Why do we need quick and easy dinner ideas? Because life is busy! And the older your kids get, the busier life seems to be! Between the soccer practices and music lessons, the appointments for the doctor, the dentist and the optometrist, playdates and field trips, when do you have time for home-cooked meals? Your family still needs to eat, and while there are plenty of convenience options, cooking from scratch is still the better option in most cases. It’s healthier, and in a lot of cases, cheaper.
One of my favorite go-to, quick and easy dinner ideas is a simple chicken dinner. There are so many different ways to prepare this, that it’s like having a different dinner every night! Plus, done right, you almost always get leftovers for lunches, or to add to more meal options.
Step 1: Pick your chicken.
It really doesn’t matter what part of the bird you use for this type of meal. You can use chicken breasts, chicken thighs, even filets. Boneless, unseasoned cuts work the best, as we’ll add our own seasoning, and boneless pieces will cut down on the cooking time.
You can use this process with different types of meat too. Pork chops, beef cuts, and turkey all work well with this recipe.
If frozen, thaw your meat before cooking.
Once you have your meat cut chosen, lay it out on a lined cookie sheet, in a single layer, or in a glass casserole dish in a single layer.
Step 2: Pick your flavor.
Now we get to add the seasonings. Again, it’s super flexible here. All you’ll do is spread your flavoring over top of your meat in the baking pan.
Try a condensed cream soup – cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, cream of broccoli, or whatever you like. Spread the condensed cream soup over the meat with a large soup spoon.
Try salsa or barbecue sauce. Just spoon over each piece in your pan.
Of course, you can always use traditional marinades or rubs. Rather than rubbing on directly, sprinkle or pour over the meat in the baking dish and leave it there. We’re aiming for quick and easy dinner ideas, not restaurant-chef-worthy meals.
I’ve even just used a combination of spices mixed in water, vegetable oil, or sour cream. Garlic & oregano, lemon pepper & basil, rosemary & thyme all make for great flavor combinations. If using a dried spice or herb flavoring, make sure you have a base carrier for the flavor.
For a really interesting flavor option, try using a jam or marmalade. Apricot jam or applesauce are amazing on chicken, ham slices, or pork chops.
Spread your flavoring over your meat in the baking dish, making sure to cover all exposed surfaces of the meat as much as possible.
Step 3: Cooking!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. And once you’ve got everything together, pop it in, uncovered. Bake for 30-45 minutes, and test for doneness. More liquid tends to mean a slower cooking time, and the size of your meat cuts will make a difference too. Plus, every oven varies in temperature.
While the meat is cooking, it’s time for the rest of your dinner.
Step 4: Sides
I tend to pick sides that are both filling and fast, so we do a lot of pasta and rice. Rice can be done in 20 minutes — and for extra flavor, I use stock broth or clear soups rather than water to cook it. Pasta can be done in 30 minutes, and you can add the sauce from your chicken dish to it, or make it cheesy, or just sprinkle herbs and butter!
You can also bake potatoes alongside your meat in the same oven. Wash & pat dry, poke holes in the potato with a fork, wrap in tin foil and lay directly on the grill in the oven.
Add in a nice salad, or cut up fresh veggies, and you’ve got a basic, quick-and-easy meal ready to go.
Voila – dinner. Easy.
Step 5: Leftovers?
The best part of doing a meal like this is that it’s easy to deliberately make leftovers. And leftover cooked chicken is so versatile.
Use the leftovers to make a soup. Add your chicken, leftover rice or pasta, and your cut up veggies into a pot with water, add in a little salt and any more flavorings you want, and simmer.
Or use the leftovers to make sandwiches! Slice thin and layer with cheese, lettuce & a little salad dressing on bread. Yum.
You can even add cut up pieces to the leftover pasta and top with cheese, then bake for 15 minutes for a nice casserole. Or fry with the rice and leftover veggies with a little soya sauce or something for a quick stir fry.
Quick and easy dinner ideas all start with a basic chicken dinner.
