Grab-and-Go Thai Peanut Chicken Noodle Bowls

So in between jobs, moving, shoulder surgery, kids going off to college and life happening here, there and everything else, I've been doing a bit of meal prep for a few precious friends.  It gets my mind off of what's coming down the line for me with my dominant arm.  Sheesh.   So anyway,  I'm sure you all know the value of meal prep by now.  You put in the time and effort on the front end, and it helps you make some wiser decisions throughout the week.  It also helps you save money by buying in bulk.  One of the major criticisms I hear from friends is, "I don't want to eat the same thing for several days."  Okay.  I can get that.  So maybe if there's a group of you, each of you could prep a different meal and then share the meals so you have the benefits of time, good choices, diet restrictions and savings but you wouldn't have to eat the same meal you prepped each day.  Genius, right?  

That leads to these beauties.  I think I have always been in love with anything Thai.  Oh, and everything noodles.  So a Thai noodle bowl is right up my alley!  These are actually meant to be eaten cold, which is fantastic for throwing in the refrigerator at work for your brown bag lunch.  They are equally great for your teen's lunch, your girl's group and that poor starving college kid you are sending back to the dorms.  Believe me, it's so awesome to come home and find a great grab-and-go meal that you can just pull out of the fridge and pop the top off of when you are worn out from a long day!

Print this Recipe!

Ingredients: (4 servings)

Peanut Sauce

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 fresh lime juiced
• 3/4 tsp ginger paste 
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 tsp canned coconut milk
• warm water - to desired consistency 

Ginger Lime Chicken

• Majority of a can of coconut milk, reserving enough for dipping sauce
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• Juice of 1 large lime
• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.25 pounds), cut into bite-sized pieces
• Seasoning of choice (I used Montreal Steak Seasoning)

Thai Peanut Noodle Bowls 

• 8 oz dry spaghetti noodles
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 1/2 cups broccoli slaw (Super Blend)
• containing:  Brussels sprouts, Napa cabbage, Kohlrabi, Broccoli, Carrots & Kale
• 1/2 cup peeled, chopped cucumber
• 1/2 red/orange bell pepper chopped 
• 1/3 cup shelled edamame 
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 green onions chopped 
• Optional - sesame seeds, garnish
• Optional - chopped roasted peanuts, garnish

*I adapted this recipe from a mashup between my Thai Ginger Lime Chicken Skewers with Peanut Curry Dipping Sauce  and Thai Peanut Chicken Meal Prep Bowls from valerieskitchen.com.

Step-by-Step:

I gave you the ingredient amounts for 4 servings.  In the photos, I was making 12 servings, so obviously I will appear to be using much more than the amount listed... because I am!  I am showing you the process of making the recipe.  Under each, I will list amounts for both 4 servings and 12 servings.  I hope it will be helpful.

Marinate the chicken (1 - 8 hours) in a zip top bag in the coconut milk, ginger paste, chopped cilantro and lime juice.  

Chicken breasts + coconut milk
(reserve some for the peanut sauce)

*I planned on 0.33 pounds per person of chicken.  I hope that helps you if you are serving more than just a few.

Chopped fresh cilantro
4 sv - 1/4 cup
12 sv - 3/4 cup or lg handful

Ginger paste
4 sv - 1 tsp
12 sv - 1 Tbsp

I needed to thaw these chicken breasts overnight, so I popped them into the refrigerator.  Buying in bulk is a money saving option for me when cooking larger quantities. 

 If using fresh chicken breasts, you can totally skip that refrigerator step and move straight into the "bite-sized pieces" step.  

Juice of 1 large lime.
Allow to sit and marinate at least 30 minutes or so.

Season chicken with seasoning blend of choice, then oven roast for around 15 min or until internal temperature is 165 F.  This will depend on ovens and size of your chicken pieces.  You could also pat them dry and pan saute them in a bit of vegetable oil if you wish; but oven roasting takes care of all of them at once and uses zero extra oil. 

Pat your chicken pieces dry.  Sprinkle with seasoning blend of choice.  Oven roast.

I set the cooling racks over parchment paper for super easy pan cleanup.

While chicken is roasting,  prepare the peanut sauce.  Combine all ingredients in food processor, adding warm water last to thin out the sauce to desired consistency.  

Creamy peanut butter
4 sv - 1/2 cup
12 sv - 1 1/2 cup

Soy Sauce
4 sv - 2 Tbsp
12 sv - 6 Tbsp

Honey
4 sv - 2 Tbsp
12 sv - 6 Tbsp

Rice Vinegar
4 sv - 2 Tbsp
12 sv - 6 Tbsp

Fresh squeezed lime juice
4 sv - 1/2 lime juice
12 sv - 1 lg lime juiced

Ginger paste
4 sv - 3/4 tsp
12 sv - 2 1/4 tsp 

Garlic paste
4 sv - 1/2 tsp
12 sv - 1 1/2 tsp 

Curry Powder
4 sv - 1/4 tsp
12 sv - 3/4 tsp

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
4 sv - 1/4 tsp
12 sv - 3/4 tsp

Coconut Milk
4 sv - 2 Tbsp
12 sv - 1/4 cup

 Blend until smooth.

 Add warm water until desired consistency is reached.

Warm water.  Amount will vary. (perhaps 1/3 cup - 1 cup)

Distribute sauce in individual 2oz portion cups or a resealable jar.  Sauce may be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

Have water boiling in a large stock pot.  To boiling, salted water, prepare pasta according to package directions.  Drain cooked pasta and rinse under cold water.  Toss with sesame oil and set aside.  

Cooked, Drained, Rinsed Pasta
4 sv - 8 oz dry pasta + 1 Tbsp sesame oil
12 sv - 24 oz dry pasta + 3 Tbsp sesame oil

Mix broccoli slaw with cucumbers, bell peppers, edamame, cilantro and green onions.  Toss to combine. 

Broccoli Slaw "Super Blend"
4 sv - 2 1/2 cups
12 sv - 7 1/2 cups

Chopped Cucumbers
4 sv - 1/2 cups
12 sv - 1 1/2 cups

Red/Orange Bell Peppers
4 sv - 1/2 bell pepper
12 sv - 1 1/2 bell pepper

Chopped Fresh Cilantro
4 sv - 1/3 cup
12 sv - 1 cup

Shelled Edamame (frozen)
4 sv - 1/2 cup
12 sv - 1 1/2 cups

Toss to combine.  Just look at these colors!

Add broccoli slaw on one side of meal prep containers, noodles on the other.  Make room for the peanut dipping sauce in the middle.  Divide the chicken around the dipping sauce.  Garnish the noodles and chicken with sesame seeds and chopped peanuts if desired.  

 Store noodles bowls in the refrigerator for up to four days in air-tight meal prep containers.  

* I'm going to be honest.  When I eat mine, I like to mix it all together and make a salad out of it.  But you enjoy it any and each way you prefer.

Written Method:

Marinate the chicken (1 - 8 hours) in a zip top bag in the coconut milk, ginger paste, chopped cilantro and lime juice.  Season chicken with seasoning blend of choice, then oven roast for around 15 min or until internal temperature is 165 F.  This will depend on ovens and size of your chicken pieces.  

While chicken is roasting,  prepare the peanut sauce.  Combine all ingredients in food processor, adding warm water last to thin out the sauce to desired consistency.  Distribute sauce in individual 2oz portion cups or a resealable jar.  Sauce may be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

Have water boiling in a large stock pot.  To boiling, salted water, prepare pasta according to package directions.  Drain cooked pasta and rinse under cold water.  Toss with sesame oil and set aside.  

Mix broccoli slaw with cucumbers, bell peppers, edamame, cilantro and green onions.  Toss to combine. 

Add broccoli slaw on one side of meal prep containers, noodles on the other.  Make room for the peanut dipping sauce in the middle.  Divide the chicken around the dipping sauce.  Garnish the noodles and chicken with sesame seeds and chopped peanuts if desired.  Store noodles bowls in the refrigerator for up to four days in air-tight meal prep containers.  

Southwestern Chicken Salad

I love the flavors of Southwestern food so, so much... and I'm even happier when I can get those flavors in a healthy recipe like a salad.  The problem arises when you have a great salad with all your favorite toppings and your lovely dressing and it all gets wilted down and soggy.   A few weeks ago I had the idea to mix all those great flavors into a chicken salad that was supposed to be moist and see what came of it.  

Turns out,  this idea worked great as a lunch prep.  The flavors were huge with  all the things you expect in your southwestern salad - a mixture of bright cilantro, sweet roasted corn, black beans, shredded cheese, and red onions all mixed into chopped rotisserie chicken.  The dressing is super healthy but has a kick starting with high protein, nonfat Greek yogurt, cumin, chipotle chili powder, garlic, and lime juice.  I loved this high protein chicken salad as lettuce wraps, but I admit it was also great with crackers.

#clean #glutenfree #highprotein #mealprep #lowcarb 

Print this Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 - 4 cups cooked chicken chopped as large/fine as you'd like
• I used a rotisserie chicken
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 ear corn, roasted
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Dressing (you may like to double this to add more later if salad starts getting dry)

• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 large lime, juiced
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Step-by-Step:

Combine first six ingredients (cooked chicken through shredded cheese).

1 rotisserie chicken typically yields 3-4 cups cooked chicken

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 ear sweet corn, roasted (over gas stove, BBQ pit, under broiler of oven)

1/3 cup red onion, diced

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 cup shredded cheese

** You might also like to add the diced flesh of a roasted, seeded jalapeño if you really like a spicy kick.  That's too hot for the people in our house.

Combine dressing ingredients.  Adjust seasoning to your tastes.  

1/2 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

juice of 1 large lime

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
**add more to kick up the heat factor!! 

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

 Pour dressing over salad ingredients and mix to combine.

So here we have a mixture of sweet, spicy, sour, savory, crunchy, smooth... all in one spoonful!  Oh what I wouldn't give to eat this with a big pile of tortilla chips!  But I guess that would completely defeat the purpose.

What I DID choose, as I mentioned earlier, was lettuce wraps.  Okay, so they aren't exactly tacos, but they ARE a healthy choice... and one good decision leads to another, right?

Bonus Recipes: 
Stuffed Zucchini -  one of my most popular side dish recipes to date in 8 years!  #lowcarb #glutenfree #familyfriendly #easy

Spicy Garlic Shrimp - #fast #easy #spicy #pasta #seafood A definite favorite in our house!

Oven Baked Fajitas - Let the oven to the work for you!  #mexican Can be #glutenfree if you don't use flour tortillas.  Also great over a salad!  

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas - Every now and then, you just need a little something to snack on, right?  So make it something healthy!  #highprotein #healthysnacking #highfiber

Steamed Asian Dumplings (Gyoza)  - One of my daughter's favorite things in the world!  They do take a bit of time, due to making the dough and all, but it's a lot of fun and they are delicious!  You could save some time by purchasing pre-made wonton wrappers and just making the filling if you needed to.  #asian #dumplings #appetizer This filling is #pork but you could swap that out for #chicken if you wanted. 

Grilled Tilapia with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette - #seafood #highprotein #lowfat #lowcarb #glutenfree #dairyfree 

Written Method:

Combine first six ingredients (cooked chicken through shredded cheese).

** You might also like to add the diced flesh of a roasted, seeded jalapeño if you really like a spicy kick.  That's too hot for the people in our house.

Combine dressing ingredients.  Adjust seasoning to your tastes.  Pour dressing over salad ingredients and mix to combine.   If you find, the next day perhaps, that the salad is getting dried out, you might choose to add more dressing.  Some of the ingredients may start drinking up the dressing as it sit in the fridge.