A Chef's Case Against Meal Prep (And What to Do Instead)
Before we get into it, I have a question for you.
What day of the week does your meal prep usually fall apart? Like, what’s the day you open the fridge, look at the container, and think “I can’t do this again” and reach for your phone instead?
For me it was always Wednesday. I want to know yours. Drop it in the comments or hit reply. I have a theory about why this happens, and your answers will help me prove it. Okay, now let me get something off my chest about meal prep.
Every Sunday night, my feed fills up with the same image: rows of identical plastic containers, perfectly portioned, lined up like little edible soldiers. Chicken breast, rice, broccoli. Repeat x5. A caption that says something like “Set for the week!”
And every time I see it, I think the same thing: that’s not how any restaurant kitchen on earth operates.
In restaurants, we don’t cook the same plate five times and stack them in a walk-in. We cook one thing — one base, one protein, one batch — and then we turn it into completely different dishes throughout the week. The chicken that’s in Monday’s special becomes Tuesday’s taco filling becomes Wednesday’s soup base.
That’s not meal prep. That’s meal planning. And there’s a massive difference.
Meal prep says: cook everything on Sunday, eat the same thing five times, be bored by Wednesday, order DoorDash by Thursday.
Meal planning says: cook one base well, then transform it. Different flavors. Different textures. Different meals. Same effort.
This is the framework I want to teach you — not just recipes, but how to think about your week the way a chef would. And this week’s recipe is the perfect example.
This Week’s Fix: Your Shredded Chicken Is Dry
Here’s something I see constantly: people make shredded chicken by boiling chicken breasts in plain water, pulling them out, and then attacking them with two forks.
The result? Dry, stringy, flavorless protein that tastes like punishment by Day 2.
The chef diagnosis: Two problems. First, you’re using the wrong cut because chicken breasts dry out fast. Second, you’re pulling the chicken out of the liquid to shred it. All that flavor stays in the pot while your chicken sits on a cutting board getting drier by the second.
The fix:
Use thighs, not breasts. Chicken thighs have more fat and connective tissue. That means they braise without drying out. In restaurants, thighs are the go-to for any dish that involves shredding, pulling, or long cooking.
Build flavor in the pot first. Don’t just boil chicken in water. Sear it. Build a sauce. Let the chicken absorb flavor as it cooks.
Shred the chicken IN the sauce. This is the move most people miss. When the chicken is tender, shred it right in the pot. The fibers soak up all that smoky, tomatoey liquid. By the time you’re done, every strand of chicken is coated in flavor.
That’s the difference between meal prep chicken that tastes like cardboard by Wednesday and chicken that actually gets better as it sits.
This Week’s Base: Smoky Chicken Tinga
This is a classic Mexican braise a smoky chipotle, fire-roasted tomatoes, tender shredded chicken. It’s the kind of dish that smells incredible while it cooks and tastes even better the next day. One pot. About 40 minutes of work. Feeds you all week.
The full recipe with ingredients, step-by-step method, chef’s notes, a complete grocery list, and all three meal builds is in this week’s free PDF:
But here’s the quick version of why this recipe works as your weekly base: you sear chicken thighs for a flavor crust, build a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce in the same pot, braise until fork-tender, then shred the chicken directly in the sauce. The apple cider vinegar at the end brightens the whole thing. Total cost is about $12–15 for six to eight servings.
Now let me show you what to do with it.
The Weekly Plan: One Pot, Three Completely Different Meals
This is where meal planning beats meal prep. You made one pot of tinga. Now watch it become three meals that don’t taste, look, or feel like the same dish.
Meal 1: Tinga Tostadas (Monday/Tuesday)
Crispy, crunchy, fresh. This is tinga in its most classic form.
Assembly (10 minutes):
Warm tinga in a skillet until heated through
Spread refried beans on crispy tostada shells (store-bought is fine)
Pile on the warm tinga
Top with: shredded lettuce or cabbage, crumbled queso fresco, pickled red onion, sliced avocado, a squeeze of lime
Why this works first: The tinga is at peak freshness, the tostada format is hands-on and satisfying, and the cold toppings contrast the warm chicken. It feels like a meal, not leftovers.
Meal 2: Tinga Burrito Bowls (Wednesday/Thursday)
Completely different vibe. Hearty, warm, filling.
Assembly (15 minutes):
Cook rice (or use leftover rice — microwave with a splash of water and a damp paper towel)
Warm tinga
Layer in a bowl: rice, black beans (canned, drained and warmed), tinga, corn (frozen works great, just thaw), diced tomato, a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sour cream
Optional: hot sauce, cilantro, lime wedge
Why this works mid-week: The rice and beans stretch the tinga further, so you’re using less chicken per serving. The bowl format is different enough from tostadas that it doesn’t feel repetitive. And black beans add fiber and protein without any extra cooking.
Meal 3: Smoky Tinga Quesadillas (Friday)
Fast. Crispy. The perfect Friday-night-I-don’t-want-to-think meal.
Assembly (10 minutes):
Spread tinga on one half of a large flour tortilla
Add shredded cheese (Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, or whatever you have)
Fold and cook in a dry skillet over medium heat, 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crispy
Cut into wedges, dip in salsa or guacamole
Why this works last: By Friday, you want zero effort. The cheese and tortilla add richness. The tinga has been marinating in its sauce all week and is now at peak flavor. The crispy exterior gives it a completely new texture.
How to Think About This
Notice what happened here. You cooked once — about 40 minutes of active work on Sunday. But you ate three completely different meals throughout the week:
Monday: Crispy tostadas with fresh, crunchy toppings
Wednesday: A warm, hearty grain bowl
Friday: Quick, melty quesadillas
Different textures. Different formats. Different supporting ingredients. Same base.
That’s the system. Not five identical containers. Not eating the same thing until you hate it. One well-made base that transforms.
And next week? Different protein, different flavor profile, same framework. That’s how restaurants think. And now you can too.
Your Turn
Make the tinga this weekend. Follow the weekly plan. Then come back and tell me two things:
Did the shred-in-the-pot method make a difference?
Which of the three meals was your favorite?
And don’t forget to answer the question at the top — what day does your meal prep usually fall apart? I’m reading every response.
— CulinaryBrief
P.S. If this kind of framework, one base, multiple meals, practical weekly plans — is what you want more of, share this newsletter with someone who needs to hear that meal prep doesn’t have to mean five sad containers. They can subscribe for free right here.
What day of the week does your meal prep usually fail you?