With these quick and healthy dinner ideas, you won’t have to compromise on your family’s nutrition or taste anymore.
In today’s fast paced life where we are always on the go, you hardly have time to think of dinner ideas and cook every evening. And the last thing you want to do is spending hours in the kitchen. In such cases, to refrain yourself from reaching out for those unhealthy take out menus, you can prepare dinner using the ingredients available at hand within half an hour! With such quick dinner ideas, you can give your family a healthy meal without slaving for hours in the kitchen.
Chicken and Tomato Casserole
Ingredients
- Plain flour, 1 tbsp.
- Olive oil, ¼ cup
- Chicken breast (cut into small pieces), 4 (120 g each)
- Onion (thinly sliced), 1
- Garlic cloves (crushed), 5
- Tomato paste, 2 tbsp.
- Pitted black olives and anchovies, 1 cup
- Pasta, to serve
- Red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp.
- Sun dried tomato pesto, 2 tbsp.
- Water, 1½ cups
- Mixed herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley (chopped), 2 tbsp.
Season the flour with salt and pepper, and toss the chicken pieces in it. Heat some olive oil in a pan, and add the chicken to it. Once the pieces turn brown on both sides, set them aside. Add the remaining oil in another pan, and sauté the onion in it for a couple of minutes till they turn soft. Add the garlic, olives, anchovies, and herbs to the pan, and cook for 1 minute. Add in the pesto, wine, and water. Add this mixture to the pan of chicken, and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve it with pasta and herbs.
Tropical Tuna Melts
Ingredients
- Tuna (drained and flaked), 1 (6 ounces) can
- Mayonnaise, 1 tbsp.
- Celery (finely chopped), 1 tbsp.
- Salt, ¼ tsp.
- Lemon-pepper seasoning, ¼ tsp.
- English muffins (toasted), 2
- Pineapple (sliced), 1 can
- Processed American cheese, 4 slices
Combine the tuna, mayonnaise, salt, and lemon pepper in a bowl and spread this mixture over the muffin halves. You can also use bagels instead of the muffins. Top each with a slice of pineapple and cheese and broil the sandwiches for 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts and turns light brown. You can serve this dish with different soups like mushroom soup or broccoli soup.
Confetti Corn Quesadillas
Ingredients
- Fresh corn kernels, 1 cup
- Olive oil, 2 tbsp.
- Dry zucchini (grated), 1 cup
- Cilantro (chopped), ¼ cup
- Jalapeño pepper (chopped), 1
- Black beans (drained and rinsed), 1½ cups
- Salt, ½ cup
- Freshly ground pepper, ¼ tsp.
- Chilly powder, 1 tsp.
- Flour tortillas, 8
Take a large bowl and toss the corn, zucchini, cilantro, jalapeño, beans, salt, chilly powder, and pepper in it. Stir in the cheese. Preheat the oven to 200 °F. Fill one half of each tortilla with the filling, and fold the other half over it. Heat the oil in a nonstick frypan, add 2 of the quesadillas in it, and cook them for about 2 minutes on each side. With each set you finish, transfer them to a baking sheet placed in the oven to keep them warm. Cut the quesadillas into wedges before serving.
Fettuccine With Sweet Cayenne Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- Dry fettuccine pasta, 12 ounces
- Red peppers (julienned), 2
- Garlic cloves (minced), 3
- Cayenne peppers, ¾ tsp.
- Sour cream, 1 cup
- Chicken broth, ¾ cup
- Parmesan cheese (grated), ¾ cup
Take a large pot, add some water and salt to it, and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta to the pot, and let it cook for about 10 minutes; then drain the water. Add some oil in a large skillet, and sauté the red bell peppers, garlic, and cayenne peppers in it for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and broth, and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the cheese, toss in the hot pasta, and season the dish with salt and pepper according to your taste. To make it more healthy and tasty, you can add cut up grilled chicken pieces to this dish.