Perfect Meal Prep Chicken Thighs
The perfect protein to make healthy eating easier. These simple meal prep chicken thighs are delicious fresh, cold, and re-heated.
This post may contain affiliate links.
If you’re looking for a perfect meal prep protein that actually tastes good (cold and re-heated), these juicy and flavorful meal prep chicken thighs are for you.
As a Registered Dietitian, I love this simple recipe because it’s so easy to make and super high in protein. Whether you enjoy them fresh, straight from the fridge, or re-heated in the office microwave, my viral chicken thigh recipe tastes amazing every time. Scroll down to learn how to make this meal prep staple.
Want more high-protein chicken recipes? Try my chicken sausage orzo, spinach artichoke chicken bake, or one-pot pesto chicken and rice.
Why you’ll love this dietitian-made recipe
- Super easy: With just 5-minutes of prep and no chopping, these meal prep chicken thighs are the epitome of minimal effort.
- High protein: Each serving contains 46 grams of protein so you can feel full, support weight loss, or help drive gains in the gym.
- Delicious cold: To me, a meal prep food must taste good cold, room temp, and re-heated. These chicken thighs are perfect no matter the set-up of your office kitchen.
Chicken breast vs. chicken thighs
You might be wondering — are chicken thighs unhealthy, or way higher calorie than chicken breast?
Nope! According to the USDA, 100 grams of skinless and boneless chicken thighs has 149 calories and over 18 grams of protein. The same weight of chicken breast has 112 calories and 22 grams of protein. Chicken thighs have a little more fat and calories, but they’re similar otherwise.
Chicken thighs and chicken breast can both fit in a healthy diet. But to tell you the truth, I prefer chicken thighs because the fat makes them more satiating and tender.
What you’ll need to make meal prep chicken thighs
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and detailed recipe.
- Spices: garlic powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. These are super important for flavor.
- Skinless and boneless chicken thighs: You’ll need about 12 thighs, or roughly two pounds. Don’t stress if you have a few more or less though!
- Fresh lemon: This adds some nice acidity and balance to these meal prep chicken thighs.
- Plain Greek yogurt: I love yogurt-coated chicken for a juicy texture and bright flavor. To keep things lactose-free, use a lactose-free yogurt. For dairy-free, omit the yogurt and add an extra tablespoon of olive oil.
- Olive oil: You don’t need much since the chicken thighs already contain fat.
- Minced garlic: Measure this with your heart.
Make things easier
- Use bottled lemon juice
- Use jarred minced garlic
- Stir right in your baking dish
How to make meal prep chicken thighs
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together all spices. Set aside.
Step 2: Add chicken thighs, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, garlic, and spice mix to a mixing bowl. Mix until chicken is well coated, making sure the seasoning reaches every nook and cranny.
Step 3: Arrange chicken thighs on baking dish so they’re flat against the pan, smooth side down. Minimize any overlap.
Step 4: Bake for 30-40 minutes at 425 F or until chicken thighs are brown and the internal temperature reads at least 165 F. Broil for a few minutes for extra browning. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
What to serve with meal prep chicken thighs
Serve your chicken thighs hot or cold, with a carb, veggie, and (optional) sauce. Here are some ideas:
- Carbs: white or brown rice, roasted potatoes, air fried sweet potatoes, quinoa, lentil or chickpea pasta
- Veggies: salad kits, Greek salad, roasted vegetables, steamed vegetables, steamed edamame
- Sauce: tzatziki, hummus, lemon dill sauce, pesto, marinara, spicy mayonnaise
I love them with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts, with some tzatziki and crumbled feta. You can also serve with a lemon wedge!
What’s one serving?
One serving of meal prep chicken thighs is two thighs. But feel free to eat more or less depending on your hunger and needs.
Can I bake these on a sheet pan instead?
Yes, you can bake meal prep chicken thighs on a parchment or foil-lined sheet pan. I prefer a baking dish since the chicken releases extra liquid, but both will work.
Top tips
- Get seasoning in every nook and cranny. Chicken thighs stay folded unless you force them open. Make sure your spices and yogurt cover the full inside and outside of each thigh.
- Liquid in the pan is normal. You’ll notice the chicken and yogurt release juices into the pan when cooking. This is normal (and tasty) — so don’t be alarmed!
- If your chicken is tough — cook it longer. It’s harder to dry out chicken thighs and the texture improves the longer you cook it. It it’s not tender and falling apart, cook it longer.
Shop this post
Did you try this recipe?
Leave your rating and review below! And don’t forget to post a picture to Instagram, and tag me @real.life.nutritionist.
Perfect Meal Prep Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Spices
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- black pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients
- 12 skinless boneless chicken thighs, or about 2 lbs
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, I use non-fat
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Equipment
Instructions
- Position oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat to 425 F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all spices. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl (or right in your baking dish if there's room), add chicken thighs, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, garlic, and spice mix. Mix until chicken is well coated, making sure the seasoning reaches every nook and cranny.
- Arrange chicken thighs on baking dish so they're flat against the pan, smooth side down. Minimize any overlap, or leave some space between chicken thighs if possible.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until chicken thighs are brown and the internal temperature reads 165 F. Finish for 2-5 minutes under the broiler for extra browning, watching closely to prevent burning. The yogurt and chicken will release juices into your pan — this is normal.
- Let your chicken rest for 5-minutes before serving. Enjoy!
