Meal Prep BBQ Chicken Bowl
Healthy BBQ Chicken Bowl with Sweet Potato
How to Make BBQ Chicken Meal Prep Bowls with Shredded Chicken
This healthy BBQ chicken bowl is perfect for a packed lunch or a quick weeknight dinner! Made with shredded chicken, sweet potato, corn, zucchini, and squash, it’s loaded with nourishment and savory barbecue flavor. I’ll show you how to make BBQ chicken meal prep bowls in just 30 minutes.
Chicken burrito bowls are all the rage lately, but this simple BBQ bowl is my new favorite chicken meal prep dinner! It’s flavorful, it’s simple to prep, and I love how versatile it is. I can switch up the protein if I want, try it with new veggies, or serve everything over rice instead of sweet potato. The mix and match options are endless!
If you like, you can prep and cook this entire BBQ chicken bowl so it’s ready to just reheat and eat. But personally, I like to prep this component style. I’ll cook the shredded chicken and chop my veggies on prep day, then saute the veggies fresh on the day I want to eat everything. Prep your BBQ bowl dinners in whatever way works best for you!
BBQ Chicken Bowl Components
- Shredded chicken, cooked ahead of time on prep day.
- Sweet potato, chopped on prep day & cooked at mealtime.
- Zucchini & squash, chopped on prep day & cooked at mealtime.
- Canned corn, added at mealtime.
- BBQ sauce & coconut aminos, for flavoring.
- Lemon juice, sesame seeds, chives, or any toppings you like!
Substitution Ideas
Like most of my meal prep meals, I approach this BBQ chicken bowl as a mix-and-match meal. You can swap out the protein, carbohydrate, and veggies however you like to create tasty new combinations in your weekly meal prep!
- Protein: Swap out the shredded chicken for ground, sliced, or cubed chicken breast or thighs! Or, use a different protein altogether—whether it’s turkey, beef, pork, tofu, or even beans.
- Carbohydrate: Instead of sweet potato and corn as the carb-rich base, serve your BBQ bowl over rice, quinoa, or even make a plate of BBQ spaghetti!
- Vegetables: Use whatever veggies you like! Broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, carrots, or even sauteed leafy greens could all be tasty options.
- Flavorings: I love the combination of BBQ sauce and coconut aminos here, but have fun experimenting with different flavors and sauces to add variety!
For more meal-preppable barbecue goodness, try my grilled BBQ chicken meal prep bowls with potato salad & an asparagus salad!
How to Make BBQ Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
As mentioned, you can fully prep and cook everything for this BBQ chicken bowl if you’d like, then store it so it’s ready to reheat and eat. Or, to enjoy freshly cooked meals throughout the week, you can do some of the prep work on prep day, and then take a few minutes on a weeknight to whip up the rest of the meal.
- On Meal Prep Day: Cook shredded chicken and store in the fridge. Chop and store sweet potato, as well as onion, zucchini, and yellow squash if desired. This way, they’re ready to just toss into a pan and cook on a weeknight.
- At the Time of Serving: Saute onion and sweet potato until softened, then add zucchini and squash. Once tender, add corn and meal prepped shredded chicken to heat through. Season it all to taste with BBQ sauce and coconut aminos, then assemble your BBQ bowl and enjoy!
Minimum vs. Maximum Prep
After meal prepping for over 10 years, my style has changed a lot. I started out as a maximum prepper, preparing every meal fully cooked and ready to eat. Now, I’ve become a minimum prepper, cooking just basic components that I use to create fresh meals during the week. In my Mind Over Meal Prep course, you can learn how to meal prep efficiently and sustainably for your schedule and lifestyle!
See how this BBQ bowl is made in my Chicken Meal Prep Bowls video!
Meal Prep BBQ Chicken Bowl
Ingredients
Meal Prep BBQ Bowl
- 2 cups cubed sweet potato
- 6-8 oz shredded chicken, (1-1½ cups or more, to taste)
- drizzle of oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- 1 cup chopped yellow squash
- ⅔ cup canned corn, drained
- 3-4 Tbsp BBQ sauce of choice
- 1 tsp coconut aminos
- salt & pepper, to taste
Topping Ideas:
- squeeze of lemon juice
- sesame seeds
- fresh chives, chopped
- pineapple, chopped
- fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
On Meal Prep Day:
- Peel and cube sweet potato. (Keep in mind: smaller cubes will cook faster!)
- Poach and shred chicken breast (or thighs), then allow to cool.
- Store sweet potato & chicken in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- If desired, chop onion, zucchini, and squash and store in airtight containers in the fridge. (Keep in mind, chopped zucchini & squash will only store well for 1-2 days. For longer storage, keep them whole and chop at the time of cooking.)
On the Day of Eating:
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and sweet potato cubes for 3-4 minutes, until sweet potato begins to brown and soften. (Feel free to cover the pan to help steam the sweet potato.)
- Add chopped zucchini and yellow squash and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Once veggies have softened, add shredded chicken and corn to heat through.
- Season to taste with barbecue sauce, coconut aminos, salt, and pepper.
- Remove from heat and assemble BBQ bowls with any desired toppings. Serve and enjoy!
For a Fully Prepped Meal on Prep Day:
- Poach and shred chicken.
- Saute sweet potato and veggies, then combine with cooked chicken and seasonings overheat.
- Portion into individual meals if desired and store in airtight containers in the fridge for 5-7 days.
