Chicken and rice meal preps have moved beyond plain chicken breast, steamed broccoli and rice (not to mention the fact that you avoid it after Tuesday). These 26 chicken and rice recipes include quick stir fries, grilled chicken rice bowls, slow cooker favourites and one-dish bakes, giving you easy lunch prep options
There's a reason chicken, rice and veggies keep showing up in meal prep: they're accessible, budget-friendly ingredients with plenty of room for variety. Change the sauce, use seasonal or frozen vegetables, and switch between diced chicken, grilled thighs and even utilise some slow cooker shredded chicken. You've got weeks of different meals from the same simple starting point.
27+ Simple Chicken and Rice Recipes
1. Black pepper chicken stir fry
A generous hit of black pepper gives this chicken breast, capsicum and onion stir fry its flavour, with a sauce made from pantry staples like soy sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar. A 30-minute meal prep, this black pepper chicken and rice is an easy fakeaway for dinner and tomorrow's lunch.
2. Cashew chicken and rice
Cashews add crunch to these chicken rice bowls, while a savoury, lightly spicy sauce coats the chicken and vegetables. Cashew chicken is another 30-minute recipe where you can easily swap the vegetables depending on what's in the fridge.
3. Slow cooker honey mustard chicken and rice
The slow cooker handles the cooking in this crockpot honey mustard chicken thighs before it's paired with rice (or even mash for something different). I leave out the cream and mayo to keep that sharper honey mustard flavour which deepens overnight and coats the chicken to make it a freezer-friendly meal prep.
4. Grilled chicken burrito bowls
Mexican-seasoned grilled chicken thighs, rice, sweet corn and three colours of capsicum make these chicken burrito bowls a lunch worth packing. Prep the main components ahead, then keep toppings like guacamole and sour cream separate until you're ready to eat.
5. Chicken and chorizo paella
Paella doesn't need to be a fancy weekend project-or require a special pan and saffron. This affordable (especially when chorizo is half price) chicken and chorizo rice dish brings plenty of flavour to your meal prep, and my taste-testers were seriously obsessed with it.
6. Crockpot Mexican chicken rice bowls
This crockpot Mexican chicken is an easy slow cooker meal prep that can be utilised across rice bowls, in tacos, burritos or even saved for the freezer for a Plan B meal. Mix-and-match your toppings depending on your vibes and adjust what you serve it with to keep things interesting.
7. Honey ginger chicken, rice and broccoli
These honey ginger chicken thighs are an Asian-themed meal prep that pack a punchy flavour without a long ingredient list. It's a recipe ready in under 30 minutes, and the sauce soaks into the chicken and broccoli overnight so it's anything but boring.
8. Greek chicken and rice casserole
Chicken breast, rice, vegetables, kalamata olives and Greek seasoning cook together in one baking dish, keeping the washing-up manageable. I tested this Greek chicken rice bake with basmati instead of my usual jasmine rice because the grains held their shape better when reheated.
9. Chinese-inspired lemon chicken
A glossy honey lemon sauce gives these chicken rice bowls the tangy flavour I love in Chinese takeaway lemon chicken. My honey lemon chicken removes the batter and adds in vegetables for a more balanced weekly meal prep.
10. Kung pao chicken and rice
Chicken breast, crisp vegetables and peanuts come together in a sticky homemade sauce for this high-protein chicken recipe with 41g per serve. My Chinese-inspired Kung Pao chicken uses black pepper and ground coriander instead of Sichuan peppercorns, so you can prep it without an extra trip to a specialty shop.
11. Slow cooker apricot chicken
If you grew up in Australia in the nineties, apricot chicken probably needs very little introduction. This slow cooker apricot chicken and rice option brings back that familiar sweet apricot sauce, with a simple method and freezer-friendly leftovers for busy weeks.
12. Lemongrass chicken rice bowl
Vietnamese-inspired lemongrass chicken served over rice brings a change of flavour to your weekly lunch prep, with a kick you can adjust to suit your spice tolerance. Mine was enough to have me licking the bowl without making me cry; my partner, naturally, wanted more chilli.
13. Greek chicken rice bowls with tzatziki
Greek yoghurt-marinated chicken, rice, fresh vegetables, punchy olives and a homemade tangy tzatziki give these bowls plenty of flavour and texture. Pack the fresh components separately from anything you plan to heat, then assemble your Greek chicken rice bowl at lunchtime.
14. Crockpot satay chicken breast
Getting peanut satay sauce right in a slow cooker took a few attempts: one batch was too thin, and another didn't have enough flavour. This tried and tested slow cooker satay chicken gives you a sauce worth spooning over rice, with tips to avoid a watery meal prep.
15. Slow cooker BBQ chicken rice bowls
Chicken breast, barbecue sauce and finely diced vegetables turn into a batch of pulled chicken big enough for ten servings. This freezer-friendly recipe includes the complete BBQ chicken rice bowl, so you're not left searching for what to serve with the chicken (although I've given you other options to serve this as tacos, burritos and burgers as well)
16. Honey soy chicken breast and rice
Chicken breast bites get coated in a sticky honey soy glaze, then served over rice for an easy lunch prep. This honey soy chicken rice bowl will have you licking the plate clean every day for lunch and satisfy those takeaway cravings.
17. Honey ginger chicken, rice and broccoli
These honey ginger chicken thighs are an Asian-themed meal prep that pack a punchy flavour without a long ingredient list. It's a recipe ready in under 30 minutes, and the sauce soaks into the chicken and broccoli overnight so it's anything but boring.
18. Orange chicken and rice
This easy orange chicken is an Asian-inspired meal prep that brings a sweet, tangy citrus sauce. The flavours deepen overnight and will coat the rice and veggies you pair it with.
19. Pea and pesto chicken risotto
Chicken, peas and pesto turn this one-pan risotto into a comforting alternative to your usual rice bowl. This pesto chicken risotto is made with a homemade pesto made with basil, pine nuts and parmesan before being added to a high protein chicken meal prep.
20. Slow cooker butter chicken and rice
Chicken thighs, tomato paste, warm Indian spices, Greek yoghurt and actual butter make a creamy curry to serve over rice. This crockpot butter chicken is inspired by my local takeaway-style curry with a couple of adjustments (and sneaky veggies) to make it a suitable winter meal prep.
21. Pineapple chicken fried rice
Grilled pineapple adds sweetness to this chicken fried rice making it a very summer-inspired meal prep. It's a useful way to turn properly chilled leftover rice into another meal, with a little spice to balance the sweet and savoury flavours.
22. Satay chicken rice bowls
A homemade satay sauce without coconut milk coats chicken breast, rice and vegetables in a bowl that's quick enough for a weeknight. The sauce helps keep the chicken moist when reheated, making satay chicken and rice a reliable option for packed lunches.
23. Slow cooker chicken cacciatore with rice
For a change from sticky stir fry sauces, spoon this tomato-based chicken cacciatore over rice. Chicken thighs, kalamata olives, mushrooms and rosemary cook together in this slow cooker recipe, and the flavours deepen overnight for leftovers that reheat well.
24. Slow cooker teriyaki chicken with rice and broccoli
Chicken breast, broccoli and homemade teriyaki sauce cook in the slow cooker, ready to serve with rice. This crockpot teriyaki chicken is still your usual chicken, veg and rice meal prep but with a sauce that makes it actually taste good.
25. Sweet and sour chicken with rice
Chicken breast bites, pineapple chunks and extra vegetables get coated in a tangy sweet and sour sauce, then served over rice to catch it all. It's a homemade chicken version of the classic sweet and sour pork dish, with the vegetables already included for straightforward lunch prep.
26. Sweet chilli chicken and rice
Ready in 30 minutes, this sweet chilli chicken stir fry combines chicken breast, capsicum and zucchini with a sticky sweet chilli soy sauce. I don't automatically add sugar to an already sweetened bottled sauce, and the saucy chicken stays moist for reheated rice bowls.
27. Teriyaki chicken poke bowl
Teriyaki-marinated chicken, rice, colourful vegetables and fresh mango make these chicken poke bowls a fresh change from your usual hot lunch. Mix and match the vegetables you have, and keep the mango and fresh toppings separate if you're reheating the chicken and rice.
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