Chicken Pinwheel & Couscous Two-Way Boxes

Ingredients

Shared chicken and cucumber

• 600 g boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 even cutlets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 medium cucumber (250 g), divided

Kid version: 2 boxes

• 2 whole-wheat tortillas, about 8 inches and 40 g each
• ½ cup (50 g) shredded cheddar
• 2 tbsp (30 g) plain Greek yogurt
• 100 g strawberries, hulled and halved or sliced
• 2 small mandarins, peeled and segmented

Adult version: 2 boxes

• ½ cup (85 g) dry whole-wheat couscous
• ½ cup (120 mL) boiling water, or package-required amount
• 1 red bell pepper (150 g), seeded and sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil, for the pepper
• ¼ cup (40 g) crumbled feta
• ½ cup (115 g) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Equipment

Sheet pan, skillet, heatproof bowl, instant-read thermometer

Allergens and ingredient notes: Wheat, milk. Check tortillas and feta labels for other allergens.

Step by step

1. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss pepper strips with their 1 tsp oil and roast on a lined pan 20–25 minutes until tender. Cover couscous with boiling water using its package ratio; stand covered for the package time, then fluff.
2. Season chicken with paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Heat its 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook cutlets 5–7 minutes per side until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove to a clean plate, drizzle with the shared 1 tbsp lemon juice, and rest 5 minutes.
3. Slice chicken and divide the cooked amount into 5 equal portions: reserve 2 portions for the kid versions and 3 for the adult versions. Refrigerate chicken, peppers, and couscous promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours and chill fully.
4. Kid version: use one of the 5 chicken portions per tortilla. Spread each tortilla with 1 tbsp kid yogurt, add half the kid cheddar and finely chopped chicken, then roll tightly and cut into 6 pinwheels. Cut 100 g of the cucumber into short sticks and split between the 2 boxes. Add half the strawberries and 1 mandarin’s segments to each, kept separate.
5. Adult version: mix the adult yogurt with its lemon juice and parsley, and divide into 2 leakproof cups. Divide couscous, roasted peppers, the remaining 150 g cucumber diced, and feta between 2 boxes. Split the 3 reserved chicken portions equally over them.
6. Label the 2 kid boxes and 2 adult boxes so each version is clear. Add one adult sauce cup to each adult box. Eat both versions chilled, adding adult sauce at lunch.

The Devotti twist: The same seasoned chicken takes two genuinely different forms: tightly rolled cheddar bites and a grain bowl with a brighter herb finish.

How to pack

Keep fruit and cucumber away from kid pinwheels in separate cups. Adult sauce travels sealed; couscous and peppers must be fully chilled before packing. Both versions require cold transport.

Swaps and preferences

Kid option: pack tortilla, cheese, and chicken separately if mixed textures are not preferred. Adult option: omit feta if desired, or use a suitable alternative. Adjust portions to appetite; this batch specifically makes 2 of each version.

For cold lunches, pack fully chilled perishable food in an insulated bag with at least two cold sources. Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and refrigerate on arrival when possible. Discard perishables left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).

Make ahead and storage

Refrigerate all cooked components within 2 hours for up to 3 days. Assemble kid pinwheels no more than 1 day ahead; cut produce is best within 2 days.