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup quinoa uncooked
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts roughly 2 large chicken breasts; see note 1
  • salt & pepper
  • 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 bunch basil leaves whole but removed from stem; see note 2
  • 1 cup baby bocconcini see note 3

Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon dijon
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

  • Cook quinoa- cook quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool.
    spoon scooping up quinoa over a large pot
  • Cook chicken- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Transfer to a baking dish, season with salt and pepper and bake for 25 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
    Once chicken has rested for at least 10 minutes, slice it against the grain.
    sliced chicken breast on cutting board
  • Shake up vinaigrette- In a salad dressing shaker or mason jar, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon and salt and pepper. Portion out into condiment containers.
  • Portion & store- In four meal prep containers (2 cups or larger), divide up the cooled quinoa, chicken, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil leaves. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Serve- When you are ready to serve, tear up the fresh basil leaves, shake up the salad dressing, and drizzle over everything. Toss up the salad, and enjoy!
    overhead shot of caprese chicken salad meal prep bowls on gray counter

Video

Notes

1- you can swap for 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, meatballs, tofu or even chickpeas
2- suggestions to keep basil fresh:
  • wrap in paper towel
  • bring the whole basil plant to work; keep it in a jar with water, a bag covering it
  • try to keep the basil at the top of the bowl, away from anything wet like the tomatoes
  • do not add the vinaigrette until just before serving
3- small mozzarella balls; should be found in the deli section of your grocery store. If you can't find the mini ones, simply cut up the larger mozzarella balls.
Storage
This salad keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days; expect the tomatoes to be juicy and soft by days 3-4. This salad may not be frozen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 814mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 26.6mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2.7mg