Batch cooking helps these Chicken Meatball Rice Bowls come together quickly. It’s a well-balanced weeknight dinner that the whole family loves.

We eat a lot of big nourishing power bowls in January. It just works well to have pre-cooked food stashed in the fridge and freezer, and family members can build their own dinners.

These versatile chicken meatballs can be prepped in big batches and frozen, ready for when you need a fast meal. They are light and full of flavour, thanks to fresh ginger, green onions and a splash of sesame oil.

The Versatile Chicken Meatball

In January, we eat from the pantry as much as possible. The food budget has been blown over the holidays and we’re turning to rustic comfort food.

Always a fan of batch cooking, I’ll cook up a big pot of beans and bake my brown rice pilaf as a base ingredient. for our power bowls.

But my active kids always like extra protein, and that’s where these chicken meatballs come in. They are so quick to make and pair well with rice, noodle and pasta.

Today they are serve up in a rice bowl; tomorrow these meatballs could be tucked into a Bahn-mi style sandwich. We also like to stir fry a pan of noodles with seasonal vegetables, then top it off with meatballs for a fast dinner.

Batch Cooking Chicken Meatballs & Rice

A favourite from the Simple Bites archives, these Glazed Ginger Chicken Meatballs are broiled on a sheet pan, which means they cook up quickly with minimal fuss.

The recipe makes between 24 and 30 meatballs, depending on how small you roll them. This means half for family dinner and half for the freezer!

Remember, we already learned about batch cooking and freezing grains. So, yes, if you really want to meal prep to the max, your rice can be made ahead and stashed in the freezer.

A day in advance, thaw both the meatballs and the rice in the fridge, then build your power bowl from there.

Add-Ins for Chicken Meatball Rice Bowls

Once we have the base of rice and chicken meatballs, it’s time to get creative with add-ins and toppings. This is when my zero waste training kicks in, and I take the opportunity to use up odds and ends in the fridge and pantry.

A quick cucumber salad is fresh and tasty, but in winter I’m turning to a big scoop of kimchi. This Korean pantry staple pairs so well with the meatballs and brings a welcome touch of heat to the dish.

Here are a few more ideas for rounding out your power bowl with vegetables.

Carrot Salad with Cilantro & Cinnamon ~ Crunchy, sweet and tangy, this salad provides balance to the rice and chicken.
Simple Charred Broccoli ~ When you need greens on the plate! This easy broccoli cooks up quickly and is loved by all.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower – This one takes some time but is well worth the effort.
Roasted Squash with Yogurt – a perfectly wintery side dish with strong comfort food vibes.

If you’re obsessed with dinner in a bowl, as I am, check out How to Build Power Bowls for recipes, tips and inspiration. And here’s are two favourite Winter Power Bowls – rice noodle base with peanut sauce.