Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep

Enjoy homemade lunches again with this Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep! This make-ahead meal is packed with the most flavorful spiced chicken, a cool cucumber raita, and simple roasted vegetables; delicious hot or cold!

Have you ever made a meal prep lunch so delicious, you feel like you actually went out and bought lunch? If the answer is no, you have got to make this one! If the answer was yes, I still think you should add this Indian-inspired meal to your rotation!

This meal has everything you need: a flavorful, tender protein, perfectly seasoned and roasted veggies, simple quinoa base (or your favorite grain!), and a minty cucumber raita sauce to tie it all together.

While not necessarily the quickest meal prep lunch to throw together, you’ll be so pleased (and impressed!) with yourself for spending the time to make an incredible lunch for the week. Plus, you can enjoy this one hot or cold, so it’s ultra flexible and easy to eat anywhere.

Note: I’ve rated this recipe as moderate because of the total time and number of ingredients required to make it. It’s definitely a step-up from a basic meal prep recipe, but each component is simple to make on its own. Give this one a try if you want to step out of your cooking comfort zone a little bit and try new flavors!

What are the ingredients in this Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep?

This recipe boasts lots of veggies and a perfect Indian-inspired spice combination. Pair that with your chicken, quinoa, and cucumber raita for a perfect meal. You may need to invest in a spice or two if you don’t do much Indian-style cooking, but it’s worth it!

Here are all the ingredients I used for this Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep, along with a little bit of info about each one, if you need it:

• Greek yogurt – The yogurt is important for both the chicken marinade and the cucumber raita. A 16 ounce container of Greek yogurt (I like Fage) is a great amount to start with for this recipe.
• garlic cloves – Adding some fresh garlic to the chicken marinade helps infuse that garlic flavor!
• lemon – Lemons are important for this recipe; not only for the chicken marinade and the cucumber raita, but also for a squeeze of fresh flavor right before enjoying. Two lemons should be enough for this recipe (one for the marinade, half for the raita, and half for wedges).
• garam masala, ground ginger, ground cumin, paprika & turmeric – All of these ground spices make up our seasoning combination for the chicken marinade.
• boneless skinless chicken – You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this recipe! If you use two chicken breasts, be sure to butterfly cut them into equal sizes for even cooking and portioning.
• quinoa – I love a small base of cooked quinoa for this recipe, but you can also use brown rice, or your favorite grain!
• bell peppers, zucchini & red onion – All of these veggies get roughly chopped, seasoned, and roasted to perfection.
• oil – For roasting the veggies, I like to use avocado oil but olive oil works too!
• cumin seeds – Adding a small bit of cumin seeds to roast along with the veggies provides an aromatic and delicious layer of seasoning!
• kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper – For all parts of this recipe, season well with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper for the best taste.
• English cucumber – Half of one large English cucumber is used for the cucumber raita. Slice up the rest of the cucumber for snacks!
• fresh mint leaves – Chopped fresh mint is mixed in with the cucumber and yogurt to create a fresh and vibrant sauce that brings the entire meal together!
• sugar – Adding the smallest pinch of sugar to the raita (yogurt sauce) helps tone down the acid and salt, while bringing the lightest sweet flavor to the cucumber and mint. So delicious!!
• ground cumin – To season the raita, just use a small amount of cumin to bring a smoky element and balance the sweet coolness of the sauce.

How do you make this Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep?

There are four main components to making this meal prep recipe. There’s the marinated chicken, the roasted vegetables, the cucumber raita, and the quinoa. I like to get this recipe started by getting the chicken into the marinade first, making the rest of the components, then cooking the chicken.

To start with the marinade, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, spices, garlic and salt in a large bowl that will fit all of the chicken. If you’ve got chicken breasts, use a sharp chef’s knife to butterfly cut them into two filets each, preferably of the same size for even cooking.

Add the chicken to the bowl of yogurt marinade and stir until all the chicken is completely coated. Set the chicken aside on the counter while you prepare the other components of the recipe.

Cook the quinoa on the stovetop, following your package directions, then set that aside to cool. As the quinoa cooks, prep your veggies and add them directly to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. I just mix it together right on the pan instead of using another bowl.

Drizzle on the oil, cumin seeds, salt and pepper, then mix it well with your hands. Put those seasoned and oiled veggies in the oven, and there’s part two done! Don’t forget to give them a stir halfway through the 30 minutes of roasting. Remove the veggies from the oven when they’re starting to char and look roasted to your liking.

On to the cucumber raita! Grate your cucumber using a box grater and put all the cucumber shreds into a bowl. Salt it well to pull the liquid out, then set the bowl aside for a few minutes while you combine everything else.

In another bowl, mix up the rest of the raita ingredients including the yogurt, mint, sugar, cumin and salt. Next, squeeze out the liquid from the cucumber (I just used my hands and squeezed it over the sink – doesn’t have to be perfect!), and add the cucumber to the yogurt.

Stir it all up and then give it a taste. I like to add about 1/2 lemon of juice, as well as a little more salt for the perfect combination of flavors. Once it tastes right to you, set that aside and pull the chicken back into focus.

Heat a large cast iron grill pan or a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Be sure to let it heat up for several minutes so it’s nice and hot for the chicken! Add a spritz of cooking spray or oil to lightly coat the pan and prevent sticking.

Use tongs to pull the chicken out of the bowl, shaking off as much of the yogurt marinade as possible. The yogurt can burn quicker than the chicken, so it’s good to remove as much as possible. I like to drag the chicken along the side of the bowl, which helps scrape off excess marinade.

Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side. The chicken should be golden, charing and cooked to an internal temperature of 165F when it’s done. Remove the pieces from the heat to rest for a few minutes, then roughly cut into strips for the meal prep bowls.

The final step is to serve it all up, or assemble your meal prep bowls. In these photographs, I used 3-Cup Pyrex Rectangle Glass Containers (affiliate link!) for my meal prep and it was the perfect size for this meal.

In the bowls, I made a layer of roasted veggies and quinoa on the bottom, dividing all of both components evenly into four glass containers. Then I added a small cup of the yogurt sauce to each, followed by a sliced chicken breast.

For the cucumber raita, I used these salad dressing containers (affiliate link!). However, it’s totally fine to put the sauce directly in the container if you don’t plan on microwaving the meal. This meal also delicious to enjoy cold from the fridge, especially if it’s hot out.

How long should I marinate the chicken before cooking it?

You should marinate the chicken for at least 20 minutes and up to overnight.

Is this recipe spicy?

No, this recipe does not have any spicy or ‘hot’ elements. The word ‘spiced’ in the name indicates a variety of seasonings blended together to create an incredibly flavorful chicken marinade.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes, you can use either two chicken breasts, or four chicken thighs. Be sure to cook your chicken until it’s completely cooked through with an internal temperature of 165F.

What is cucumber raita?

Raita is a condiment side dish popular in Indian cuisine. It is yogurt or curd based, and can include a mix of fresh herbs, spices, and vegetables. It’s similar to a Tzatziki sauce in Greek style cuisine.

For an authentic version of raita, check out this Cucumber Raita from Spice Cravings, or this Raita recipe with lots of flavor options from Swasthi’s Recipes.

Can I substitute any of the spices if I don’t have them on hand?

Here are some notes on each spice and possible substitutions:

• ground ginger – If you don’t have ground ginger, it could be left out with not too much concern. You could also add some fresh ginger to the chicken marinade if you have that on hand.
• cumin seed – If you don’t have cumin seeds on hand and you don’t want to buy them, you can lightly season the vegetables with a sprinkle of ground cumin and paprika.
• I would not leave out the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, or paprika. These are vital and provide the most flavor.

Best tips for making this Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep:

Here are my best tips for making these Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep bowls:

• Look for similarly sized chicken breasts, and do your best to cut them into equal size pieces. This helps them cook more evenly!
• When cooking the chicken, watch carefully to get a nice char but avoid burning!
• Store the cucumber raita and lemon wedge separately if you plan to reheat this meal.

Ways to customize this Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken recipe:

Here are some ideas for how to customize this recipe:

• Change up the veggies – A medium eggplant added or swapped with the zucchini would be one way to change the veggies. Roast your favorites for this meal prep!
• Use chicken thighs or chicken breasts – For recipes like this, I’ll use whichever cut of chicken I have on hand because either one would work great!
• Pick your favorite grain – Quinoa is not usually paired with traditional Indian food, but it’s a super versatile option that goes go well with all the flavors. Feel free to use brown rice, jasmine rice, or any other grain you prefer. You could even skip the grain and add some naan on the side!

How do you meal prep this recipe?

This recipe was developed specifically for meal prep and makes a delicious make-ahead meal for lunch or dinner. There are also a couple different ways to do some prep and save time later if that’s your thing. Here are some options:

1. Prep for the week: Make the recipe as written, and then portion the ingredients evenly into four meal prep containers and enjoy throughout the week.
2. Ingredient prep: Save yourself time on cooking day by marinating the chicken overnight and chopping all vegetables ahead of time and storing in the fridge until roasting time. You can also prepare the quinoa ahead of time if needed.
3. Prep & freeze: The cucumber raita and vegetables will most likely not freeze well, but the marinated cooked chicken can be frozen. Chop cooked chicken and freeze in an airtight container with a bit of chicken broth. Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.
4. Enjoy now & later: Prepare all the ingredients and make the recipe as written. Eat some for lunch or dinner right now, then save the rest in airtight containers and enjoy over the next 4 days.

Is this recipe freezer-friendly?

The cucumber raita and vegetables will most likely not freeze or thaw well, but the marinated cooked chicken can be frozen. You can also freeze cooked quinoa if needed.

Chop cooked chicken and freeze in an airtight container with a bit of chicken broth for moisture. Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.

How to store Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep:

Store prepared meal prep in a microwave safe container with lid for up to 4 days. Store the cucumber raita and lemon wedge in a separate container if you plan to reheat the meal. It’s also delicious cold from the fridge if that’s your thing!

How to reheat Indian-Inspired Spiced Chicken Meal Prep:

To reheat, loosely cover the meal with the lid and microwave on High in 1 minute blasts until heated through. 

Recipe developed by Rachel Phipps.