Bento contents:

• 100g / 3 oz (approx.) Grilled Garlic Chicken, 120 cal
• Yogurt dressing from same page, using 2 Tbs. Greek (thick) yogurt, 40 cal
• 2 small bread rolls, 90 cal
• Steamed broccoli, shredded carrot, lettuce, arugula (rucola or rocket), total about 60 cal
• 1 fairly large orange (not seen in photo), 80 cal

Total calories (approx): 390 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 10-15 minutes in the morning (you could cut this down by making some things in advance)

Type: Salad!

Bento contents:

• Approx. 1 cup of _zakkokumai_ (mixed grain rice with beans, seeds, etc.) - 220 cal
• 2 Tbs. Red Peppers With Maple Syrup and Chili, 20 cal
• 4 Sweet-Sour Red Wine Vinegar Chicken (skin on), 200 cal
• Blanched Chinese broccoli with yukari, 10 cal

Total calories (approx): 450 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 15-20 minutes in the morning (you could cut this down by making some things in advance)

Type: Japanese, chicken, Bento Challenge!

I've been working on a some recipes which work when I just throw them together, but aren't quite ready for prime time publishing here. So the meantime here are a couple of bentos that are too similar to other bentos already shown here, but may be of interest to look at anyway. Both feature chicken recipes from the recent chicken mini-marathon.

Bento contents:

• 2 slices of bread, 85 cal each - 170 cal
• Pan-fried salty chicken, 2 small chicken thighs totalling 70g (2.5oz) with skin, 150 cal
• About 1/3-1/2 cup carrot kinpira, 50 cal
• Lettuce and cherry tomatoes, 5 cal
• 1/3 cucumber with dill, 10 cal
• 1/2 Tbs. mayonnaise (in apple shaped container), 50 cal

Total calories (approx): 435 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 5-10 minutes in the morning

Bento contents:

• A bit more than 1 cup of carrot rice (microwave method) made with white rice, 220 cal
• Panfried chicken mini-burgers using about 80g of dark skinless chicken meat, 150 cal
• 2 Tbs. Cooked to death hot and sweet peppers, 40 cal
• 2 green shiso leaves for garnish (more about shiso)

Total calories (approx): 400 (how calories are calculated)

Bento contents:

• Approx. 1 cup of white rice, 200 cal, with a little furikake on top
• Stewed chicken dumplings and carrot using about 90g of dark skinless chicken meat, 120 cal
• Blanched green beans, 30 cal
• 2 cherry tomatoes, 5 cal (if that)

Total calories (approx): 355 (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 5-10 minutes in the morning, just to pack everything in the bento box

Type: Japanese, chicken!