Hey Mom! What’s For Dinner?

When 5 o’clock rolls in, and my stomach starts growling, I realize how quickly the day has gone by. Most days, I’ve only completed two out of the endless items on my to-do list, and the panic of dinnertime begins to set in. Eating is one of my favorite things to do, but cooking…no thank you! And the pots, pans, and dishes that need to be cleaned up after send me over the edge. Luckily, I discovered three of the easiest chicken recipes that only take a few minutes to prepare and about 30 minutes to cook.

Pesto Chicken

What you will need:
1 package chicken breast (I like the thin cut)
2-3 tomatoes
Mozzarella cheese
1 package of pesto mix (I use McCormick)

3 quick steps:
1. Combine pesto mix with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Layer chicken, pesto, sliced tomato, and mozzarella cheese in a baking dish.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes.

I like to serve this dish with pasta (My kids love eating bowtie pasta!) mixed with butter and parmesan cheese. Buy a prepared bag of salad, and dinner is served!

Cream Cheese Chicken

What you will need:
1 package chicken breast (I prefer thin cut again!)
1 package of bacon (I’ve even tried it with maple bacon)
1 container of chive and onion cream cheese

3 quick steps:
1. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese on each piece of chicken.
2. Roll the chicken up with a piece (or 2) of bacon wrapped around the outside and place it in a baking dish.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes.

This goes great with potatoes and any veggie. To make the bacon a little crispier, try leaving it under the broiler for a few minutes after it is done cooking.

What you will need:
1 package of chicken breast (thin cut…I buy a few packs a week!)
½ package of shredded cheese (cheddar is our fav)
1-2 eggs
Panko bread crumbs

3 quick steps:
1. Mix the panko bread crumbs with cheese in a shallow bowl.  In another bowl, whisk the egg(s).
2. Dip each piece of chicken, first into the egg and then into the bread crumb cheese mix.
3. Lay each piece on a large baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

You can serve this with anything! My older son and my husband like to dip the chicken into BBQ sauce or honey mustard. Sometimes I like to make a double batch and use the extra pieces cut up in a salad for lunch or on a sandwich.

I alternate between these three chicken dinners every week. Not only are they super easy and fast to make, they taste delicious!

Try them out, and let me know what you think. Do you have an easy chicken dinner that I can add to my repertoire?