Life lately is a total blur. I’m in my busiest time of the year as a PTA volunteer, putting on the book fair for a large school. Tack onto that my oldest’s birthday party, an upcoming trip (and all of the working ahead that goes along with that), and hosting a table for international night, and I’m positively frantic. We’re almost on the flip side of this wild time, but for now, you know what else I am?
I’m hungry. I’m still hungry, no matter how tired or busy I am. So I’m sharing what gets me through these crazy, busy, or simply lazy times:
The lazy dinner.
You know the one I mean: it takes hardly any effort but still tastes really dang good, pleases the whole family, and is mostly healthy-ish.
This week’s issue includes 5 of my favorite lazy dinners, and I hope to share more sets of lazy dinners in the future. Because, let’s face it, we all deserve a little laziness in our lives. We work so hard in so many areas of our lives, and not everything should be hard or super involved or time-consuming.
5 Lazy Dinners (#1)
Because even the busiest nights deserve something delicious.
1. Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies with Garlic Herb Sauce
Time: 5 min prep · 20 min bake
Ingredients:
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
3 cups broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 zucchinis, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper
Garlic Herb Sauce (just stir together):
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ tsp salt, more to taste
How to make it:
Heat oven to 425°F.
Toss chicken and veggies with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Spread on a lined sheet pan.
Bake 18–20 minutes, until chicken is juicy and cooked through.
Drizzle with the garlic herb sauce before serving.
2. 5-Minute Mediterranean Bowl
Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 box couscous, your favorite flavor, prepared
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ½ cups chopped cucumber (about 1 small cucumber)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
½ cup kalamata olives
½ cup feta cheese
½ cup hummus or tzatziki
How to make it:
Warm up your couscous (or keep it cold for a salad-style bowl).
Pile everything in a bowl.
Drizzle with olive oil or a squeeze of lemon, and top with hummus or tzatziki. Dinner, done.
3. Caprese Pasta
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb short pasta (penne, rotini, shells—whatever’s on hand)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1–2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
8 oz mozzarella pearls or cubed fresh mozzarella
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic glaze
Fresh basil
How to make it:
Cook pasta until al dente, then drain.
Toss the hot pasta with olive oil, tomatoes, and mozzarella so everything gets just a little melty.
Add basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Serve with an easy green salad or garlic bread if you’re feeling fancy.
4. Everything Bagel Salmon with Roasted Veggies
Time: 5 min prep · 15 min bake
Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets
1 lb baby broccoli, asparagus, or green beans
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning
Salt & pepper
Optional Lemon Scallion Yogurt Sauce:
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped green onions
1 tsp Everything Bagel seasoning
How to make it:
Heat oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan.
Toss veggies with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.
Brush salmon with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning. Add to the pan for the last 12–15 minutes of baking.
Mix the sauce ingredients and serve everything together—with rice if you’d like to make it a meal.
5. 5-Minute Chicken Tacos
Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 tbsp taco seasoning + splash of water
½ tsp cumin, divided
Salt
8 small tortillas
Cilantro, onion, queso fresco for topping
1 can refried beans
How to make it:
Warm chicken in a skillet with taco seasoning, ¼ tsp cumin, and a splash of water.
Heat tortillas in a dry pan or microwave.
Assemble tacos with your favorite toppings.
For the beans: stir refried beans with ¼ can of water, add ¼ tsp cumin and salt, then top with cheese