Ingredients

For The Chicken
• 1,350 g / 3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (whole)
• 2 tsp / 10 g kosher salt
• 1½ tsp / 4 g black pepper
• 2 tsp / 5 g smoked paprika
• 5 cloves / 15 g garlic, minced
• 2½ tbsp / 37 g olive oil

For The Honey Harissa Glaze
• 4 tbsp / 60 g harissa paste
• 3 tbsp / 63 g honey
• 2 tbsp / 30 ml lemon juice
• 2½ tbsp / 37 g olive oil
• 2 tbsp / 30 ml water

For The Mushrooms
• 750 g / 1 lb 10 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 2½ tbsp / 37 g olive oil
• ¾ tsp / 4 g salt
• ½ tsp / 1.5 g black pepper
• 1½ tbsp / 21 g butter
• 1½ tbsp / 22 ml lemon juice

For The Grains
• 924 g / 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
• 1 cup / 170 g dry quinoa
• 2 cups / 480 ml water
• ½ tsp / 3 g salt

For Finishing The Quinoa
• 1½ tbsp / 22 g olive oil
• Zest of ½ lemon
• ½ tsp / 3 g salt

For The Pickled Onions
• 400 g / 14 oz red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 whole / ~45 ml lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp / 30 ml red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• ¾ tsp / 4 g salt
• ½ tsp / 1 g ground coriander (optional)
• ¼ tsp / 0.5 g smoked paprika
• Big handful fresh parsley, finely chopped

Portions

Yield: 5 bowls

Per bowl (weighed after cooking)
• 200 g cooked chicken
• 150 g cooked mushrooms
• 320 g cooked grain
• 25 g pickled onions

Method

1. Pickled Onions: Add onions, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, ground coriander, smoked paprika, and parsley to a bowl. Toss and lightly massage. Let sit 15–20 minutes at room temperature until softened and vibrant.

2. Glaze: Whisk together harissa paste, honey, lemon juice, olive oil, and water until smooth. Set aside.

3. Chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry. Season evenly with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic. Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken whole 5–6 minutes per side until deeply browned and cooked through (74°C / 165°F internal).

4. Glaze Chicken: Lower heat to medium. Add glaze and turn chicken to coat 30–45 seconds until glossy. Remove, rest 5 minutes, then slice.

5. Mushrooms: In the same pan, add olive oil. Add mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and lemon juice, toss 15–20 seconds, remove.

6. Quinoa: Rinse quinoa. Cook with 480 ml water and salt until absorbed. Cover and rest 5 minutes. Fluff and finish with olive oil, lemon zest, and salt.

7. Assemble Bowls: Divide grains, chicken, mushrooms, and pickled onions evenly.

Additional Notes

The chicken was much more flavorful than when it was cooked in the oven in the last meal prep video. Adding the glaze and finishing it on the stovetop instead of baking was absolutely the right move.

I had some rice left over from the previous meal prep, which is why I went with two grains here—quinoa and rice—so the rice wouldn’t go to waste.

The pickled onions were incredible again, just like they were in the first meal prep video. Once more, they were the star of the dish.

Overall, this was a more successful meal prep video than the first one in terms of flavor.

You’ll notice I cook with chicken a lot—it’s easily my favorite protein, so feel free to experiment with different proteins if you’d like.

Make sure the stove temperature is low when you add the honey harissa glaze. You don’t want it to burn—just gently coat the chicken and pull it off.

Nutrition

(Per Bowl, Approximate)
• Calories: ~680 kcal
• Protein: ~44 g
• Carbohydrates: ~62 g
• Fat: ~28 g