You just got off work, picked the kids up from school, cleaned the house, and want nothing more than to just relax. Suddenly, everyone is expecting dinner and you are exhausted. Don’t slave away in the kitchen after a long hard day; try these quick and easy dinner ideas.
Thai-Style Beef Salad
Thai style salads are the perfect the harmony of sweet, sour, salty and spicy. The dressing is the star of the show for this dish, use a Thai-style fish sauce combined with fresh ginger, garlic, chilies, lime, and sugar. Slice a seared flank steak and coat with dressing. Add the steak to the salad consisting of fresh Bibb lettuce, cilantro, mint, cucumber and red onion. Top the salad with crushed peanuts for the perfect finish.
Chicken Parmesan Heros
Chicken Parmesan Heros are easy to build and can be achieved with minimal preparation. Use pre-made breaded chicken fingers or make your own. Split open a Deli-style roll and slather your chicken cutlet with your favorite marinara sauce and top with mozzarella cheese. This will be your go-to meal when you want something delicious, satisfying and simple.
Skillet Bratwurst and Sauerkraut
Showcase the flavors of Germany with a one-skillet bratwurst and sauerkraut dish that is sure to awaken your taste buds. After browning bratwurst or knackwurst in butter, add a combination of simmered onions, carrots, green apple, brown sugar, and sauerkraut. Achieve authentic German flavors in less than 30 minutes with this skillet dish.
Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon
Salmon is the perfect meal to prepare on the weeknights for its ease and simplicity. Maple syrup simmered with soy sauce to make the perfect glaze. Brush the glaze on the salmon fillets before searing in a skillet. Serve with sautéed bok-choy for a healthy and quick meal packed with nutrients.
Weeknight Frittata
Breakfast at the dinner table means good food served fast. Frittatas are similar to omelets and are easy to customize. Pick mix-ins that you already have in your fridge that you want to add to your frittata. Keep in mind that eggs cook fast, so use pre-cooked meats and sautéed veggies. Add scrambled eggs into the skillet along with the mix-ins and swirl it with a heat safe spatula. Let the eggs set in order to achieve delicate eggs with a firm outer crust. Flip the frittata onto a plate and top with cheese and you’ll have a meal in minutes with hardly any dishes to clean.
Weeknight Pizza
Making pizza at home is easy thanks to pre-made pizza dough available at the grocery store. Flour your surface, roll out the dough, coat with your favorite sauce and cover it with your favorite toppings before transferring to the oven. Bake your pizza at 450 degrees for 20 minutes for hot delicious homemade pizza in a jiffy.
Fish Tacos
Fish tacos are a fun twist to the weeknight meal and they are easy to prepare. Heat up your favorite frozen breaded fish fillets or sticks. Build tacos with soft flour tortillas, finely shredded cabbage, cilantro and avocado. Serve with black beans and fresh lime wedges for a quick and complete dinner in a flash.
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Grilled cheese and soup is more than just child’s play, this meal is loved by adults too. Keep it original with cheddar cheese or use another melting cheese like gruyere. Dunk your sandwich into hearty bowl tomato soup, topped with bacon, croutons and shredded cheese.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Authentic Indian food can be accomplished in a few minutes by building a rich sauce from tomatoes, Indian spices and cream. A store-bought rotisserie chicken is a perfect cheat to make this flavor packed weeknight meal in minutes. Serve over a bed of basmati rice with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
Skillet Lasagna
Skillet dishes simplify complex meals in minutes. Unlike a neatly assembled casserole, this one dish recipe combines all the ingredients into a skillet. There is no need for layering noodles, sauce and cheese, the noodles are broken into bite-size pasta pieces and cooked right into the sauce. The noodles come out perfectly al-dente and the starch released by the pasta helps thicken the sauce. Add creamy ricotta and mozzarella for a delicious and decadent dish.
Quick Orange Chicken
Quickly whip up orange chicken using pre-made popcorn chicken from the frozen food section. Coat your chicken with a bottled tangy, sweet and spicy orange sauce. Serve the chicken over a bed of instant rice and finish it with chopped scallions. This is a great way to turn tasty chicken poppers into the best orange chicken ever.
Turkey Gyros
Gyros are a traditional Greek delicacy, but slow roasting lamb takes a long time. Substitute and use turkey meatballs instead for a fast, flavor packed gyro. Punch up ground turkey with garlic, red onion and oregano. Top your gyro with tzatziki sauce (a creamy and cool yogurt mixed with cucumber, dill and lemon juice.) The tanginess from the tzatziki sauce will complement the meatballs wrapped in soft, warm pita bread and topped with sliced tomatoes, red onions, and cucumber.
Weeknight meals should never be a hassle. Arm yourself with these simple weeknight dishes that are sure to satisfy after a long day.
