Meal Prep For The Week In Under An Hour | Sweet and Sour Chicken

Summary

In this meal prep series, the host teaches viewers how to make a high-protein sweet and sour chicken dish with basmati rice. The recipe includes bell peppers, onion, garlic, ginger, and a homemade sweet and sour sauce. The detailed process covers rice preparation, vegetable chopping, protein cooking, and sauce making, resulting in a flavorful and nutritious meal that can be stored for up to four days in the fridge or four months in the freezer.

Takeaways

• 🍚 The recipe features a 300g basmati rice preparation with 600ml cold water and sea salt for flavor.
• 🔥 The rice is cooked on low heat after bringing it to a boil, simmering for 14 minutes, and then left covered for an additional 4 minutes off the heat.
• 🥗 The sweet and sour chicken requires bell peppers, onion, garlic, and ginger, all finely chopped or processed into a paste for the dish.
• 🍗 Chicken breast is used as the protein source, but chicken thigh is also an option, cut into even-sized pieces for uniform cooking.
• 🍯 The sweet and sour sauce is made with soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, and corn flour for thickening.
• 🍳 Cooking the chicken involves searing it in a hot pan with oil, then adding garlic and ginger paste, followed by the pre-cooked vegetables.
• 🥘 The sauce is added last to the chicken and vegetable mix, brought to a boil, and cooked until thickened, ensuring even coating.
• 🌾 Optional sesame seeds can be added for a nutty flavor and garnish.
• 📊 The video provides macronutrient information for both the rice and the sweet and sour chicken, including portion sizes.
• 📦 The meal can be stored in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to four months, with an additional day in the fridge if vacuum-sealed.
• 🎉 The video creator thanks the audience for their support, celebrating a milestone of 500,000 subscribers.

Q & A

What is the main dish being prepared in the meal prep series?

The main dish being prepared is sweet and sour chicken, which is a high protein dish.

What type of rice is used in the recipe and how much is needed?

Basmati rice is used, and the recipe calls for 300 grams of washed basmati rice.

How much water and what additional seasoning is used for cooking the rice?

600 milliliters of cold water and a bit of sea salt flakes to taste are used for cooking the rice.

What vegetables are used for the sweet and sour chicken and how should they be prepared?

Three bell peppers are used, which should be sliced in half, deseeded, and diced into large chunks.

How are the onions prepared for the dish?

A medium-sized brown or yellow onion is peeled, halved, and thinly sliced. The onion can then be mixed with the bell peppers.

What ingredients are used to make the garlic and ginger paste?

Four cloves of garlic and 15 grams of ginger are used, which are grated using a fine microplane to create a paste.

What type of protein is suggested for the sweet and sour chicken and what is the quantity?

Chicken breast is suggested, with a quantity of 1.4 kilos, which should be diced into large even-sized pieces.

What are the main components of the sweet and sour sauce?

The sauce consists of light or low sodium soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, tomato sauce, and corn flour or cornstarch as a thickening agent.

Why shouldn't fresh pineapple be used in the sweet and sour sauce?

Fresh pineapple should not be used because the enzymes in it will break down the corn flour and prevent the sauce from thickening.

How long should the rice be simmered after bringing it to a boil?

The rice should be simmered for 14 minutes undisturbed after bringing it to a boil.

What is the final step in preparing the sweet and sour chicken before serving?

The final step is to add the sweet and sour sauce to the chicken and vegetables, bring it to a boil, and cook for two minutes to thicken the sauce and coat everything evenly.

What are some optional garnishes for the sweet and sour chicken?

Optional garnishes include sesame seeds, spring onions, or chili.

How long can the prepared meal be stored in the fridge or freezer?

The meal can last up to four days in the fridge and four months in the freezer.

What tool is mentioned to extend the freshness of the meal in the fridge?

A vacuum pump is mentioned, which extracts air to reduce oxidation and can extend the fridge life by an extra day.

Outlines

00:00

🍚 Preparing Basmati Rice for Meal Prep

The script begins with the preparation of 300 grams of basmati rice using 600 milliliters of cold water and a pinch of sea salt. The rice is stirred, brought to a boil, covered, and simmered for 14 minutes on low heat. The meal prep features a sweet and sour chicken dish, which is high in protein and has a delicious taste. The rice preparation is a common feature in meal preps, and variations can be found in the description.

05:02

🍗 Making Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice

The script continues with the preparation of sweet and sour chicken, starting with the chopping of bell peppers and onions, followed by the creation of a garlic and ginger paste. The protein source is chicken breast, diced into even-sized pieces for uniform cooking. A sweet and sour sauce is prepared with light soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, and corn flour for thickening. The vegetables are sautéed first, followed by the chicken, which is seared to achieve a brown color. The garlic and ginger paste, along with the sautéed vegetables, are added to the chicken, and the sauce is incorporated to thicken and coat the dish. Sesame seeds are suggested as a garnish for added flavor. The script concludes with serving suggestions, macro breakdown, and storage tips, highlighting the dish's affordability and ease of preparation.

Keywords

💡Meal Prep

Meal prep refers to the process of preparing meals in advance for a certain period, usually a week, to save time and maintain a healthy diet. In the video, the theme revolves around creating a meal prep series, starting with a high protein dish, sweet and sour chicken, which is part of the meal prep concept.

💡Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is a type of long-grain rice known for its aromatic fragrance and is commonly used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. In the script, it is the primary carbohydrate source for the meal prep, with specific quantities and preparation instructions given.

💡Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and sour chicken is a popular dish characterized by its tangy and sweet flavor profile, typically achieved through a sauce made with ingredients like soy sauce, pineapple juice, and honey. It is the main dish being prepared in the video, with a detailed recipe provided.

💡Protein

Protein is an essential nutrient that is vital for building and repairing tissues in the body. In the context of the video, chicken breast is chosen as the protein source for the sweet and sour chicken dish, emphasizing the high protein content of the meal.

💡Bell Peppers

Bell peppers, also known as capsicums in some regions, are vegetables that come in various colors and are used for their crunchy texture and mild flavor. In the script, they are a key ingredient in the sweet and sour chicken, contributing to the dish's color and taste.

💡Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a liquid condiment made from fermented soybeans, wheat, water, and salt. It adds a savory, umami flavor to dishes. In the video, light or low sodium soy sauce is used in the sweet and sour sauce to enhance the dish's flavor.

💡Honey

Honey is a natural sweetener produced by bees and is used in cooking for its distinct flavor and texture. In the script, honey is chosen over sugar to sweeten the sweet and sour sauce, offering a healthier alternative.

💡Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire sauce is a fermented condiment with a complex flavor profile, often used to add depth to dishes. It is included in the sweet and sour sauce recipe to provide an umami touch and enhance the overall flavor.

💡Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made from fermented apple cider and is known for its tangy flavor. In the video, it is used in the sweet and sour sauce to increase the acidity and contribute to the dish's characteristic sweet and sour taste.

💡Corn Flour

Corn flour, also known as cornstarch, is a thickening agent used in cooking to create a smooth and glossy texture in sauces. In the script, it is used in the sweet and sour sauce to achieve the desired consistency.

💡Macros

Macros, short for macronutrients, refers to the three primary nutrients that the body needs in large amounts: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The video provides the macronutrient breakdown for the basmati rice and sweet and sour chicken, helping viewers understand the nutritional content of the meal.

Highlights

Making sweet and sour chicken, a high protein dish with an incredible taste.

Preparing 300 grams of washed basmati rice with 600 milliliters of cold water and sea salt flakes.

Cooking rice with a lid on low heat for 14 minutes, then resting for an additional 4 minutes.

Using three bell peppers or capsicums for the sweet and sour chicken dish.

Dicing bell peppers into large chunks for the dish.

Medium-sized brown or yellow onion preparation for the dish.

Creating a paste from four cloves of garlic and 15 grams of ginger.

Using 1.4 kilos of chicken breast for the protein in the recipe.

Making a sweet and sour sauce with soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, and corn flour.

Sauteing onions and bell peppers in grapeseed oil for the dish.

Searing chicken in the pan for even cooking and browning.

Adding garlic and ginger paste to infuse flavor into the chicken.

Incorporating the sweet and sour sauce into the cooked chicken and vegetables.

Thickening the sauce with corn flour or starch for a glossy finish.

Optional addition of sesame seeds for garnish.

Serving sweet and sour chicken with basmati rice, providing complete nutrition information.

Storing the meal prep for up to four days in the fridge or four months in the freezer.

Acknowledging the channel's 500,000 subscribers and thanking the audience for their support.

Transcripts

today on the meal prep series we're

making sweet and sour chicken this is a

high protein dish and tastes absolutely

incredible

starting out we're going to get our rice

on I know I do Rice quite often on these

meal preps and you can change it up

which I'll leave a few details about in

the description but we're gonna go with

300 grams of washed basmati rice 600

milliliters of cold water and a bit of

sea salt flakes to taste give it a stir

to break up any clums and then bring it

to a boil place on a lid reduce the heat

to low and then just let this simmer

away for 14 minutes undisturbed the prep

for the sweet and sour chicken is really

simple we're going to need three bell

peppers or capsicums for my Australian

friends these can be sliced in half and

then just pick out the seeds and the

pith with your fingers give it a bang on

the bench to remove any excess seeds as

for these just give them a quick slice

up rotate them 90 degrees and then dice

into large chunks leaving us with all of

this and this can just be placed in a

bowl and mixed together next is one

brown or yellow onion this is about

medium size just slice off both ends

slice it in half and then just peel off

that skin you can save all of these

scraps for a stock place it on a half

moon position and then just thinly slice

the whole way across laying it flat

about three quarters of the way through

just to continue slicing it safely the

onion can also be added to the bowl with

the bell peppers or capsicums and then

just give this a good mix of your hands

just to break up any of the layers of

onion moving on we're going to need four

cloves of garlic and 15 grams of Ginger

both of these can be run along a fine

microplane to create a paste and you can

mix these together which is completely

fine and I will also mention that all of

the weight conversions are in the

description as well

now as for the protein I went for

chicken breast it was a lot cheaper at

the time you can definitely use chicken

thigh for this recipe which I'll leave

details about in the description this

weighs 1.4 kilos and these are quite big

breasts and we can just slice these into

strips rotate them 90 degrees and then

just dice into large even sized Pieces

Just making sure that they are the same

size that way they'll cook at the same

time

as for the sweet and sour sauce add 125

milliliters of light or low sodium soy

sauce to a mixing bowl for that nice

Umami flavor 80 milliliters of

store-bought pineapple juice don't use

fresh for this recipe the enzymes in the

fresh pineapple will break down the corn

flour and won't allow it to thicken 80

grams of Honey to add sweetness a lot of

recipes use sugar but I'm going with a

healthier option instead 40 milliliters

of Worcestershire sauce for an increased

depth of flavor and a really nice Umami

touch to increase the acidity add 40

milliliters of apple cider vinegar or

white vinegar if you can't consume

alcohol we're then going in with 40

milliliters of tomato sauce this is

going to add a really nice Tangy flavor

and a nice little subtle sweetness and

then finally our thickening agent which

is 12 grams of corn flour and you can

use cornstarch as well

with that all together we can then give

this a whisk for those flavors that

become friends just ensuring we break up

the corn flour or starch and then just

pop this aside going back to the rice

that was doing its thing whilst we were

prepping all the other stuff this can

then be turned off the heat but leave

the lid on for a final four minutes then

we're going to remove the lid and then

fluff this up with a fork or spatula

just to break up all the individual

grains making sure nothing's stuck

together and then remove it from the

stovetop like always this is the macros

or the nutrition for the basmati rice

including the portion weights as well

moving on we're going to make the sweet

and sour chicken place a large pan or

pot over a high heat we're going to add

in 30 milliliters of grapeseed oil or

any neutral flavored oil of your choice

add in the onions and bell peppers

sprinkle of sea salt flakes to taste and

then we're going to saute this for about

four minutes moving it around regularly

during this time we're going to get a

nice color onto this the bell peppers

are going to add that nice Smoky flavor

that they add and the onions will start

to caramelize then we can remove this

from the stovetop and then just transfer

it into a plate placing the same pan or

pot back over a high heat added another

20 milliliters of grapeseed oil or any

neutral flavored oil add in the chicken

when the panel pot is nice and hot along

with a nice pinch of sea salt flakes to

taste and then spread this out just so

the chicken's not sitting all on top of

one another if your pounder pot is too

small I recommend doing this in

batteries as well and this can then just

be seared for three minutes to get a

nice brown color on the outer edges

after three minutes this can be given a

good mix around and we're just going to

continue cooking for another three

minutes the color doesn't matter too

much because the sauce will add a really

nice color to it also you might get a

little bit of water in the bottom of the

pan if this does happen I do recommend

draining it off otherwise the chicken

will Steam and then it will become like

rubber like I said you can use chicken

thighs which I'll leave all of the

details about in the description after

six minutes in total add in the garlic

and ginger paste and mix this around to

cook for 45 seconds all we need to do

here is just break up that making sure

that it's not clamped up just to get the

infusion into the chicken next add in

the sauteed or stir-fried veggies mixing

it again for another 30 to 40 seconds

just to get the flavor of those veggies

mixed into the chicken or in other words

the flavors can become friends with that

all done we can then add in the sweet

and sour sauce making sure to give it a

little whisk before we add it in because

the corn flour can sit at the bottom

then we're just going to bring this to a

boil and cook for two minutes which will

make the corn flour or starch react

thickening it up really well and getting

everything coated in that delicious

sauce there's not a whole lot to this

it's really really simple just mix and

stir until the sauce is thickened up

lastly this is completely optional just

add in a couple of sesame seeds honestly

I didn't even weigh them it's probably

about a tablespoon's worth just give

these a quick mix through until

everything's mixed really well and then

we can turn this off the heat and remove

it from the stovetop and like always the

sweet and sour chicken macros as well as

the portion sizes as for serving up you

would have seen in the macro cards

throughout the video I did actually put

the portion weights in there but if you

want to make your life easier just

portion everything by five if you have a

little bit of leftover sauce make sure

to top it off between the five and then

we can garnish with spring onion or

scallion chili or even more sesame seeds

it's up to you but we're then left with

these absolutely delicious sweet and

sour chicken and that soft fluffy

basmati rice the macros offer the

complete dish you can see the whites and

all the calories fats carbs and proteins

storage on these they will last up to

four days in the fridge and four months

in the freezer if you're using the meal

prep containers that I have they do come

with a vacuum pump and this will

actually extract the air reducing

oxidization and it will last an extra

day in the fridge which is really cool

I'm not trying to sell you something but

there is a link in the description if

you are interested I just want to help

you guys out once all of that's done

we're then left with the best part and

we can then dig in

you'll probably never guessed this but

it is actually sweet and sour this is a

really good recipe tastes really really

nice it's super easy to make and it's

quite cheap as well and will last you

the week or the weeks ahead depending on

how you store it once again I just want

to thank you all so so much for all of

the love and support we hit 500 000

subscribers it is literally a dream come

true for me every single day and I can't

thank you all enough so thanks for

watching and I'll see you in the next

one