Chicken and Spinach Egg Cups with onion, bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese! This easy grab-and-go high-protein breakfast is a great way to start the day and ideal for meal prep.
I’m all about starting the day with adequate protein, whether that comes from an egg scramble, protein pancakes, or even just eating a hunk of meat leftover from the night before.
While I’m never fancy when it comes to breakfast, I do love the concept of a meal prep breakfast that can be made in advance to make mornings easy.
The best part about egg muffin cups is you can customize them to your heart’s delight. Simply use your favorite veggies, cheese, and animal protein to make different flavors you love.
These Chicken and Spinach Egg Cups are a great high-protein breakfast, giving you 10 grams of protein and 103 calories per egg muffin.
My first meal of the day typically includes 30 grams of protein (or more), because I lift weights and eat a high-protein diet.
So a normal breakfast for me would look like three of these egg muffins, some sauteed vegetables, and possibly toast or a pancake. I’m all about that fiber and keeping meals balanced when possible.
For those who follow a low-carb or keto diet, this is a great low carb breakfast that requires very little effort.
The full macronutrient breakdown for this make-ahead breakfast is in the recipe card below for inquiring minds.
All that said, you can gauge how many of these little mini frittatas you need based on your level of activity, targeted macros, or hunger level.
Let’s chat about the simple ingredients needed to make this easy chicken and spinach egg cups recipe.
Ingredients for Chicken and Spinach Egg Cups:
Avocado Oil or Olive Oil: Used to sauté the vegetables, we need a little cooking oil. I use avocado oil but olive oil, butter, or coconut oil also work.
Whole Eggs and Egg Whites: A combination of eggs and egg whites bring us tender, delicious mini egg casseroles with a solid ratio of protein to fat. I’m often asked if my breakfast casserole recipes can be made with egg whites to cut down on the fat, and the answer is always yes!
The easiest way to source egg whites is to pick up a carton of pure egg whites from the grocery store. You can find these cartons right next to the regular eggs. I go this route over separating the egg yolks from the whites because I often don’t have a use for just the yolks so I don’t typically save them.
Cooked Chicken Breast: Use either store-bought pre-cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken, or chop up leftover chicken for the egg muffin recipe. I use 6 ounces of store-bought pre-cooked chicken breast (True Story is the brand I use). You can easily replace it with any type of deli meat, ground sausage, ground turkey, etc.
Onion, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomatoes: The vegetables I love using in this recipe for great flavor and nutrients! I use yellow onion and red bell pepper, but red onions or any color of bell pepper works.
Feta Cheese: Bringing a lovely tang to the muffins, I use feta cheese. Pick your favorite cheese!
Seasonings: I don’t add any salt to the muffins and find they have plenty of flavor; however, feel free to add sea salt, black pepper, and any dried herbs like oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, etc.
Recipe Adaptations:
- You can use cherry tomatoes instead of sun-dried tomatoes, or mix and match your favorite vegetables. Zucchini, sweet potato, broccoli, grated carrots, artichoke hearts, green onions, and olives are all great additions!
- Add one teaspoon of garlic powder or 3 cloves of garlic if you have either on hand.
- If you prefer a different type of cheese, feel free to use it! Cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepper jack cheese, goat cheese, and gouda are all great options. For a dairy-free option, you can either omit the cheese altogether or use your favorite dairy-free cheese.
- If you have fresh herbs on hand, such as fresh basil, thyme, or oregano, feel free to add it in.
- Cooked bacon bits or leftover ham are always a lovely addition.
Now that we’re pros at formulating the best egg muffin cups, let’s bake a batch of these healthy egg cups!
How to Make Egg Cups:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. Add in the bell pepper and spinach and continue cooking and stirring until spinach has wilted.
Stir in the chopped chicken and sun-dried tomatoes.
Spray the holes of a muffin tin with cooking spray (this makes it easy to remove the egg muffins from the muffin pan after baking).
Divide the spinach and chicken mixture evenly among the 12 muffin holes.
In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and egg whites. Add any seasonings you like here, such as dried herbs or salt. I like using a mixing bowl that has a pour spout to make it easy to pour the egg mixture. A large measuring cup (3 cups or larger) will work too.
Pour the beaten eggs into the muffin holes, filling the muffin holes most of the way up. Sprinkle the tops with feta cheese.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins are cooked through.
If you have a meat thermometer on hand, you can check the internal temperature of the muffins using a thermometer. They are fully cooked once they reach a minimum of 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
Allow the mini frittatas to cool completely. If you try releasing the muffins from the tray before they are entirely cooled, some of the muffin will stick to the bottom of the pan. Once cooled, run a butter knife between the sides of the muffin tray and the egg muffins to help release them from the tray.
Serve and enjoy! Whip up a batch of hash browns to go alongside this egg muffins recipe as a great option for weekend breakfasts with the whole family.
Store egg muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
And that’s it!
An easy breakfast egg cups recipe that you can make in advance to have as a tasty breakfast for busy mornings.
If you love simple grab and go recipes like this, also try out these gems!
More Grab-and-Go Breakfast Recipes:
- Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal Muffin Cups
- Mediterranean Breakfast Casserole
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Muffins
- Roasted Veggie and Avocado Breakfast Burritos
- Vanilla Chai Overnight Oats
What will you put in your egg cups??
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 6 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped*
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 5 large eggs
- ¾ cup egg whites, about 6 egg whites
- ½ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. Add in the bell pepper and spinach and continue cooking and stirring until spinach has wilted. Stir in the chopped chicken and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Spray the holes of a muffin tin with cooking spray (this makes it easy to remove the egg muffins from the muffin pan after baking).
- Divide the spinach and chicken mixture evenly among the 12 muffin holes.
- In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and egg whites. Add any seasonings you like here, such as dried herbs or salt. I like using a mixing bowl that has a pour spout to make it easy to pour the egg mixture. A large measuring cup (3 cups or larger) will work too.
- Pour the beaten eggs into the muffin holes, filling the muffin holes most of the way up. Sprinkle the tops with feta cheese.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins are cooked through.
- If you have a meat thermometer on hand, you can check the internal temperature of the muffins using a thermometer. They are fully cooked once they reach a minimum of 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow the mini frittatas to cool completely. If you try releasing the muffins from the tray before they are entirely cooled, some of the muffin will stick to the bottom of the pan. Once cooled, run a butter knife between the sides of the muffin tray and the egg muffins to help release them from the tray.
- Serve and enjoy! Whip up a batch of hash browns or home fries to go alongside this egg muffins recipe as a great option for weekend breakfasts with the whole family.
Notes
Nutrition
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Jen
Monday 20th of March 2023
Could these be frozen?
Julia
Tuesday 21st of March 2023
Absolutely! I would allow the egg cups to cool completely then individually wrap them in plastic wrap and store all of them in a large zip lock bag for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you want to eat them, you can allow them to thaw overnight in your refrigerator, or you can reheat them in the microwave. Hope you enjoy! xo