If someone wants to build muscle and could only eat one meal for the rest of their life, what should that person eat? Chicken, rice and broccoli?
I would go with red meat (steak or lamb chops - more nutritious than chicken, great omega 3 ratio etc), sweet potato (my favorite carb source) and whatever veggies / fruits tickle your fancy (red meat would cover most nutrient requirements except vitamin C so get some variety here. I would choose carrot, capsicum, cucumber, blueberries, strawberries and banana).
A pretty odd combination but if I had to eat only one meal, the above would hit all my nutrient needs + taste good (obviously the fruit would be eaten at the end of the ‘meal’)
Chicken, rice and broccoli is good for maintaining lean mass while reducing bodyfat, but over time you’ll end up deficient in healthy fats that regulate hormone function and probably a variety of micronutrients.
Need more specifics. 1 meal per day? 3 of the same meal per day? 6 per day? Also is the person overweight, or thin? Is this person starting to resistance train as well? Too many variables.
A thin person eating only chicken, rice, and broccoli may not get sufficient calories. An overweight person might be able to recomp eating only chicken, rice, and broccoli paired with training.