It’s a routine in our home each night. Sharing a family meal. But, by far, the biggest challenge I face with family meal time is trying to decide what to make for our family dinner. But, one thing is sure to appear on our family table most nights – chicken. Let’s face it, there’s so many recipes with chicken as the star. Therefore, I’ve found five easy chicken family dinners you can serve your family any day of the week.
Starting Off Slow
First of all, it all begins in the slow cooker with my recipe for homemade chicken stock. As you will see, this stock recipe is the base for so many other chicken dishes that will save you time during your family meal prep and planning.
Ingredients:
2 Split Chicken Breasts
3 Carrots, peeled and cut into three-inch long pieces
3 Stalks of celery, peeled and cut into long pieces (you will be discarding the celery once stock is done so size doesn’t matter)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
2 Tbsp salt
Directions:
First, add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Then add water to the slow cooker until it covers all the ingredients. Next, set the slow cooker to the low setting and cook for 5 hours. After cooking, remove chicken from slow cooker. Then discard celery and garlic. Remove carrots. When cool, remove skin from chicken and cut into small pieces. Strain chicken stock with fine mesh strainer. Keep carrots for later use.
That’s all there is to it. From this one recipe, you can use the ingredients (chicken, stock, and carrots) to create five easy chicken family dinners that are sure to satisfy.
#1 Chicken Soup for the Soul
My chicken stock recipe is the basis for many meals and homemade chicken noodle soup is one of them. On a cold winter’s day, there’s nothing better than a piping hot bowl of soup to warm you up. Moreover, it’s a great remedy during cold and flu season.
Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced carrots (use left over carrots from chicken stock recipe)
3 garlic cloves
1 cup shredded chicken (use leftover chicken from chicken stock recipe)
4 cups chicken stock (use homemade stock from slow cooker)
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
parsley for garnish
1 cup egg noodles
Directions:
To start with with, add oil to a dutch oven or large soup pot. Next, add diced onion, celery, and garlic. Saute until tender. Then, add chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and discard bay leaves. Next, add the egg noodles. Cook until noodles are tender. Reduce to simmer. Add diced carrots (from chicken stock recipe) and add shredded chicken (from chicken stock recipe) and heat through. Lastly, add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle dried parsley for garnish. Serve and enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste Chicken Noodle Soup
#2 Chicken Quesadillas
What’s another way to use the leftover chicken from the homemade stock recipe? How about chicken quesadillas? These are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. They are quick and easy to prepare, making them a good option for those busy weeknights when you have after school sports or activities.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups shredded chicken (use chicken from stock recipe)
Diced bell peppers (any color you prefer)
Diced onions (red or regular white onion)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Flour tortillas
Directions:
First, heat oil in pan and saute peppers and onions until tender. Set aside. In another skillet or in a griddle sprayed with cooking spray, place flour tortilla in pan. Next, add shredded cheese, chicken, and peppers/onion mixture to one side of tortilla. Top with more shredded cheese. Fold tortilla over in half and press down with spatula. Flip when tortilla starts to brown. Cook other side of tortilla until brown. Then, place on cutting board and cut in half. Repeat with remaining flour tortillas.
Serve the quesadillas with some cut raw carrots and celery with ranch dressing for dipping and dinner is done! A perfect weeknight meal.
#3 Fabulous Barbecue Chicken Flatbread
Add Barbecue Chicken Flatbread to your list as another easy chicken family dinner recipe. Your kids will love it and it’s also super simple to make. Pair it with a green salad with some veggies and you’ve got your protein and vegetables in one meal.
You can use a Naan flatbread for individual portions as indicated in the recipe or a longer flatbread like pictured here if feeding an entire family. Both types of flatbread can be found in the grocery store. Using the chicken from the chicken stock recipe makes this a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Click here for the recipe. Recipe courtesy of www.bowlofdelicious.com.
#4 Perfect Chicken Pot Pie
During the winter months, who can resist chicken pot pie? It’s comfort food at its best. And, when you use the leftover chicken and your homemade chicken stock, this comfort food classic couldn’t be easier.
Chicken pot pie doesn’t require a lot of time or prep work when you already have some of the ingredients on hand. For example, use the leftover chicken and carrots from the stock recipe along with the homemade stock in place of store bought. Then, toss in some peas, onions, milk, seasonings, and top it off with flaky crust made from store-bought puff pastry.
Pop it into the oven and you’re all set.
Click here for the recipe. Recipe courtesy of Food.com.
#5 Chicken Alfredo Pasta Skillet
And last, but not least, there’s Chicken Alfredo Pasta Skillet. This recipe is a stove top winner. Imagine a satisfying dish of creamy chicken alfredo pasta on your dinner table in no time.
Simply use the leftover chicken from the chicken stock recipe. Just add pasta, peas, milk (I use this in place of the heavy cream in the recipe) and a few other ingredients. After cooking on the stove top, you’ll enjoy a satisfying comfort meal in no time.
Click here for the recipe. Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker.
What Family Dinners Are Really All About
Above all, family dinners are about making time to sit down together as a family to talk, laugh, and share details about your day. We make family meal time a priority in our home. I hope these easy recipes will leave you more time to do the same.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)
What are some of your favorite family dinners? Please share in the comments section below.
Such tempting looking recipes., and beautifully pictured.. who would not enjoy these dishes, definitely chicken soup for the soul.
Thank you!