Quick Dinner Recipes

I have gone crazy with ordering all the latest cooking books or magazines lately and I must say there are some great Quick Dinner Recipes out there.

The ideas popular food networks or famous chef’s come up with are amazing. I have to admit I do not have the talent to throw some ingredients into a pot and create a delicious tasting meal. I try but I know it wasn’t a hit when the pot is still full and the family isn’t requesting seconds. 

I ordered the Betty Crock Quick & Easy Cookbook a month ago and have used it almost nightly – no kidding. These are simple and inexpensive recipes and all are 30 minutes or less to prepare.

Most of these quick dinner recipes are less than $10 per family meal and many under $5 per meal. What a great concept, save money and time and get it all within one book. 

I own a lot of cook books and I subscribe to more cooking magazines than I should, so I get excited when I find one that works for me.

Of the chicken recipes I have tried so far, these are my favorite:

Barbecue Chicken and Vegetable Supper

Credits: Betty Crocker Quick & Easy Cookbook

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Start to Finish: 25 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups frozen whole green beans
  • 2 cups refrigerated red potato wedges (from 20 oz. bag) **SEE BELOW FOR SIMPLE SUBSTITUTION**
  • 1 Jar (12 oz.) chicken gravy
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet heat oil over me-high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt. Cook 4 minutes turning once until brown.

2. Add beans, potatoes, gravy and barbecue sauce, stir to coat and mix. Cover and cook 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until beans and potatoes are tender and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170 degrees).

***Easy substitution: try substituting frozen potato wedges or steak fries (no Need to thaw first)!!***

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Credits: Betty Crocker Quick & Easy Cookbook

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Start to Finish: 20 Minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie or other cooked chicken breast
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 package (10 oz) pre-baked thin Italian pizza crust (12 inch)
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. In small bowl mix chicken and barbecue sauce. Place pizza crust on ungreased cookie sheet, spread chicken mixture over crust. Arrange tomatoes over chicken and sprinkle with cheese. 

2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is browned. Sprinkle with cilantro (optional)

SPEED IT UP: No time for pizza? Substitute 6 flour tortillas, spread chicken mixture evenly over wrap within 1 inch of edge.

Top with tomatoes, cheese and cilantro. Roll tortillas up tightly.

May 8th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , | Category: Dinner Recipes, Dream Dinners Made Cheap, quick dinner recipes | One comment

Chicken Recipes For Easy Dinner Ideas

I wanted to create a weeks worth of quick easy dinner ideas using my favorite chicken recipes.

As I have scanned the grocery ad’s the past few weeks, I have noticed the price of chicken per lb. is cheap.

I have seen it as low as $0.39 per lb. in my area.

I have been able to purchase family packs with 16-20 legs or thighs for about $2.00 a pkg., sometimes even less.

This is exactly the price I want and need when creating my quick easy dinner recipes for the month.

When it’s this low, I recommend stocking up, THIS IS CHEAP!!

Put that freezer to use just sitting in the garage.

Creating quick easy dinner recipes with chicken is so easy.

Whether you prefer crockpot chicken recipes, chicken casserole recipes or just simple chicken recipes it doesn’t matter because there are so many quick chicken recipes available and they are all free recipes – free is good!!

Lemon Chicken on Foodista

Here is just a few of my favorite quick easy dinner recipes using chicken:

Chicken Casserole Recipes

These are a few of my most popular chicken casserole recipes straight from the casserole kitchen.

(Just click on the link to open the recipe in a new window)

Chicken, Broccoli ‘n’ Cheese Casserole

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken and Rice Bake

Crockpot Chicken Recipes

Crockpot Meals with chicken are easy and delicious with these simple crockpot chicken recipes.

(just click on the link to open the recipe in a new window)

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

Crockpot Lemon Chicken Recipe

Chicken Jambalaya Crockpot Meal

Cheap Quick Rice and Chicken – Crockpot Style

Quick Chicken Recipes

And best of all, or at least my favorite type of quick chicken recipes include fast 15 minute dinners from start to finish or simple mix in a pan and bake.

(just click on the link to open the recipe in a new window)

Chicken Pasta

There you have it, seven quick easy dinner recipes using chicken. I hope you take advantage of the cheap chicken prices and prepare those make ahead meals for cheap meals on a budget.

Want some variety with meat, I have a great weeks worth of cheap family menu ideas for less than $40.00:

A Cheap Family Menu For Less Than $40.00

February 1st, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Category: Dinner Recipes, Best Crockpot Recipes, Casserole Cooking, freezer meals recipes | 5 comments

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

Last week I was given a food assignment to bring Crockpot White Chicken Chili to the annual family super bowl party. My older brother hosts this event each year and we celebrate the game with lots of yummy food, conversation and a bit of competition. I usually get to bring chips and dip or an easy appetizer but not this year.

Panic took over when I got off the phone with him.  I hadn’t even heard of white chicken chili let alone ever made it. So I broke out all my cookbooks searching for the perfect recipe to try as I thought I better try one out before I present the dish to a large group of people.

I couldn’t find it in any of my personal cookbooks, but was able to go online to Recipezaar and found a simple and cheap recipe for chicken chili.

I made it and was pleasantly surprised. It was easy to prepare and delicious to eat. I loved the fact that I didn’t have to cook the chicken ahead of time and it was like a one dish bake but in the crockpot, leaving no messy clean up.

I plan to add the recipe to my personal cookbook and will make it again without question.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

 

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

Online – http://www.recipezaar.com
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 hours low or 4-5 hours high
Meal Preparation Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans or navy beans
  • 1 (15 ounce) can hominy or white corn
  • 1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning
  • 1 (4 1/2 ounce) can of chopped green chilies
  • 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • chopped green onion (optional)
  • monterey jack cheese (optional)

Meal Preparation Directions:

  1. Place chicken in a 4 quart slow cooker.
  2. Top with beans and corn.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine taco seasoning, chilies, condensed soup, and chicken broth. Pour over top of ingredients in the crock pot.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
  5. Before serving, stir gently to break up chicken, then stir in the sour cream.
  6. Serve topped with green onions and jack cheese, if desired.

Meal Assembly:
Serves 8. Include a dinner roll or slice of french bread and you have an inexpensive meal that was simple to prepare.

Not working for you? Try this Simple Ground Beef Chili Crockpot recipe, its a family favorite of ours.

Here are some more great dinner ideas for the frugal cook in you: Chicken Recipes

January 25th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Dinner Recipes, Best Crockpot Recipes | 5 comments
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