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Meal-Prep Chicken Burrito Bowls (5 boxes)
Five ready-to-grab burrito bowls from one cook: spiced chicken, brown rice, black beans and roasted peppers, with sauce packed separately so nothing goes soggy.
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 5.
Ingredients
- 750g chicken breast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fajita seasoning
- 2 cups brown rice (dry)
- 400g black beans, drained
- 3 peppers, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 cup salsa (packed separately)
- 1 lime
- Coriander
Cooking Steps
Cook the rice; spread it on a tray to cool quickly, then portion.
Roast the peppers and onion at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes.
Season and pan-cook the chicken; rest, then slice.
Divide rice, beans, chicken and veg between 5 containers.
Cool uncovered no more than 30–60 minutes, lid on, refrigerate within 2 hours.
Pack salsa, lime and coriander separately and add when eating.
Optional Enhancements
- Swap chicken for turkey or tofu
- Cauliflower rice for lower carb
- Add corn or avocado (avocado on the day)
Plant & Growing Tips
Peppers
- Start pepper seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last expected frost, then transplant seedlings into a sunny spot after temperatures warm.
- Provide consistent moisture and feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer once fruits begin to set.
- Support taller pepper plants with stakes or cages to prevent branches from breaking under the weight of the fruit.
Red Onion
- Plant onion sets or seedlings in early spring in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.
- Ensure consistent watering during bulb formation, but reduce as harvest approaches.
- Space onions approximately 10-15 cm apart to allow bulbs to grow to full size.
Coriander
- Sow coriander seeds directly into the garden every 2-3 weeks for a continuous supply, preferring cooler weather to prevent bolting.
- Plant in partial shade during hotter periods or in warmer climates to extend the harvest season.
- Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid overwatering.
Natural Pest Control
- Spray aphids off pepper and coriander plants with a strong jet of water or an insecticidal soap.
- Use floating row covers over young onion plants to protect them from onion maggots.
- Practice crop rotation for peppers to help prevent soil-borne diseases and pests like pepper weevils.
- Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs, which prey on aphids, by planting diverse flowers nearby.
Harvest
Peppers
- Harvest peppers when they are firm and have reached their desired colour, whether green or fully ripened to red, yellow, or orange.
Red Onion
- Harvest red onions when their tops have mostly fallen over and begun to yellow, then cure them in a dry, airy spot for a few weeks before storing.
Coriander
- Snip outer leaves as needed for fresh use, or allow some plants to bolt and produce seeds, which can also be harvested when dry.
Storing & Freezing
Fridge 3–4 days in airtight boxes. Rice must cool fast (spread thin) and be reheated piping hot once only. Freezes 2 months (without salsa).
