Put that phone down! You don't need to call for takeout, not when it's this easy to whip up a delicious and nutritious dinner full of fresh ingredients. It'll be done before your delivery arrives.
Try some of these tasty, balanced meals that are simple enough for busy weeknights:
1. Triple Mango Chicken
Use whatever type of chicken meat you have on hand -- dark is fine too, as is a combo. If you want to make it crunchier, you can cube the chicken, toss it in flour or bread crumbs and then saute it over the stove until the cubes are browned on all sides. You might need an extra tablespoon of oil for this, but it'll pay off.
2. Creamy Avocado And White Bean Wrap
If you don't eat dairy, this vegetarian wrap is creamy and filling enough that you don't really need the cheddar, although you could totally replace it with quinoa, couscous or another similarly delicious grain to add a fun texture.
3. Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce
If you're a fan of baking your chicken with cream of mushroom soup, here's a really easy way to make something way more delicious from scratch. The chicken gets a lovely brown crust, while the savory mushroom sauce is perfectly balanced with the right amount of cream so that it's thick enough but not too heavy. Yum!
4. Red Snapper with Arugula Salad
Feeling summery? You'll love this fresh combination of tender, buttery red snapper and bright, peppery arugula. Plus, this is a super easy and delicious way to stay healthy but give yourself enough protein to stay satisfied. Still hungry? Consider serving with this zippy lemon zest-packed rice pilaf.
5. Skillet Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans
This fresh, springy dish gets topped with gooey mozzarella, to make the veggies go down easier. Feel free to toss in any seasonal veggies (asparagus, artichoke hearts? YES) or leftover meat you have in the fridge. P.S. If you'd rather avoid starches, here is a mindblowingly delicious way to make gnocchi out of cauliflower and parmesan cheese.
6. Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Orange-Sesame Asparagus and Rice
This forgiving sauce requires a fair few ingredients. Here's a secret: You don't need to follow it to the letter. You can play around with it and mix the sauce separately to taste, as long as you keep in mind the basic balance of sweet-salty-pungent. For example, if you don't have ginger, consider using some diced garlic instead, or you can swap out the fish sauce for a little extra soy sauce. It'll give you a different flavor profile, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.