Yeah, I went there. Chicken Meal Prep. With Rice and Beans. And Cilantro Sauce. I don’t even recognize this organized version of myself.
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I can’t rate this more than 5 stars?! Because it’s a 10 star recipe, or more! I made this last night to bring to work today; and ended up eating 3 small plate full! I got to work and can’t work because all I want to do it eat lunch! I made my own salsa to use, used quinoa, and it’s PERFECT! I also made the sunshine sauce which I have been wanting to do for a while now! Great recipe, thank you!!!!!
Denise
It’s December, friends. Talk to me about this:
How do you enjoy all your favorite stuff (cinnamon rolls, eggnog, Christmas cookies) without going into full-blown rabid holiday eating mode for 31 straight days?
I think I know the answer. My answer, anyways.
Meal prep. As in making food ahead of time and portioning it out so you are GAME ON for healthy breakfasts, lunches, and/or dinners.
And yes, I’m learning this a little late in the game. “Meal prep” as a concept has been around for a long time and I’ve never jumped on that train until now. Something about December this year has me thoroughly enjoying becoming a more organized, well-prepared version of myself. Because those cookies. Those cookies are GOOD. (Which reminds me – if you like to bake, my friend Sally has a December Cookie Palooza that is so adorable and I am addicted to her cookie videos and let’s be addicted to them together. Maybe this year I will get energized and actually bake some. Maybe you’ll bake some, too. Youdabest, Sal.)
And now, for a chicken drizzle.
How To Make Our Chicken Meal Prep:
The thing I always find around the holidays is that while cookies and treats are on everyone’s mind (myself included), what I *really* end up most wanting and needing is some yummy regular food to balance me out. I’m talking about something fresh, or nutritious, with some a good spicy kick to it every now and then, and maybe a little salty and a bite of crunch here and there.
Something that says to my body: Here. Take a breather. Rest up. Pack in the nutrients. Get ready for that party tonight. Where there will be cookies. Which you will enjoy.
Holiday season is a lot of things, but mostly isn’t it just an exercise in balance?
Okay, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that I find it really helpful to use an Instant Pot for this recipe and/or meal prep in general. Here’s why: you can go HANDS FREE and actually clean out your fridge for the week or get your dishes done while the food cooks itself in a matter of minutes. I don’t think the Instant Pot is right for everything or everyone, but I DO think it’s really right for things like this.
As always, if you don’t have an Instant Pot, that is no biggie. You can do this on the stovetop or in the crockpot. Directions for both are in the recipe below.
Final note: the meal prep containers? (affiliate link) Are they not the cutest things you’ve ever seen?
They are also GLASS which is amazing because one thing that always gets me feeling a little weird is microwaving all those plastic food storage containers. Bjork and I made the switch to all glass food storage at home about a year ago, and I am so happy we did. These little divided glass ones are my favorite new addition to our food storage collection at home. They are not necessary for meal prep, but they definitely make it more fun, organized, and aesthetically pleasing. 👍🏼🤓
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Spicy Chicken Meal Prep with Rice and Beans
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Spicy Chicken Meal Prep with rice and beans + a yummy cilantro sauce = healthy meal prep to last you all week! Meal planning that is healthy, delicious, AND beautiful!
Ingredients
For the Chicken Meal Prep:
- 1 cup long grain white rice (quinoa also works – see notes)
- 1 cup water
- 14 ounces of fresh salsa (undrained canned tomatoes also work)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
- about 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 4–6 smallish pieces
- lots of spices like cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne (taco seasoning also works)
For Adding In Later:
- 1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- a handful of chopped fresh cilantro
- sunshine sauce (click for recipe)
Instructions
- Cook: Place the rice, water, tomatoes, salt, and oil in the pot. Stir to combine. Place the chicken pieces on top and sprinkle generously with your favorite spices and some salt. Turn the instant pot on high pressure for 7-8 minutes. When done, use the quick release valve for the steam.
- Mix: Remove the chicken. Mix the black beans (and maybe a little sunshine sauce) in with the rice.
- Meal Prep Yourself: Divide the rice and beans amongst 4-6 meal prep containers. Top each with a piece of chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro and drizzle with a spoonful of sauce.
Equipment
Compartment Meal Prep Containers
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Buy Now → Notes
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot? On a stovetop, just cook the rice according to package directions, then add the tomatoes and beans. Sprinkle the chicken with spices and sauté in a separate frying pan until cooked through. I tried this in a crockpot but it didn’t work super well. The rice got really mushy and about half of it was still uncooked. So I wouldn’t advise using the crockpot!
Vegan version and other substitutions: Quinoa works! Tofu works! I did a quinoa-tofu version of this using 1 cup quinoa instead of rice, and 1 package tofu instead of chicken. Cooked in Instant Pot for 5 minutes – it was great! If you use quinoa and chicken together, I recommend cutting your chicken a little smaller so that it fully cooks in 5 minutes,.
What to serve it with: My two sides were sliced bell pepper and a yummy dessert-like trail mix.
How to reheat it: When we make these, we take out the peppers and the trail mix to munch on while it heats in the microwave.
What about avocado? Yes. Very good idea to have an avocado handy for when you’re planning to eat this. I would’t prep it with avocado though – it will brown too quickly.
How long does it last? This chicken, rice, and beans meal prep will last for about 4 days in the fridge. I have not tried freezing this.
Nutrition: Nutrition information includes everything but the Sunshine Sauce. You can find that nutrition here.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Keywords: spicy chicken, rice and beans, meal prep chicken
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our best healthy meal prep recipes page. Check it out!
Why do the notes disappear when I press the print button?
This Spicy Chicken Meal Prep looks absolutely delicious! I love how you’ve combined the flavors with rice and beans for a complete meal. Can’t wait to try this recipe for my weekly meal prep. Thank you for sharing!
I just reprinted my recipe. I still have the old format recipe from wayyyy back. I make this as a meal for my fam and the leftovers are awesome for lunch the next day. I have used this insta pot spicy chicken recipe for taco salads & burritos. So adaptable and a go-to recipe for sure. Thank You!
Love hearing that, Lisa!
This meal was delicious! Definitely adding it to my regular meal rotation!! The sauce was delicious too.
I did struggle with getting it to work in the Instant Pot. With the rice at the bottom, I kept getting a burn notice, even with adding in an extra cup+ of liquid, so I eventually had to transfer the not-fully-cooked chicken and rice into a pot on the stove. It still turned out well, but didn’t work in the Instant Pot for me.
I followed this recipe exactly (made with my Instant Pot) and it was not good at all. Bland flavor and the rice turned to absolute mush. Looking back I don’t see how you can cook chicken and rice at the same rate in an IP, they typically take different lengths of time.
Hey Lindsay, this looks delish! I swear by most of your recipes and I’m curious if I were to substitute chicken with tofu and use rice as my grain, will be time still be 7-8 minutes on high pressure? Thanks so much!
I made this without the chicken for my vegetarian friend and we both loved it! The sauce was so great and it took minutes to prepare. I’ll be eating this for lunch for the next few weeks probably because I’m obsessed!
Hi I tried this recipe tonight but I STILL have trouble with rice in the instant pot. Every recipe I have tried that doesn’t involve rice turns out beautiful. However, as soon as rice is involved it always tells me BURN. I’ve tried adding more water to all my recipes, oil etc. It doesn’t matter if I follow a recipe to the T it always says burn. I’m not sure if it’s my instant pot or if there is any tricks or if the rice need to be cooked prior to placing into the pot. If that’s the case then the recipe should say cooked rice. Please help!
Hi Tyler! So sorry to hear this is happening. Our solution has always been to add more liquid if you’re getting a burn warning. Additionally, sometimes it helps to add the liquid to the pot first before anything else. The rice doesn’t need to be cooked prior to placing it in the pot.
It’s a miracle any of this actually made it into my meal prep containers.
This recipe looks amazing. My daughter loves to take a hot lunch to school. Unfortunately, your link to the glass containers no longer works. Do you happen to remember the brand? I’m trying to move entirely to glass or metal for meal prep and storage. Thanks so much!
Hi, Heather! Just fixed that link for you. 🙂 You can also find our equipment recommendations at the bottom of the recipe card.
I am not much of a cooker but how do I know the measurements of the spices? I have watched the video a few times to get an idea but I still can’t figure it out. Please some one help.
It’s a little bit up to what you’d like for spices here, Dominic. We’d suggest anywhere from 1/2-1 teaspoon of each of the spices listed. Enjoy!
the spicy chicken recipe was a flop in the insta pot. It kept having showing the “burn” message. Maybe it’ll be better to just do this on a stove top
So sorry to hear this didn’t turn out for you, Sena. Thanks for taking time to share this feedback with us!
I had a little trouble getting the chicken cooked through with this one. Cut two half pound breasts in half so had 4 pieces total, probably should have cut into 6 pieces total. I ended up finishing them on stove top in a covered pan over low heat with olive oil and some water to create steam. Another 4 minutes and they were good! The rice came out great per the instructions and recipe and went great with the beans. Loved the flavor of this recipe
Thanks for sharing these tips, Kelsey!
Hi! How do I prevent the instant pot from saying “Burn”? For some reason, 5 minutes into cooking, my instant pot says “burn”
I just tried to make this for the first time, and the rice burned in the Instant Pot… any tips for preventing that next time?
Hello, can the rice part be doubled, what would be cooking time be….minus the chicken. Would probably cook chicken separately. Also what about brown rice? Thank u for what u do.
Can you use dried beans, and if so, when do they get added?
I kept getting burn message after burn message and ended up burning my hand trying to scrape the burnt rice off of the bottom 🙁 not sure what I did wrong 🙁
I just tried this for the first time today, and it is SO GOOD!! The sauce just takes it over the top. I never would have thought to use a sauce to liven up my meal prep — I’m just starting back up again, trying to get healthy, and this is going to be a game-changer for me.
Its yummy. Thanks for sharing
Nice recipe.
Made this a couple of times now. I add 3 bell peppers to the rice mixture to cook instead of serving raw on the side as I’m not a fan of raw peppers. Delish! Just need to fiddle with the liquid. First time not enough and it didn’t cook. 2nd time too much. Next time I think I’ll get it right! LOL Thanks 😀
What a great idea! Glad you enjoyed it!
do I need a professional camera? for the coarse or is it for iPhones?
I absolutely love your Instant Pot recipes. I’m always looking for new recipes to make in the Instant Pot that’s healthy, and quick. Thank you so much!
Delightful and more than amazing!!
Wondering if anyone has tried freezing this? And if so did it maintain good texture and taste?