High Protein Moroccan Chicken & Rice Meal Prep

long-grain rice

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: white rice

Quinoa offers more protein while white rice is often less expensive.

chickpeas

🥗Healthier: lentils

💰Cheaper: canned beans

Lentils are high in protein and cheaper than canned chickpeas.

almonds

🥗Healthier: walnuts

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

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

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water + seasoning

Vegetable broth is lower in calories and can be made cheaply.

Trim excess fat from 900 G of untrimmed chicken thighs by cutting or scraping it away with a knife.

Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and add 25 G of mayonnaise.

Add 3 tablespoons of Moroccan spice blend to the chicken and coat evenly by mixing with a spoon or hands.

Set the chicken aside to marinate while preparing the sauce.

In a bowl, combine 100 G of light Greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons of Moroccan spice mix, and 20 to 30 M of water to thin the sauce; stir to combine and set aside.

Rinse 300 G of basmati rice three times until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.

In a medium-sized pot over high heat, add around 10 M of olive oil and allow to heat.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of black peppercorns, 5 cardamom pods, 1/2 teaspoon of cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric; lightly fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the rinsed rice to the pot, stir, and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 stick of cinnamon.

Pour in 600 M of water, stir to combine, and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the smallest burner at the lowest heat; allow to cook for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, switch off the heat and leave the rice covered for another 5 minutes to continue cooking.

In the largest frying pan over high heat, add about 5 M of olive oil and allow to heat for a few minutes until extremely hot.

Place the marinated chicken thighs in the pan one at a time and cook on one side for 2 to 3 minutes until colored.

Flip the chicken and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes; continue flipping for approximately 8 to 10 minutes total or until cooked through.

Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside to cool slightly before slicing into 1 C strips.

Evenly distribute the cooked rice into five meal prep containers, followed by the sliced chicken and finally the yogurt sauce.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens