Mediterranean Chicken & Roasted Veggie Meal Prep Bowls (Under 400 Calories)

Ingredients

• 500g (about 1.1 lb) boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips
• 1 cup dry quinoa (yields ~3 cups cooked)
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped into half-moons
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 4 tablespoons low-fat tzatziki (store-bought is totally fine)

Instructions

1. 1

   Get your oven hot and your quinoa going

   Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Rinse the quinoa under cold water—don't skip this, it removes the bitter coating. Add it to a small saucepan with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then drop to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. That's your base done.

2. 2

   Season the chicken

   In a bowl, toss the chicken strips with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon oregano, the smoked paprika, garlic powder, a good pinch of salt, and black pepper. Make sure every piece gets coated. Set aside while you deal with the vegetables.

3. 3

   Roast the veggies and chickpeas together

   Spread the zucchini, red pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas across a large baking sheet in a single layer—crowding them causes steaming, not roasting, and you want that caramelized edge. Drizzle with 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining oregano, salt, and pepper. Roast at 425°F for 20-25 minutes, giving the pan a shake halfway through.

   

4. 4

   Cook the chicken

   While the vegetables are roasting, heat the remaining 0.5 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips in a single layer—don't stir them for the first 3 minutes so they actually brown. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Squeeze half the lemon juice over the chicken right at the end of cooking. It makes a difference.

5. 5

   Build and portion your bowls

   Divide the cooked quinoa evenly between 4 meal prep containers (roughly 3/4 cup per container). Add a quarter of the roasted veggie and chickpea mixture on one side, and a quarter of the chicken strips on the other. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over everything. Scatter fresh parsley on top. Store the tzatziki separately in small lidded containers—add it just before eating so nothing gets soggy.

Substitution Ideas

Storage Tips

These bowls keep well in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days—so prepping on Sunday covers you through Wednesday or Thursday lunch easily. Keep the tzatziki in a separate small container and add it right before eating. If you want to freeze them, leave out the tomatoes and tzatziki, and the bowls will keep frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The quinoa and chicken reheat well; the roasted veggies stay good but soften a bit more—totally fine for a bowl situation.