Custom-made fancy lunches are fun, but in all honesty, my packed work lunches almost always consist of leftovers. Why should it be any different for the rest of the family?
Today’s LunchBots Duo is packed with: My Sister’s Phenomenal Green Chicken, Roasted Rosemary Almonds, and crudités.
I always make extra Green Chicken so I can munch on the leftovers. These drumettes make for an an easy and delicious grab-and-go lunch option. Go ahead and pack your lunchbox the night before; everything tastes great cold. (Of course, if you don’t share my love for cold chicken drumettes, you can always keep them in an insulated container like a LunchBots Thermal.)
And if eating leftovers means I get to sleep in a teeny bit more the next morning, that’s just icing on the cake.
To assemble this lunchbox, prepare My Sister’s Phenomenal Green for dinner the night before.
I usually make this dish with drumsticks or thighs and grill the green chicken pieces on the barbecue.
My kiddos, however, prefer drumettes, which is fine by me ’cause they’re a breeze to make in the oven. Simply arrange a rack in the middle position in the oven and preheat it to 400°F on convection roast (or 425°F on the regular setting). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and place a wire rack on top. Then, arrange the chicken on the greased wire rack, and roast ’em for 30 minutes (flipping midway) or until the drumettes turn golden brown.
For an extra burst of umami, brush on some unused marinade after the mini drumsticks are done cooking. (Make sure you use the marinade that you set aside before dunking in the raw chicken parts. Otherwise, you’ll turn green, too.) And after you’ve filled your belly at the dinner table, throw some leftovers into a lunchbox.
Along with the chicken, pack some Roasted Rosemary Almonds, too. They’re a cinch to make, and can be prepared ahead of time as well. Gather five simple pantry ingredients (almonds, dried rosemary, fat of choice, salt, and pepper)…
…and you’ll have a crunchy and savory treat in just 15 minutes.
For some added crunch, chop up your favorite veggies (e.g. carrots, cucumbers, radishes, jicama, etc.) and add them to the box. (If you’re someone who refuses to eat raw veggies without a dipping sauce, check out the options I posted on Day 1 of this series. I think a spiced-up Paleo Mayonnaise dip sounds like a pretty good pairing, don’t you?)
Again, feel free to mix and match. Prefer the Mixed Fruit Salad from yesterday? Go for it. Want to eat your chicken with leftover Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice, Roasted Broccoli with Bacon, or a big ol’ pile of Zoodles? Go crazy.
Then, snap on the lid and store your lunch in the fridge before heading to bed.
In the morning, just plop your lunchbox into your bag (along with an ice pack to keep everything chilly) and head out the door. Done and done!
Can you believe we’re already more than halfway through the week? If you’re looking for more ideas, check out Parts 1 and 2 and last year’s series of Paleo School Lunches, too. And as always, if you have some special ideas for packed lunches, please share your awesomeness in the comments below!
Happy eating!
[UPDATED: My entire five-part series is done! Check out my epic roundup of Paleo packed lunches here!]
Looking for more recipes? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPad® app, and in my cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel, December 2013).
