Protein box lunches with chicken and quinoa will be your new weekday lunch life savers. The quinoa and chicken pack a punch of protein that will keep you energized, the arugula and veggies will fill you up, and a little cheese will make you happy.
Protein Box Lunches with Chicken and Quinoa
Protein box lunches are my weekday lunch game changers! A little easy meal planning means I can reach in the fridge and grab one on my way to work to enjoy as my cubicle lunch. If you haven’t had one before, protein boxes are healthy combinations of food, heavy on the protein, in individually portioned containers. This version, protein box lunches with chicken and quinoa, is so good you can eat one for multiple days without getting bored. You can also change up the dressing, or add additional toppings (olives! nuts! eggs!) each day to keep things interesting.
Speaking of protein, the grilled chicken and tender quinoa more than deliver the protein quota in this lunch box. They also go perfectly with the arugula, crunchy veggies and crumbled cheese that make up the rest of the box. To pull everything together I like to serve this protein box with a vinaigrette (preferably made in a mason jar). A red wine vinaigrette, or balsamic vinaigrette are my go-to’s. If you feel like getting crazy, honey mustard would be good too.
Protein Box Ingredients
Let’s start with the chicken part of these protein box lunches. I used leftovers of skinny grilled lemon garlic chicken (so good!). If you haven’t made this grilled chicken recipe before, use this as an excuse to try it, you won’t be disappointed. But don’t worry, if you don’t have chicken, it’s not a deal breaker. You can use any lean protein you have in your fridge, or just make it a vegetarian protein box!
Now take a look at that beautiful bowl of quinoa in the ingredient photo. I made that using my new favorite technique for cooking quinoa, boiling it like pasta! Give it a try, I think you’ll like how the grains stay separate, and are also tender and “al dente”.
For the veggies, I used arugula, radishes, cucumbers and red onion. I think this is a great combo, but again, customize it to whatever you like. I’m a huge fan of peppery arugula, but if you aren’t, just sub in some butter lettuce. I don’t mind eating onions at work (do I really want anyone to talk to me?), but if you aren’t into it, sub in some roasted red peppers. For the cheese, I happened to have queso fresco in the fridge, but feta would also be great! You get the idea.
Note on the cucumbers – have you tried mini Persian cucumbers yet? You don’t have to peel or seed them, you can eat the skin (it’s not bitter), and they’re the perfect size when you slice them! If you can’t find them, choose a seedless English cucumber instead. Although they don’t have the cuteness factor of a Persian cucumber, they do have all of the other benefits.
Delicious Assembly Line
Okay, let’s start the fun part, the assembly line! Side note, as you know if you’ve read my other protein box posts, I love these Rubbermaid Brilliance containers(affiliate link). They don’t leak, they don’t stain, and they’re super heavy duty. I have the 3.2 cup size here, but they have other sizes too. Along with Amazon, I’ve also seen them at Target, Safeway, and other stores.
You’ll start the assembly by putting some arugula in the bottom of each container. Think of your container as if it’s divided into thirds. In the first third, you’ll put about a 1/2 cup of the cooked quinoa on top of the arugula.
Next you’ll add a cup of the cooked chicken in the middle. Now you can fill the rest of your container with a variety of fresh, crunchy veggies. As a final, satisfying touch, add some of your favorite crumbly cheese.
Meal Planning – Done!
It’s time to pat yourself on the back because you just made your lunches for the week! One less thing to think about, and one meal that you know will be delicious AND nutritious. You should be proud.
More Protein Box Ideas
If you love these protein box lunches with chicken and quinoa, then it’s time to jump on the protein box bandwagon! Here are a few more ideas for you:
- The original protein box lunches
- Mini frittata breakfast protein boxes
- Chicken salad protein boxes
- Protein box lunches with meat and cheese wraps
- Protein snack boxes with turkey and cheese
Get the Goods (Affiliate Links)
- These Rubbermaid containers are the ultimate in protein box assembly.
- Small containers for your dressing. Or just bring the whole bottle/jar of dressing to work!
- Mason jars to mix your dressing. Mason jars just because they’re awesome.
Disclaimer: any links to products in this post may be affiliate links. This means I would get a small commission if the product was purchased. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. I only link to products I like and use myself, or are similar to what I use if the exact item isn’t available. Thank you!
Print
Protein Box Lunches with Chicken and Quinoa
- Cuisine: American
Description
Protein box lunches with chicken and quinoa will be your new weekday lunch life savers. The quinoa and chicken pack a punch of protein that will keep you energized, the arugula and veggies will fill you up, and a little cheese will make you happy.
Ingredients
Amounts are for one protein box:
- 1 1/2 cups of arugula, or other lettuce of your choice
- 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
- 1 cup of cooked chicken (4-5 oz), cubed
- 1/2 cup Persian or English cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup of queso fresco or feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Add the arugula to the bottom of your container.
- Add the quinoa to one side of the container on top of the arugula.
- Add the chicken in the middle, then the veggies next to the chicken.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the quinoa.
- Serve with your favorite vinaigrette or other dressing.
Notes
- Add kalamata olives, or nuts to mix things up!
