Apricot Chicken Meal Prep | The Best Meal Prep Recipe So Far

apricots

🥗Healthier: dried apricots

💰Cheaper: peaches

Dried apricots maintain sweetness and texture, while peaches are often less expensive.

chicken thighs

🥗Healthier: skinless chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: chicken drumsticks

Skinless thighs reduce fat while drumsticks are a budget-friendly alternative.

almonds

🥗Healthier: walnuts

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Walnuts provide healthy fats, while sunflower seeds are often cheaper.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while vegetable oil is a more economical choice.

Trim florets from 2 heads of broccoli, ensuring they are all the same size, and slice the stalks into even pieces.

Remove woody stems from 250 grams of green beans and slice them in half.

Grate 2 cloves of garlic using a microplane or fine box grater to create a paste.

Dice 1 kilo of boneless and skinless chicken thighs into large, even-sized pieces and place them in a mixing bowl.

Add 5 grams of onion powder, 5 grams of garlic powder, a big pinch of salt, ground white pepper to taste, and 2 teaspoons of peanut oil to the chicken. Mix until combined and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine 250 grams of apricot nectar, 50 milliliters of low sodium soy sauce, the garlic paste, 20 grams of light brown sugar (optional), and 12 grams of corn flour. Whisk until smooth and set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring 450 milliliters of chicken stock or vegetable stock to a boil. Add 300 grams of dried couscous, stir, cover with a lid, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Fluff the couscous with a fork, add 20 milliliters of extra virgin olive oil, 5 grams of chopped flat leaf parsley (optional), zest of half a lemon, sea salt flakes, and ground white pepper to taste. Mix well.

In a large pan or wok over medium-high heat, add 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Once hot, add the broccoli and green beans, season with sea salt flakes and ground white pepper, and stir-fry for 6 to 7 minutes until lightly charred and slightly soft. Remove from heat.

In a large pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Add the seasoned chicken thighs, spreading them out to avoid overcrowding. Sear for 3 minutes without stirring.

After 3 minutes, stir the chicken and spread it out again. Sear for another 3 minutes without stirring.

Cook the chicken for an additional minute, stirring occasionally until fully cooked and golden brown. Add the apricot sauce and mix well to deglaze the pan. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Divide the chicken, couscous, and stir-fried vegetables into meal prep containers (750 milliliters each). Garnish with spring onion or scallion stems if desired.

Allow the meal prep containers to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before placing them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat in a pan or microwave as needed.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens