Cilantro Lime Chicken Meal Prep with Cauliflower Rice
Published 6/14/2018 • Updated 4/24/2024
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This Cilantro Lime Chicken Meal Prep is served next to delicious cauliflower rice featuring black beans and red onion. It’s low-carb, high-protein, and full of Spring flavors thanks to the citrus and fresh herbs.
This was one of our first-ever viral meal-prep recipes on Fit Foodie Finds. So many of you have seen this video on Facebook and made this meal. It makes our hearts happy 🥰
There is nothing my husband, Bryce, loves more than when I make this chicken meal prep for lunches for the week. The cilantro lime chicken, cauliflower rice, and fresh veggies check all of his favorite boxes! And the best part? It can be eaten hot or cold! Make a double batch for meal prepping through the entire week.
To make this cilantro lime chicken meal prep, just cook the chicken and toss it in the cilantro lime dressing. Then make your easy cauliflower rice, mixing it with the black beans and onion. All that is left to do now is assemble your meal prep bowls, and viola — you’re delicious and nourishing weekly meal prep is set to go!
Ingredients For Cilantro Lime Chicken Meal Prep
- Chicken breast: We prefer boneless, skinless chicken breast for this simple chicken and cauli rice recipe.
- Lime juice: A squeeze of lime juice really freshens up the chicken.
- Honey: Honey adds a nice subtle sweetness to the cilantro lime dressing.
- Cilantro: This adds a fresh, herbaceous kick to the dressing.
- Cauliflower rice: To make this a quick and easy recipe, we used the pre-riced cauliflower from Trader Joe’s. You can also make your own cauliflower rice using a food processor.
- Black beans: Black beans add some extra protein and fiber to this hearty chicken dish.
- Red onion: Gives the cauli rice that perfect amount of bite and crunch.
- Cherry tomatoes: These are optional, but we love adding them for some extra color and flavor.
- Avocado: For some healthy fats and creaminess, avocado is a great addition to this balanced meal plan.
Ingredient Substitutions
There are tons of different ways to make this cilantro lime chicken meal prep your special thing! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Protein: If chicken isn’t your thing, you can easily swap it out for another protein like shrimp, tofu, or even chickpeas. You could even skip cooking the chicken altogether by using rotisserie chicken.
Grains: Instead of using cauliflower rice, you could also use quinoa, brown rice, or even pasta. If you do choose to add in grains, make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Veggies: Don’t be afraid to mix up your fresh vegetables! You can add bell pepper, zucchini, or any other vegetables that you enjoy. You can also mix in some leafy greens for some added nutrients.
Go paleo: To make this recipe paleo, omit the black beans.
Top Tips for Cilantro Lime Chicken Meal Prep
Make a double batch of the chicken to have leftovers for a quick lunch throughout the week.
For added flavor, marinate the chicken in the cilantro lime dressing for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
If you’re short on time, use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own.
Best Way to Store this Meal for Meal-Prep
This recipe will stay good in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.
We recommend getting glass meal prep containers to easily store and transport your meals. If you plan on keeping this meal prep for longer than 4 days, we suggest freezing it.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Meal Prep with Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup lime juice, 1-2 limes depending on how juicy they are
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
For the Cauliflower Rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups cauliflower rice
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 sea salt
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/4 cup red onion, raw
For the Bowls
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 avocado, chopped
Instructions
For the Chicken
- First, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
- Add chicken to the pan and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes on each side.
- Let cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Slice chicken and set aside.
- Add the rest of the chicken ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well.
- Place sliced chicken to the bowl and toss with dressing. Refrigerate.
For the Cauliflower Rice
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add riced cauliflower and spices and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add in black beans and sauté for another 2. Finally, add in red onion and mix.
For the bowls
- Place chicken, cauliflower rice, 1/4 cup tomatoes, 1/4 of an avocado in to a bowl. Enjoy.
Tips & Notes
-To make this recipe paleo, do not use beans. To make this recipe vegan, sorry.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Thank you
CAn you freeze this recipe? IVe never tried freezing cauliflower rice.
Hey Wendy! I haven’t tried freezing this recipe myself, but I don’t see why not!
What a lovely idea cooking everything in the same with great attention! I made this for my lunch for the week and today I tried it for the first time. It was amazing! Thanks for the idea. This will definitely be go-to from now on.
lovely
How do you keep the avocado from getting brown and yucky
Just put a little bit of lime juice on it.
Lol! It sounds delicious!!!
Where is that skillet from? Looks great!!
Lovely video – all this food makes me so hungry! x
Izzy |http://www.pinchofdelight.com
It’s been raining like CRAZY over on the weat coast. SF had been a mad city! I lovvvveee cauli rice- i make it every week! This recipe looks a lot better than how I make it hah!
Since I’m obsessed with the weather I’ve been keeping a close eye on CA! STAY SAFE.
YUM…All of my favorite flavors in one Tupperware jar! 🙂