Lunch

Pasta + grilled chicken + broccoli

Cooks in 20 min, reheats in a thermos. Pre-portion for the week on Sunday.

What you need

Ingredients

Making for

4 servings

Quantities scale linearly with servings. Round to the nearest practical amount when shopping.

1
Boil the pasta
Boil 12 oz whole-grain pasta in heavily salted water until al dente, about 9 minutes. Save ½ cup pasta water before draining.
9:00
Common mistake: Forgetting to salt the water. Salt the water like the sea. Unsalted pasta tastes flat no matter how good the sauce is.
2
Steam the broccoli
Cut 2 cups broccoli florets. Steam for 4 minutes or microwave covered with 2 tbsp water for 3 minutes. They should be bright green and just tender.
4:00
3
Sear the chicken
Season 1 lb chicken breast strips with salt + pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium-high. Cook the chicken 4 minutes per side until golden and 165°F internal.
8:00
4
Toss together
In a big bowl, combine drained pasta, broccoli, chicken, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, salt, and a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen. Toss until everything is coated.
5
Portion and cool
Divide into 4 meal-prep containers. Cool completely on the counter before sealing, otherwise condensation makes everything soggy by Tuesday.
Common mistake: Sealing warm food. Steam condenses inside the lid, drips back, makes everything soggy by day two. Always cool first.

Pasta water is the secret. The starch helps the oil cling to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom.
Reheat tip: add a splash of water before microwaving so it does not dry out.
Athletes need carbs. Do not skimp on the pasta portion just because the internet told you to.