Easy weeknight dinner recipes

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Easy weeknight dinner recipes

Whether you're a parent who's just sent the kids back to school, a student yourself, or basically anyone who would love evenings to be a bit easier, we're on hand to help with our easy weeknight dinner recipes. Here are some of our favourites...

Fajita-stuffed chicken


Ingredients (serves 2)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
70g of light cream cheese
50g of light cheddar cheese, grated
 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon of chilli powder
1 teaspoon of cajun spice
1 teaspoon of cumin
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.
Fry the veggies in the olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper, until softened. 
In a bowl, mix the cooked veggies with the cream cheese and cheddar until thoroughly combined.
Season the chicken with the spices, ensuring that they are evenly distributed.
Slice a horizontal pocket in each chicken fillet and fill with the veg and cheese mix.
Cook the chicken in the oven for 10 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. 
 Serve with Mexican spiced sweet potato chips or a side salad.
 
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Mushroom risotto
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Ingredients (to serve 4)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

300g risotto rice

1 garlic clove, crushed or chopped very small

200g chopped mushrooms

900ml hot vegetable stock

75g frozen peas

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Heat up the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion and cook on a medium-high heat.

After a couple of minutes add the rice and turn the heat down to low. Cook for about two minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the stock, mushrooms, garlic and peas. Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. Add plenty of salt and pepper.

When it starts to boil, turn the heat down. Cover and simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring often. If the rice seems to be sticking before it is cooked, add some more water. Once all of the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked, your risotto is ready to serve.

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Chicken burrito bowl



Ingredients

 1.5 cups of brown rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 chicken stock cube

2 large chicken breasts, cubed

1 white onion, diced

1 red pepper, chopped

1 red chilli, chopped

10 mushrooms, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 jar salsa

1 tin of black beans

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Paprika to taste

Cajun seasoning to taste

Method

 Cook the brown rice in hot water with the chicken stock cube. 

Whilst the rice is cooking heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onions until softened then add the chicken. Add salt, pepper, paprika and cajun and cook until chicken is sealed. Add pepper, mushrooms, carrots and garlic and cook until veggies have softened. 

Pour over the salsa and beans. Drain the rice, add to the frying pan and mix.

Enjoy!

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Healthier fried rice

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Ingredients (to serve 4)

1 cup quinoa

1 veggie stock cube

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 white onion, chopped

4 chicken breasts, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

 1 handful broccoli, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 eggs, broken into a bowl an beaten

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Method

Rinse quinoa in cold water.

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan with the veggie stock cube, and then reduce to a simmer. Season with salt.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is fluffy and cooked through. Remove from heat and let set for five minutes or so. Fluff with a fork.
Heat the sesame oil in a large sauté pan over a high heat. Add onion and carrot, cook about two minutes then add chicken and cook until sealed. Add remaining veg and cook until it starts to soften. Add the quinoa and stir-fry about two minutes. Add soy sauce and mix through. Make a well in the centre of the quinoa, pour eggs in and stir them until scrambled then mix everything together thoroughly. Serve!