Name: Sticky Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup honey; 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional); 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 2-inch ginger root, minced or grated; 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 1 1/2 cups white rice, uncooked; 1 cup shredded red cabbage; 1 cup shredded green cabbage; 2 carrots, peeled and shredded; 2 green onions, thinly sliced; Sesame seeds, to serve (optional)

Ready in 30 minutes and packed full of protein, these sticky chicken meal prep bowls are perfect for make-ahead meals. Whip them up on a weekend and enjoy healthy lunches all week long.

Four sticky chicken meal prep bowls in glass containers on a white background.

Meal prep is made easy with these sticky chicken rice bowls. With some pantry staples, you can create a delicious sticky sauce that turns basic chicken and rice into a delicious and filling meal.

Plus, once you get the basics down, you can mix and match proteins and veggies to create different versions of these oh-so-tasty bowls. From chicken thighs to shrimp or tofu, cabbage to stir-fry veggies, and white rice to brown rice, the variations of this recipe can meet your budget and your taste buds.

Close up of a sticky chicken rice bowls in a glass meal prep container with a silver fork, green tea towel, sesame seeds, and green onion on the side on a white background.

Why You’ll Love Them

Quick and Easy – This 30-minute recipe is ready in no time, making it perfect for easy weeknight dinners.
High in Protein – The sticky chicken bowls are loaded with 33 grams of protein.
Keep Well – The bowls keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, making them a great meal prep idea.

Plate of chicken breasts with bowls of soy sauce, honey, sriracha, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, white rice, sesame seeds, with green onions, garlic cloves, and fresh ginger root on a white background.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Chicken – To add some protein. The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will also work well. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Rice – To add some complex carbohydrates. The recipe calls for white rice, but brown rice will also work well. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Sesame Oil – To add some healthy fats and cook the chicken. If preferred, olive oil or avocado oil would also work as a good cooking oil.
Soy Sauce – To flavor the sauce. You can use regular or low-sodium soy sauce.
Honey – To make the sticky chicken and sweeten the sauce. The recipe calls for honey, but maple syrup or brown sugar will also work.
Sriracha – To add a bit of spice, although optional.
Rice Vinegar – To balance the acidity of the sauce.
Ginger – To flavor the sauce. The recipe calls for fresh ginger, but ground ginger or ginger paste will also work well. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Garlic – To flavor the sauce. The recipe calls for garlic cloves, but garlic powder will also work well. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Cornstarch – To thicken the sticky sauce, although optional.
Cabbage – To add some veggies and micronutrients. The recipe calls for a combination of red and green cabbage, but you can use or the other if preferred.
Carrots – To add some veggies, fiber, and color.
Green Onions – To add color and flavor.
Sesame Seeds – To serve, although optional.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make Them Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.

To Make them Dairy-Free: No adaptations are needed; this recipe is dairy-free.

Grid of images with a glass bowl of sauce ingredients, skillet of seared chicken, skillet of sticky chicken, and skillet of sautéed shredded cabbage and carrots.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

You can use chicken breast or chicken thighs in this recipe. While chicken breasts contain slightly more protein and fewer calories, chicken thighs contain slightly more vitamins and minerals and are generally cheaper. Overall, both are high-protein, low-calorie foods that can easily increase the protein content of any meal.

Serving Suggestions

These sticky chicken and rice meal prep bowls are a balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat. They can be enjoyed as is or adapted to suit your personal calorie or macro needs, for example:

To make them higher in protein, add an additional 1/2 pound of chicken breast to the recipe.
To make them low-carb, swap the white rice for cauliflower rice.
To make them higher in fiber, swap the white rice for brown rice and/or add more high-fiber vegetables, such as broccoli or green beans.

Close of three meal prep sticky chicken bowls with white rice and sautéed shredded cabbage and carrots with sesame seeds and chopped green onions on a white background.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Allow the sticky chicken meal prep bowls to cool completely, then cover them with a lid and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Once cooled, the sticky chicken and rice bowls can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: The bowls can be reheated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until warm. If using frozen bowls, remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

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