by My main role was preparing diced and raw vegetables, cooking grains and meats, and assembling the final dish using sauces and anticipated pantry ingredients like nuts and dried fruit. As an experienced cook, he found it manageable to prepare exactly what was given and not to keep track of anything more complicated than cooking grains next to browning meat. I didn’t have to dig deep for ingredients from my own shops – just salt, pepper and cooking oil. I didn’t need much special equipment either. One recipe called for a stove pan to the oven, but I could have improvised if I didn’t have one.
While I don’t think all the cooking was at a beginner level, I liked the Green Chef meal kits as a way to learn more about different cooking methods. An issue with one recipe was that the cooking method didn’t match the ingredients well, and I ended up with a dry chicken breast because I cooked it to the full recommended time. Overall though, the recipes were easy to read and the instructions simple to follow. Nothing was particularly difficult to execute, but I definitely got my hands dirty, which is part of the fun.
The easiest dish to cook was the Truffle-herb Linguine, which was basically just boiling the pasta and preparing a very basic sauce with mushrooms, truffle butter, peas, and a cream sauce base. It took less than the allotted 30 minutes, and the only prep work was cleaning and slicing the mushrooms.
The Corn and Bean Stuffed Pepper was the opposite, requiring the most prep, including cleaning and chopping the vegetables, preparing the rice, making the filling, making the base, and the peppers. filling and cooking. It was still in the ballpark of the recommended time frame, but if you’re not a quick study, it could easily take longer. However, I was grateful that all the dishes, including this one, came with prepared sauces.
Each of the remaining dishes had multiple components to juggle. They didn’t feel as challenging or hit the culinary sweet spot enough to feel accomplished, but they came together without much friction.
For the Shrimp and Spice Fajita-Style Steak, I cooked the two proteins separately on the stovetop, preparing the steak first, and got the veggies into the oven. This was very clever and effective. None of the elements were overcooked or undercooked, and they were all ready to eat at the same time. The recipe also called for heating the tortillas, which was a nice touch.
The Herbed Turkey and Kale Bulgur Bowls involved a fair amount of knife work, but none of it was too complicated and would be a great learning experience for a newbie. If you’ve never cooked whole grains before, this meal provides a great lesson. Apart from those tasks, the rest involved browning the meat and sauteing the kale and assembling the bulgur base. The two herb sauces included elevated this dish, and it required no more work than opening the packet.
The only dish that troubled me was the Mediterranean Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Pepita Pesto, although taste-wise it ended up being a favorite. This was largely due to the thin cuts of chicken served. The recipe calls for a sear top and an oven, which made the chicken a bit dry, but this cooking method would make sense with a thicker cut. The brussels sprouts turned out great, though, and I would totally order this dish again just with my own adjustments to the cooking time. This dish was the only one that required a stove pan to the oven, which not every family has, so the method felt unnecessary.
Tasting the Meals
Green Chef’s meals never lacked flavor, and there was always an impressive profile that was balanced and robust. However, the overall salt content and seasoning was a bit potent. But you could always omit some of the sauces or add a little less salt.
In terms of cooking time and texture, almost every dish was spot on. Apart from the slightly dry chicken in one meal, the meat was juicy; the vegetables were snappy; and every meal was filling and satisfying. I would consider ordering some of my favorites again or riffing on those recipes to recreate them at home. I could even see ordering some of the meals that weren’t top of our list and making substitutions more to our tastes.
The Fajita-Style Shrimp and Steak Tacos were a favorite in my house, although we agreed it could use a side dish. The tacos were flavorful and succulent, and the instructions didn’t dry out the meat at all.
Our next choice was the Mediterranean Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Pepita Pesto. Although I like a carbohydrate ingredient, this meal was one of the low carb options. It was satisfying and packed with herby, nutty flavors. The pesto had a lot of punch, and the combination of feta and almonds with the Brussels sprouts added richness.
Third on the list: Herbed Turkey and Kale Bulgur Bowls. I’m a whole grain fan, and I really liked this. The prepared sauces gave the nutty bulgur an herbal kick, and the apricots and pistachios were a nice textural contrast. All in all, I would be happy to eat this or something like it every day.
While they didn’t necessarily taste bad, we didn’t like the Herb Linguine Truffle Cream and Corn and Bean Stuffed Peppers. Some people in my house liked the pasta, and I didn’t think the truffle flavor was too overpowering, but others didn’t like the truffle flavor. The stuffed peppers didn’t provide much texture or flavor.
Nutritional Quality of Meals
I would love to see a little more information on how Green Chef defines its labels for brain health, Mediterranean, and protein packed food menus – I couldn’t find much expertise on the website. In the absence of evidence-based guidelines, we cannot be sure that these claims are not misleading. That said, full nutritional information, including allergen information, is easily accessible for all dishes during menu selection, so people with dietary restrictions or concerns can make informed choices.
Overall, my recommendation is to do your due diligence and review the nutrition information available. Also make sure you can balance some of the nutrients in these meals while making other daily choices. One meal does not necessarily make or break your health; it’s the whole picture that matters.
