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–+ servings
Container of perfectly cooked, glazed chicken thighs ready for meal prep next to jasmine rice and slaw.

Optimized Chicken Thigh Meal Prep Base (Sesame Soy Flavor)

This recipe leverages the structural superiority of chicken thighs over breasts for batch cooking, guaranteeing a juicy, tender result even after multiple reheating cycles by precisely targeting an internal temperature of 165°F.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 8 servings
Calories 520 kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Digital instant-read thermometer
  • Grill or oven/baking sheet
  • Microplane (for ginger, optional)

Ingredients
  

Chicken Thigh Marinade Ingredients

  • 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Sesame Slaw Ingredients

  • 1 bag coleslaw mix
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp powdered ginger

Jasmine Rice Ingredients

  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions
 

Preparation and Marination

  • Preheat grill to high heat, or preheat oven to 425 F.
  • In a large bowl, mix chicken marinade ingredients together (low-sodium soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame seeds).
  • Add chicken thighs and marinate for 10-15 minutes.

Cooking Sides and Dressing

  • Meanwhile, cook jasmine rice according to package directions, adding butter and salt.
  • Mix together ingredients for sesame slaw dressing (low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, powdered ginger), then set aside.

Cooking the Chicken

  • Add marinated chicken to grill or frying pan.
  • Cook on grill for 7 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
  • If using the oven method, bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 20 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.

Assembly

  • Let the chicken rest for five minutes before placing it into meal prep containers.
  • Add two cooked chicken thighs to each meal prep bowl.
  • Toss coleslaw with dressing then add slaw and rice to each bowl.
  • Serve immediately or store leftovers in airtight containers for up to 4-5 days.

Notes

The critical control point for moisture retention is pulling the chicken thigh off the heat source exactly when it reaches 165°F internal temperature. To maximize longevity and texture integrity, store the chicken in airtight glass containers. When reheating, use a lower power setting or short 30-second intervals in the microwave to prevent the meat from drying out further. The chicken should rest for five minutes post-cooking before packing to prevent excess steam from affecting the slaw and rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 49gFat: 13g
Keyword batch cooking, chicken thigh
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