Meal Prep Burrito Bowls
Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 jar of your favorite salsa (I use Trader Joe’s Chunky Salsa)
4 cups cooked brown rice (I use 2 Trader Joe’s microwavable frozen rice packets - these work great if short on time or no access to stove!)
2-3 cups shredded lettuce
2 green or red bell peppers, thinly sliced into strips
Additional pico de gallo, tomatillo, or salsa, avocado
Serving options: If portions are 4 oz. chicken and 1/2 cup rice - makes 8 bowls. If portions are 8 oz. chicken and 1 cup rice - makes 4 bowls.
Directions:
1. Chicken: Place chicken breasts at the bottom of a crockpot and pour entire jar of salsa over the top, covering the chicken breasts completely. Cover with lid and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours. If using instant pot, simply select ‘meat’ setting.
2. Remove chicken and place onto cutting board, using two forks to shred. If you have a mixer, another option is putting the cooked chicken breasts in large mixing bowl and using mixer to shred.
3. Rice: If using microwavable bags of frozen rice, simply follow package instructions and portion out into meal prep containers. Optional: add a little seasoning such as chili powder or garlic powder as desired, or mix in a little salsa to give the rice more flavor.
4. Fajita Veggies: Thinly slice bell peppers and optional onions and saute with 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high heat. If you have an instant pot, you can use the ‘saute’ setting to make these! Add additional seasoning as desired such as salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
5. Combine shredded chicken, brown rice, sautéed veggies, and place in meal prep containers. If you plan to reheat these meals, store your toppings (shredded lettuce, pico de gallo or extra salsa, and fresh avocado/guacamole) in separate container to add on top after reheating. Reheat meals for 2 minutes in microwave. Meals will last up to 4 days in refrigerator.
Athlete Nutrition Tips: Add slices of fresh avocado for healthy fats, and substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream. To increase both calories and carbohydrates, wrap in a large whole wheat tortilla.
