This Couscous, Beets, and Chicken Meal Prep is filling, healthy, and delicious! Make them ahead of time for four delicious lunches.
Couscous, Beets, and Chicken Meal Prep
What’s everyone eating for lunch this week? I’ve got myself a delicious couscous, beets, and chicken meal prep with a tangy honey lemon vinaigrette.
I’ve been really craving beets lately so when I saw some golden beets at the store, I couldn’t pass up my chance! I grabbed a mix of golden and red beets and started meal prepping!
Fun fact, while I cook my chicken thighs and beets together in the oven, the beets can also be made in the Instant Pot!
What Else You’ll Need To Make This Couscous Meal Prep
For the Chicken Thighs:
- olive oil
- chicken thighs: I use skin on, bone in chicken thighs.
- salt
- paprika
- garlic powder
- chicken broth
For the Beets:
- olive oil
- salt
- beets: red or golden, or both!
- feta
For the Couscous:
- pearl couscous: I prefer pearl couscous (also known as Israeli Couscous) to regular couscous. Couscous has a mild flavour which makes it super versatile. Traditional Pearl Couscous are small balls of toasted semolina flour, so it resembles pasta.
- chicken broth: or water. I prefer chicken broth as it adds more flavour.
- lemon
For the Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
- olive oil
- white wine vinegar
- zest and juice of one lemon
- dijon mustard
- honey
How To Make Couscous, Beets, and Chicken Meal Prep
- Heat the oven to 400F.
For the Chicken Thighs:
- Season the chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Place in a casserole dish with 1 cup of chicken broth. Cover with tinfoil and place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, removing the foil in the last 10 minutes.
For the Beets:
- For the beets, roast for 40 minutes drizzled in olive oil and salt, wrapped in tinfoil. Peel and cut when done. For more details, check out instructions in this post here. Or if you prefer to use an Instant Pot, here’s how to make beets in the IP!
For the Couscous:
- Bring 1.5 cups of chicken broth or water to a boil. Add in the couscous and bring the pot down to a simmer. When the liquid has all absorbed, squeeze a wedge of lemon on top of the couscous, mix, and keep the lid on to keep the couscous from drying out.
For the Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
- Combine the ingredients in a mason jar and shake to combine.
Putting it all together:
- To meal prep: combine everything but the dressing in an airtight container, topped with feta. Serve with dressing on the side.
- For dinner: combine everything, drizzle on the dressing, and serve!
Tips, Notes, and Substitutes
Shredded chicken breast is a great substitute for the chicken thighs. While I prefer to reheat my skin-on chicken thighs, with shredded chicken breast, I can skip reheating it and just eat the couscous beets meal prep cold/chilled to save on time! Plus, the dressing can be mixed in ahead of time if you wish.
Couscous, Beets, and Chicken Meal Prep
Ingredients
For the Chicken Thighs:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup chicken broth
For the Beets:
For the Couscous:
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 lemon, juice
For the Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 zest and juice of one lemon
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400F.
For the Chicken Thighs:
- Season the chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Place in a casserole dish with 1 cup of chicken broth. Cover with tinfoil and place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, removing the foil in the last 10 minutes.
For the Beets:
- For the beets, roast for 40 minutes drizzled in olive oil and salt, wrapped in tinfoil. Peel and cut when done. For more details, check out instructions in this post here.
For the Couscous:
- Bring 1.5 cups of chicken broth or water to a boil. Add in the couscous and bring the pot down to a simmer. When the liquid has all absorbed, squeeze a wedge of lemon on top of the couscous, mix, and keep the lid on to keep the couscous from drying out.
For the Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
- Combine the ingredients in a mason jar and shake to combine.
Putting it all together:
- To meal prep: combine everything but the dressing in an airtight container, topped with feta. Serve with dressing on the side.
- For dinner: combine everything, drizzle on the dressing, and serve!
Notes
RESOURCES AND TIPS FOR MEAL PREPPING
- How To Cook Chicken Breasts Perfectly
- What Is An Instant Pot
- Tips To Help You Meal Prep For The Week Successfully
- Tips for Meal Prepping on a Budget
- 7 Freezer Friendly Chicken Marinades
- 5 Freezer Friendly Marinades
- Meal Prep Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mealprepsupport/
MORE LUNCH IDEAS TO TRY
- Cold Chicken Spinach Pasta Salad
- Chicken Pepperoni Pasta Salad
- Healthy Chicken Mason Jar Salad
- Cold Chicken Pasta with Broccoli and Peas
- Mango Chili Lime Chicken
Other places to connect with me
Instagram: @carmyshungry
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carmyycom
Email: [email protected]
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