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These Chicken Taco Meal Prep Bowls are one of my favorite ways to make lunch ahead for the week. They’re made with seasoned ground chicken, black beans, corn, quinoa, tomatoes, cheese, and avocado, then finished with fresh lime and cilantro.
Everything comes together in about 35 minutes, and you can easily swap toppings based on what you have in the fridge.
As a mom of five, I know how helpful it is to have lunch already waiting in the fridge. I make these taco bowls when I want something filling and flavorful that I can portion out for a few days. As a certified nutrition coach, I also love that they’re easy to customize. You can add more vegetables, switch the quinoa for rice, or adjust the toppings to make the bowls work for your family.
If you’re looking for a simple chicken meal prep served with rice, then try my Chicken and Rice Meal Prep Bowl.
Summary
- Wholesome: Ground chicken is a lean protein that can be a healthier alternative to beef. Additionally, by making homemade taco seasoning, you can control the amount of sodium and other additives in your meal.
- Versatile: You can customize your taco bowl with your favorite toppings and ingredients. Add some black beans, avocado, tomato, or corn to switch things up and add some variety to your meals.
- Convenient: By meal-prepping your taco bowls, you can save time and money during the week. You can easily pack them for lunch or have them ready for a quick dinner on busy nights.
Key Ingredients
- Ground Chicken: Ground chicken keeps these taco bowls light while still giving you plenty of protein. I like using lean ground chicken, but ground turkey works just as well.
- Taco Seasoning: Taco seasoning gives the chicken most of its flavor without requiring a long list of spices. You can use your favorite store-bought blend or make your own homemade taco seasoning.
- Black Beans: Black beans add texture and make the bowls more filling. Canned black beans work perfectly here. Just rinse and drain them before adding them to the skillet.
- Corn: Corn adds a little sweetness and texture to the taco mixture. Fresh, frozen, or canned corn all work.
- Quinoa: I use cooked quinoa as the base, but it’s easy to swap out. You can use brown rice, white rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice instead.
- Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes add freshness to the bowls and balance the warm, taco-seasoned chicken and beans.
- Avocado: Creamy avocado is one of my favorite toppings for these bowls. Add it just before serving if you’re making the bowls ahead of time.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice brightens the whole bowl and adds a little acidity that balances the taco seasoning.
- Cilantro and Green Onions: Optional, but I love adding both at the end for a fresh finish.
How to make chicken taco meal prep bowl
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and
cook until no longer pink, mincing the meat with a wooden spoon as it
cooks.
Stir in the garlic and taco seasoning and continue to cook until it starts to
brown.
Add the beans and corn and stir to combine, then allow the taco mixture to
cool for a bit.
Divide the cooked quinoa among 4 meal prep bowls. Add the meat mixture, tomatoes, and cheese.
Top with cubed avocado and squeeze fresh lime juice over it to prevent browning. Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions.
Recipe notes, tips, and substitutions
- Use lean ground chicken or lean ground turkey
- Canned corn works if you do not have frozen corn. You may boil fresh corn on the cob and cut them off the cob.
- Instead of quinoa, you can use cauliflower rice to cut down on the carbs. For a delicious cauliflower rice recipe, try my cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- If you do not like chicken or turkey, use lean ground beef.
How to Keep Avocado From Browning
If you’re eating the bowls within a day or two, you can add the avocado directly to the containers and squeeze fresh lime juice over it. For the best color and texture, though, I recommend cutting the avocado fresh when you’re ready to eat.
You can also store individual portions of avocado in small airtight containers with a little lime juice.
Taco Bowl Topping Ideas
You can keep these bowls simple or add as many toppings as you like. Try:
- Avocado
- Fresh cilantro or Green onions
- Salsa or Pico de gallo
- Jalapeños
- Shredded lettuce
- Sour cream or Plain Greek yogurt
- Guacamole
- Pickled onions
- Extra shredded cheese
- Fresh lime
Common Questions
Yes. Feel free to swap the ground chicken with ground turkey. You can use extra lean ground turkey or as close to 90% lean.
Absolutely. White rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice all work well in these taco bowls. I usually use quinoa because it cooks ahead easily and gives the bowls a slightly nutty flavor, but there’s no reason you can’t use whatever grain you have on hand.
Store the assembled bowls in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze the chicken and quinoa mixture for up to 2 months. Add fresh toppings after thawing and reheating.
Yes, but I recommend freezing the chicken, beans, corn, and quinoa separately from the fresh toppings. Add the tomatoes and avocado after thawing for the best texture.
Yes. That’s what makes them so convenient. Prepare all four bowls at once and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat.
How to Reheat Chicken Taco Meal Prep Bowls
Remove the avocado and any other fresh toppings before reheating.
Microwave the chicken, beans, corn, and quinoa until heated through. Add the avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, green onions, and lime after reheating.
If the quinoa seems dry, add a small splash of water before microwaving.
More meal prep recipes
- Honey Sriracha Chicken Meal Prep Bowl
- Teriyaki Chicken Meal Prep
- Honey Garlic Chicken Meal Prep
- Beef Burrito Meal Prep
- Honey Salmon and Asparagus Meal Prep
- Garlic Lime Shrimp Meal Prep
- Meal Prep Honey Sriracha Meatballs
Recipes you may like
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Skewers
- Vegetarian Cobb Salad
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Fajita Baked Chicken Breast
- Avocado Chicken Salad Pinwheels
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Herbed Whipped Feta Cheese Dip
If you try a recipe and you like it, leave me some feedback in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate it! I would love it if you shared it with friends and family.
Chicken Taco Meal Prep Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1 pound ground chicken , or lean ground turkey
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 15 ounces black beans, one can, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup canned or frozen corn, drained if canned
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups plum tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 large avocado, cubed
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
- 4 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 pound ground chicken or turkey and cook until no longer pink, mincing the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Stir in the 2 garlic cloves (minced) and 2 tablespoons taco seasoning and continue to cook until it starts to brown.
- Add the 15 ounces black beans and 1 cup canned or frozen corn and stir to combine, then allow the taco mixture to cool for a bit.
- Divide the 2 cups cooked quinoa among 4 meal prep bowls. Add the meat mixture, 1 1/2 cups plum tomatoes (chopped), and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Top with 1 large avocado (cubed) and squeeze over fresh juice of 1 lime to prevent it from browning.
- Garnish with 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro and 4 green onions.
Notes
- Use lean ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Rinse and drain canned black beans before adding them.
- Fresh, frozen, or canned corn can be used.
- White rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice can replace the quinoa.
- For the freshest avocado, add it right before serving.
- Adjust the taco seasoning to taste since brands vary in salt and spice.
- Store assembled bowls in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For freezing, freeze the chicken and quinoa mixture separately from fresh toppings.
- Add fresh lime, avocado, and cilantro after reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love how customizable this is, you can switch up toppings and keep it interesting all week. Meal prep like this really saves time. Do you think it tastes just as good after a couple of days in the fridge?
Should be perfect! Thanks for the feedback.
Chicken Taco Meal Prep Bowl is a healthy meal for me and I love it
Perfect!