
Jul 23, 2020
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Get ready to enjoy a healthy lunch with these Thai Chicken bowls you can prep ahead!
Prep and cook everything in 30 minutes and you’ll be able to enjoy a healthy meal throughout the week.

How to Prep Thai Chicken Bowls for Lunch
These chicken meal prep bowls are easy to cook in the oven (they are baked) and once the rice is ready all you have to do is assemble and store them for later.
You’ll find everything in detail in the recipe card below. But essentially, you’ll need to:
- Marinate the chicken
Make the Thai marinade and let the chicken absorb its flavors for at least 30 minutes up to a day ahead. - Bake the chicken
Bake the chicken in a preheated oven for 20 minutes and once cooked, set it aside. Slice it before assembly. - Cook the rice
Prepare the rice according to the package directions or in a rice cooker. - Make the peanut sauce
In a medium bowl or dressing jar, make the peanut sauce. Refrigerate it until ready to use for up to 7 days. Read more about this peanut sauce here. - Prep the fresh veggies
Finely shred the cabbage or use shredded slaw and carrots, then chop the cilantro and peanuts. - Fill the meal prep containers
Once the chicken and rice have cooled down to room temperature, scoop a portion of rice into a meal prep container and top with sliced chicken, veggies, cilantro, and chopped peanuts. Fill small lidded sauce containers with some peanut sauce for later. - Storage
Place the lids on the meal prep containers and refrigerate for 3 days. - Reheat & Eat
To enjoy, remove the lid from the container and warm it in the microwave for 2 minutes or until the ingredients are heated. Drizzle with peanut sauce before eating.

Thai Chicken Meal Prep Toppings
Toppings are everyone’s favorite part; the more color, the better! The basic ingredients for the bowl are rice and chicken. To those, you can add:
- Shredded cabbage: use green or purple cabbage for extra fiber, nutrition, and crunch.
- Carrots: a great source of vitamin A and pair great with peanut sauce.
- Chopped peanuts: adds a toasty flavor and crunchy texture, optional.
- Chopped cilantro: brightens the other flavors and compliments the dressing.
- Thai Peanut Sauce: sweet, savory, and you’ll want to drizzle it on everything.
- Tomatoes: not included in this recipe, but if you love them, add them!
- Sprouts: also not included in this recipe, but they have a sweet, watery flavor that makes a good vessel for peanut sauce and add lots of nutrition.
How to Store Chicken Lunch Bowls for the Week
The best way to keep these meal-prep chicken bowls fresh for the week is to assemble the rice, protein, and veggies in your containers and keep it separate from the Thai Peanut Sauce.
Drizzling the peanut sauce over the fresh veggies will change their texture (make them soggy).
Having the right meal prep containers makes this step easy, and in the long run, reduces the need to throw out those salads and power bowls you were looking forward to eating.

How Long with Thai Chicken Lunch Bowls Stay Good in the Fridge?
Once your bowls are properly assembled and refrigerated, they keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How Many Lunches Does this Recipe Make?
This Thai chicken recipe will yield about 6 adult-size servings, but if you prep a little extra rice and veggies, you could easily stretch it to 8.
It’s perfect for 2 adults who don’t want to think about what’s for lunch, or a family of 4!
Prep Ahead Tips
Meal prepping calls for all the tips! Below are the ones I use for this recipe and others to make the process go faster.
Marinate the day before
Consider marinating the chicken overnight, it gives the proteins more time to soak up flavor, and you’ll spend less time in the kitchen.
Prep the rice
Make the rice as directed and allow it to cool down to room temperature before refrigerating it in an airtight container overnight.
Veggies and sauce
Cabbage and carrots last a while, even when prepped! Shred and store in the same container for up to 5 days.
All about the sauce
Thank goodness, the peanut sauce tastes better a couple of days after being made. Just whisk it together and refrigerate in a jar or lidded container and use as desired.
For more easy recipes you can serve for dinner and pack for lunch, grab a copy of my ebook Meal Prep’d!

Thai Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Ingredients
Chicken marinade:
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- 1 ½ lbs Chicken breasts boneless and skinless
For the bowls:
- 1 ½ cups rice Jasmine or white
- 6 to 8 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 carrots shredded or grated
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons peanuts chopped optional
Peanut Sauce:
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Make the marinade in a large bowl, by combining the sesame oil with the soy sauce and the Sriracha sauce. Add the chicken breasts and toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight for extra flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer the chicken breasts onto the prepared baking sheet and discard the marinade.
- Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove the chicken from the oven and set it aside to cool down to room temperature before slicing and assembling.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the rice according to the package directions. Once cooked, fluff the rice and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
- Make the peanut sauce in a medium bowl by combining the peanut butter, honey, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, and Sriracha sauce. Add one tablespoon of water and whisk to combine. Add additional hot water until the Peanut Sauce reaches the desired consistency. Store it in a dressing bottle or fill small lidded dressing containers with peanut sauce.
- Line up the meal prep containers and make a base layer of rice, top it with sliced chicken breasts, shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and chopped peanuts, if using. Cover with a lid.
- Store the meal-prepped Thai chicken bowls in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Allyson
Really excited to try this recipe! For meal prep, would you eat this dish warm or cold? Should the rice and chicken be warmed separately so the veggies stay cold and crisp along with the sauce? Or would you suggest this whole dish be eaten cold?
Laura Fuentes
You can meal prep everything and enjoy it cold as a cold salad meal or only pack the rice and chicken in the same container and once heated, top it with the crisp cold veggies and drizzle the sauce. I personally enjoy it both ways.
Kristy
My husband did not feel like thai one night but i was determined to make this recipe and it was OUTSTANDING!!! My husband even had 2 full dinners he loved it so much along with our 3kids!!!I didn’t have cabbage so I shredded beats and used toasted almond slices & was great! I made a salad with spinach and all the left overs the next day with the peanut sauce as my dressing and it was delicious! Thank you!
Laura Fuentes
Ok, the shredded beets swap is genious! I’m going to try this myself. Thank you for making my recipe, Kristy! I’m glad you enjoyed this Thai chicken!
Jenn Schlater
I might try swapping SunButter for the peanut butter and see how that works. 🙂
Laura Fuentes
I will work beautifully to make the sauce. Enjoy, Jenn.
Monica Alonzo
I just made this for lunch and it is absolutely delicious. It’s quick and easy, and the peanut sauce is to die for. My kids have already asked me to make it again!
Laura Fuentes
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Thai Chicken Meal Prep recipe Monica! It’s on repeat request here too.
Susan
Planning to make this next week…can’t wait! Question, though, how do you grate 1 clove of garlic? Would using a garlic press work instead?
Laura Fuentes
You can absolutely use a garlic press. I just use a microplane to grate it but pressing it or finely chopping it will work. Enjoy!
Susan
Just made this today….it was delicious and will be added to our meal rotation! Thanks so much for this recipe 🙂
Laura Fuentes
Thank you, Susan!
Jenn
This looks amazing. We have a peanut allergy here…could you recommend another sauce that would work?
Laura Fuentes
Jenn, do you have a peanut alternative like sunflower butter? That works too.
Kelty
Serving says 1 bowl…how many servings is the whole recipe? Thank you!
Laura Fuentes
Thank you for catching that, Kelty! The recipe yield is 6 servings, where each person gets 4oz of chicken.
Laurie
It says to put the chicken in a bowl and toss to combine. How long should you let it sit on the marinade before you bake it? Looms so good.
Laura Fuentes
Hi Laurie, I just updated the post with directions to marinate it for 30 minutes or overnight for extra flavor. Hope you enjoy it!