Chicken Fajita Meal Prep Lunch Bowls with Cilantro Lime Quinoa
on Apr 28, 2017, Updated Oct 20, 2020
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These chicken fajita meal prep lunch bowls with cilantro lime and quinoa are perfect to make ahead for busy weekdays. These are super healthy, delicious, and can be put together very quickly! Clean and healthy eating has never been easier!
Meal prepping is such a great way to eat a homemade meal without having to spend time cooking in the middle of a busy weekday. And these chicken fajita meal prep lunch bowls with cilantro lime and quinoa is something you definitely need to add to your weekly lunch rotation. Not only are these delicious, but they’re also extremely easy to make and come together in 30 minutes. Plus, the chicken, veggies and quinoa make this a wholesome, healthy meal! Simply pop in the microwave for a few minutes and your yummy, filling lunch is ready in no time!
If you’re anything like me and cannot eat the same thing for lunch every single day, then do check out my Chicken Burrito bowls and Chicken Teriyaki bowls. I usually make these in rotation and weekday lunches have never felt so hassle-free or delicious!
Quick Walk Through: Chicken Fajita Meal Prep Lunch Bowls
How do you cook Quinoa
Quinoa is actually super easy to cook and doesn’t take too long either. You can cook it on the stove while you are cooking your chicken and peppers. Here’s the process to cook quinoa and some things to keep in mind:
- Make sure to wash the quinoa thoroughly with water to get rid of the bitter taste. This step must not be skipped!
- The ratio of quinoa to liquid is 1:2. Add washed quinoa and liquid to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes till the quinoa has fluffed up and cooked through and the liquid is absorbed.
- To make cilantro lime quinoa, we added lime juice and chopped cilantro (coriander) to it and mixed it together. This gives the quinoa a really nice, refreshing flavor and works really well with these chicken fajita meal prep lunch bowls.
What containers work best for meal prep
I used to use plastic ziplocks and even cheap plastic takeaway containers for a long time, but then I found out that plastic might not be the best material for meal prepping. Hence I did some researched and found these amazing glass meal prep containers that are sturdy, durable, microwaveable, fridge friendly and definitely the way to go.
Richa’s top tips to make the best chicken fajita meal prep lunch bowls
- I have used quinoa for this recipe as it’s a healthier alternative to rice. But you can easily replace it with any rice of your choice and keep the rest of the recipe the same.
- The veggies in this recipe are easily customisable and you can easily add or subtract based on what’s available. Some other veggies that would taste incredible in this recipe are mushrooms, broccoli, corn, zuccini, and babycorn.
- You can easily make this recipe vegetarian or vegan by replacing chicken with paneer or tofu respectively.
- These meal prep bowls easily last in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you plan to keep it any longer, then I recommend freezing it. Simply take it out of the freezer the previous night and all it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Heat in the microwave as usual before eating.
FAQs
Absolutely! I cooked these chicken fajitas and peppers on a skillet but you can just as easily use whole chicken breasts or thighs, season them and grill them. Once they are grilled, you can slice them for these meal prep bowls. Same with the veggies!
For seasoning these chicken fajitas and peppers, I like to use a combination of chilli powder, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, cumin and salt. You can easily swap this with store bought taco seasoning but I actually love using homemade seasoning so that I can control the spices.
Absolutely! And I have directions to do that in the recipe section below. Cooking them on the stove takes anywhere between 10-15 minutes as the chicken is already cut into strips and cooks really fast.
Believe me, these chicken fajita meal prep bowls will definitely change your weekday lunch game! I usually top this with a sliced avocados to make it more wholesome. Oh, and don’t forget to squeeze a lemon wedge to make all the flavours really come together!
Watch Chicken Fajita Meal Prep Lunch Bowls Recipe Video
Chicken Fajita Meal Prep Lunch Bowls
Ingredients
For the Fajita Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Chilli Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, ground
- 1 teaspoon Salt
For the Quinoa
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 cup Cilantro
- 2 teaspoons Lime Juice
For the Chicken and Peppers
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
- 6 Chicken Thighs , boneless and skinless (cut into thin strips)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Red Bell Peppers, deseeded and sliced
- 2 Yellow Bell Peppers, deseeded and sliced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 1 Onion, sliced (large)
Other Toppings
- Diced Avocados
- Lime Wedges
- Guacamole
Instructions
Chicken Fajita
- To make the fajita seasoning, mix together chilli powder, cayenne pepper, cumin powder, ground pepper and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Start by adding half the fajita seasoning, minced garlic, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the chicken. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a pan and add the chicken to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes till the chicken is cooked through and slightly crispy.
- Remove the chicken on a plate, and add onions and bell peppers to the pan. Add the remaining fajita seasoning and stir fry for 3-4 minutes on high heat.
Cilantro Lime Quinoa
- Meanwhile start cooking the quinoa. Start by washing it a few times in cold water. Add quinoa, two cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes till the quinoa is cooked through and soft and fluffy. Once the quinoa is cooked through, add lime juice and cilantro and mix.
Assembling the Meal Prep Bowls
- To assemble the chicken fajita meal prep lunch bowls, divide quinoa evenly into the bowls. Divide the chicken and peppers on top. Let them cool slightly before placing the lids on top and refrigerating.
- To serve, remove the lid on the containers and heat them in the microwave. Top with your favourite topping and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I used boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. They work best as they remain tender and juicy. If you want to use chicken breasts, I recommend slicing them in half lengthwise, marinating them and then cooking them whole so that they retain their juices. Cook them for 4 minutes on each side (this can vary based on the size) and then chop them up.
- Please remove the lid of the boxes before microwaving
- Avocados and Guacamole work great with this recipe but I recommend buying them separately and using them fresh. Do not prep them in advance and keep for later.
Thumbs up
Sounds amazing! How long would this last in the fridge?
About 4-5 days
Delicious and great warmed up!
Thank you so much Brandyss! So glad you liked it
I made this for my lunches this week. It’s such a treat. Full of favour and goodness. Love the extra spice with the guacamole I made.
Thank you so so much Dana! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Heeey I love you! I love your blog! Thank you sooo much!
Hahaha thaaanks Justine! Lots of love back to you 🙂
I made this and it was delicious! I would definitely make again I loved it. But it’s very spicy. Which spice should I take out in order to make this again without being hot?
Hey Ericka, so glad you liked it! You can reduce the amount of cayenne pepper or chilli powder to suit your taste.
Loved it. Will also try to burrito bowl recipe next.
When you prep ahead and it’s just for 1 person, what do you do so you’re not eating the same thing everyday?
Hey Mindy, some ways to switch it up is to change the sides. So instead of rice, I’d make quinoa or cauliflower rice or bulgur.
Would this work using chicken breast instead of thighs? Will that change cool times at all?
This will definitely work with breasts. You’ll need to adjust the cooking time because chicken breasts cook faster than thighs.
Can we freeze this?
Yes you can. The peppers may not freeze as well and will become watery but the chicken can be frozen.