Here are 12 Family Friendly Dinners that you can have READY IN 20 MINUTES OR LESS for busy weeknights or when dinner time simply sneaks up on you! Um. Like tonight. And maybe tomorrow tonight.
I’m not gonna lie. 20 minute meals are more of a regular event at our home than not. I am a big fan of fast, delicious meals that are quick to pull together in under half an hour or less. Less is always better.
I know dinner time can be hard. Coming back from work or after school activities often leave you with little time to prep and cook healthy dinners from scratch. Stopping at the local take out seems like the easier option. Thing is, it’s not good for your health, waist line or budget.
With a few easy meal planning tips and fast meal ideas, you can get your family eating healthier and save money – in less time that it would take to get through drive through. Just a give it a go for one week. Download my 18 Fast and Easy Dinner Ideas Cheat Sheet and Read through these tips on How to Meal Plan here. You can do this.
More Fast & Healthy Meal Ideas
But don’t worry – just because it’s a quick dinner, it doesn’t mean you miss out on flavour. Here are 12 of our families favourite 20 minute Dinner Recipes that will please even the fussiest palate.
12 Super Fast Healthy Dinner Recipes
1.Coconut Cashew Curry Chicken and Rice with Mango
This fast and tasty recipe from Savita at Chefdehome will have the fussiest kid coming back for seconds.
Recipe Link
2. 20 MINUTE GARLIC BEEF AND BROCCOLI LO MEIN
This recipe rocks! Seriously. My family goes crazy for this dish. The only thing I tend to change is the amount of sugar. I only add one and a half tablespoons otherwise I find it a little too sweet. But other than that ….. it’s a definite keeper!
Recipe Link
3. Quick Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls Recipe
We make this recipe a lot. The embarrassing kind of a lot. You know when you find a recipe that everyone loves, everyone eats, and you get that ‘This is awesome Mom”, kind of feedback? It’s enough to get you making it again, and again, and … well you get the message. These quick Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls are super easy to put together and you can fill them up with whatever salads or veggies you have on hand. Guaranteed crowd pleaser!
Recipe Link4. 20 – MINUTE CHICKEN PANANG CURRY NOODLE BOWLS
A simple 20 – minute chicken panang curry with noodles and fresh veggies. Perfect for chilly, weeknight dinners!
5.Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice
This easy, one-skillet recipe is ready in 20 minutes. Get it on the table faster than the time it takes to get take out! Oh yes, it tastes better too – And it’s healthy! That’s a Win/Win no matter how you look at it.
6.15 MINUTE 5 INGREDIENT SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
The quickest and easiest pasta dish you will ever make with just 5 ingredients. Loaded with Parmesan and crispy bacon – you know it’s gonna be a goodie!
Recipe Link7. 15 MINUTE ONE POT LASAGNE
This quick and easy one pot lasagna puts a new spin on the traditional oven baked lasagna and can be made on the stove top in 15 minutes. Kid friendly and mom approved, your whole family will love this.
Recipe Link
8. 20 MINUTE One-Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies
One-Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies – boneless, skinless chicken thighs with sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, cherry tomatoes in a delicious basil pesto sauce.
Recipe Link
9. ONE SKILLET MEXICAN RICE CASSEROLE
Recipe Link10. CHICKEN CAESAR WRAPS
Super Easy to pull together using a cooked chicken and salad from the fridge. I make the salad in one large bowl and then spoon it in to the tortilla wrap to get this on the table even faster!
Recipe Link
11.THAI CHICKEN NOODLE SALAD
I love this recipe. It’s super versatile and I get to use up veggies in the fridge. It works well as a ‘build your own’ bowl kind of meal so great to introduce the fussier kids to new vegetables. (PLUS you can use a rotisserie chicken if you’re short on time}
12.Grilled Chicken BLT Tacos
A little grilled chicken, crispy lettuce, soft tacos, crispy bacon and a healthy dollop of sour cream. Oh my goodness!! Yes please – Let me at it! Give this two ingredient soft and bendy tortilla recipe a go (it’s AMAZING!)
Recipe LinkSo, there you have it! 12 new and a little exciting easy recipes for dinner to add to your weeknight meal plan. The best thing is that you can whip these little beauties up super fast using ingredients you’ve actually heard of! The next time you’re wondering what to fix for dinner (which I think is the reason you are here) – all you have to do it pick one of these!
To see the other posts in this 10 of the Best Meal Prepping Series series, check out the following:
- 10 Recipes You Can Make with a Pound of Ground Beef
- 10 Recipes you can make with a Jar of Pasta Sauce
- 10 Healthy Sheet Pan Dinners
