Healthy Chicken Bowl Recipe (High-Protein, Easy & Meal-Prep Friendly)

Healthy Chicken Bowl

Recipe by Jessica
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Calories

450

kcal

Ingredients

  • For the Chicken

  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

  • For the Bowl Base

  • 1½ cups cooked brown rice or jasmine rice

  • (use less or substitute cauliflower rice for a low-calorie option)

  • Vegetables

  • 1 cup broccoli florets (roasted or steamed)

  • 1 cup bell peppers, sliced

  • 1 cup cucumber or cherry tomatoes

  • Optional: spinach, zucchini, carrots, or whatever you have on hand

  • Optional Sauce

  • Greek yogurt sauce, tahini, or a light vinaigrette

  • (use sparingly for weight loss or meal prep)

Directions

  • Cook the chicken
  • Heat olive oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Season chicken on both sides with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until fully done, about 6–7 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Prepare the rice
  • While the chicken cooks, warm or prepare your rice. Keep portions reasonable for a balanced, high-protein healthy chicken bowl.
  • Cook the vegetables
  • Roast, steam, or sauté vegetables until just tender. Avoid overcooking — texture matters in a bowl.
  • Assemble the bowls
  • Divide rice evenly between four bowls. Top with sliced chicken and vegetables.
  • Finish and serve
  • Add sauce if using. Serve warm for dinner or let cool for meal prep.

Notes

  • For weight loss:
    Reduce rice slightly and increase vegetables. This keeps the bowl filling without adding many calories.
  • For meal prep:
    Store chicken, rice, vegetables, and sauce separately. This keeps everything fresh and prevents sogginess.
  • For extra protein:
    Add chickpeas, extra chicken, or a spoon of Greek yogurt-based sauce.
  • For variety:
    Change spices instead of ingredients. Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, or lemon pepper completely change the flavor.
  • For low calorie bowls:
    Use grilled chicken, cauliflower rice, and skip heavy sauces.
  • Storage:
    Keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days, making it ideal for high-protein chicken bowl meal prep.

This healthy chicken bowl recipe is high in protein, easy to make, and perfect for meal prep. A simple chicken bowl for lunch or dinner that actually keeps you full.

A Healthy Chicken Bowl That Fits Real Life

Somewhere between work, family, and trying to take better care of myself, I stopped wanting complicated meals. I still want food that tastes good. I still want something that feels like a proper dinner. But I don’t want to cook three different things just to feel satisfied.

That’s how the healthy chicken bowl became a regular part of my routine.

It’s not trendy food. It’s practical food. The kind you can eat on a busy Tuesday night or pack for lunch without thinking twice. A bowl that’s filling, balanced, and doesn’t leave you hungry an hour later.

This healthy chicken bowl recipe is one I’ve made in many forms over the years. Sometimes it’s simple. Sometimes it’s dressed up. But it always does what a good meal should do — it works.


Why I Keep Making Chicken Bowls

There’s a reason chicken bowls show up in so many kitchens. They’re flexible in a way most recipes aren’t.

A chicken bowl recipe lets you:

  • Use what you already have
  • Adjust portions easily
  • Add more vegetables without effort
  • Control protein without measuring everything

As someone who pays attention to how food makes me feel, I appreciate meals that don’t overcomplicate things. A high protein chicken bowl checks that box.

It’s also one of the few meals that works equally well as a healthy chicken bowl for lunch or a healthy chicken bowl for dinner.

I recommend this rice bowl recipe – Read more


Protein Matters More Than It Used To

I didn’t always think about protein. In my 20s, I cared more about calories. In my 30s, I noticed energy mattered. In my 40s, protein became non-negotiable.

A chicken protein bowl helps keep blood sugar steady, prevents late-night snacking, and makes meals feel satisfying instead of skimpy.

That’s why this recipe leans into being a high protein healthy chicken bowl recipe. It’s not extreme. It’s just balanced.

healthy chicken bowl recipe

What Goes Into a Healthy Chicken Meal Bowl

This is not a rigid recipe. It’s a framework.

Here’s the base I usually start with:

  • Chicken breast or thighs
  • Olive oil and simple seasoning
  • Cooked rice or grain of choice
  • A mix of vegetables
  • Optional sauce or dressing

That’s it.

From there, you can make a healthy chicken rice bowl recipe, a low-carb version, or a vegetable-heavy bowl depending on the day.

healthy chicken bowl recipe

Step-by-Step: How I Make This Healthy Chicken Bowl

This is the process I follow when I want something reliable and low effort.

Step 1: Cook the chicken

I usually grill or pan-sear the chicken. A grilled chicken healthy bowl has the best flavor, but stovetop works just fine.

Season generously. Chicken needs more seasoning than people think.

Cook until done, then let it rest. This keeps it juicy and makes slicing easier.

Step 2: Prepare the base

For a healthy chicken rice bowl recipe, I use brown rice or jasmine rice. When I want something lighter, I cut the portion or swap in cauliflower rice.

This flexibility is what makes the bowl work for healthy chicken bowl for weight loss without feeling restrictive.

Step 3: Add vegetables

This is where nutrition quietly improves.

Roasted vegetables, sautéed greens, or raw crunch all work. A healthy chicken bowl with vegetables doesn’t need to be complicated to be nourishing.

Step 4: Assemble the bowl

Layer the base, add sliced chicken, pile on vegetables, and finish with a light sauce if you want.

That’s it. Dinner’s done.


Why This Is a High Protein Chicken Bowl

Between the chicken, grains, and vegetables, this bowl delivers steady energy.

It’s why I rely on it as a chicken bowl meal prep high protein option. I don’t get hungry quickly afterward. That matters when days are long.

This is also why it works so well as a high protein chicken bowl meal prep recipe. It holds up in the fridge without turning sad.

healthy chicken bowl recipe

Meal Prep Without the Burnout

I don’t spend Sundays cooking all day anymore. I batch cook smarter.

This meal prep healthy chicken bowl approach saves time:

  • Cook chicken once
  • Cook rice once
  • Chop vegetables once

Then mix and match.

By midweek, I’m still eating well without cooking from scratch every night. That’s the real value of a simple healthy chicken bowl recipe.

Most delicious smoothies for weight loss – Read More


Low Calorie Doesn’t Mean Small Portions

A low calorie chicken bowl recipe works best when it feels abundant.

I load the bowl with vegetables, keep rice portions reasonable, and don’t drown it in sauce. The result is filling without being heavy.

That balance is what makes this a reliable healthy chicken bowl for weight loss rather than something you tolerate and abandon.


When I Serve This Bowl

This meal fits into real life easily.

  • Quick dinner after work
  • Leftover lunch the next day
  • Meal prep for busy weeks
  • Light dinner when appetite is lower

That’s why it stays in rotation as a healthy chicken meal bowl.


FAQs About Healthy Chicken Bowls

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. This is one of the best options for high protein chicken bowl meal prep. Store components separately for best texture.

Is this good for weight loss?
Yes, especially when portions are balanced. Healthy chicken bowl for weight loss works because it’s filling, not restrictive.

What vegetables work best?
Almost anything. Roasted broccoli, peppers, spinach, cucumber, or carrots all fit well in a healthy chicken bowl with vegetables.

Can I eat this for dinner?
Absolutely. It’s light enough to digest well but filling enough to be a proper healthy chicken bowl for dinner.


Final Thoughts

At this point in my life, I value meals that support me instead of draining me. I want food that tastes good, fuels me, and doesn’t require a mental checklist to prepare.

This healthy chicken bowl recipe does exactly that.

It’s dependable. It adapts. It fits into busy weeks without making food feel like another obligation.

Some meals impress.
This one supports.

And honestly, that’s what keeps me coming back to it.

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