Version 2 of air-fried chicken for the week. Using a storebought sauce as marinade helps cut down on prep time and wastage. Since the sauce has everything mixed in, there is very little prep time for this dish. I make a larger batch to use for the rest of the week in a sandwich or pasta. Chimichurri chicken tastes delicious as it is with a side of rice.
Chicken is usually my protein of choice on most days. It is easy to make and versatile enough for everything. After listening to the virtues of the air fryer repeatedly, I decided to try out 6 recipes of air-fried chicken that can be prepped once a week and used throughout the week. Once cooked, I can use the chicken in sandwiches, salads, and wraps at short notice. Air-fried chicken lasts in the refrigerator for three or four days.
Chickpea sandwiches are a vegetarian/vegan version of egg salad, chicken salad, or tuna salad sandwiches. I am not a vegetarian or vegan, but I mooched this sandwich off someone’s plate at a cafe. It was surprisingly hearty and delicious without the meat. In fact, even carnivores enjoy this sandwich without being under duress. With some assistance, I recreated this at home. If you have leftover chickpeas from a salad or take-out, by all means, use them. There is some benefit of using chickpeas that are seasoned. Definitely use a good sourdough or ciabatta bread for the sandwich.
This dish is quintessential Mexican comfort food. What I really like about quesadillas is that they are easy to prepare. And if you fill yours with high quality ingredients such as chicken, corn, and beans, quesadillas are surprisingly nutritious. However, I don’t like packing mine with veggies —- particularly peppers or zucchini. I feel that their relative blandness takes away from the flavors of an authentic quesadilla. But if this sounds like something you would do -- go nuts!
Mac and cheese and chili are a perfect combination of two of my favorite comfort foods. Anytime I make chili, I make sure there are plenty of leftovers. Day-old chili tastes better and forms a base for several semi-home-made meals. This recipe requires a cup or two of leftover chili and under 30 minutes of cooking time for a delicious one-pot meal. Anytime you can't decide between the two, a mashup is your answer. Add some salad greens as a side and enjoy.
Chili without cornbread is almost unthinkable. I tried this cornbread recipe to accompany the chili I had made a while ago. Since I did not have buttermilk or sour cream, I used yogurt. The jalapenos in one corner are for people who like their cornbread with a bit of kick. I didn’t want to mix chopped green chilis in the entire batter. Since I am still figuring things out, I used a regular square baking pan and not a cast-iron skillet. When am I ever going to possess a cast iron skillet? Although I did preheat the baking pan before pouring the batter into the pan.
Breakfast bowls are an easy way to customize the first meal of the day to everyone’s taste. You do not need a recipe for this at all. Use leftover rice, vegetables, salad greens and add an egg (fried, scrambled, omelet, egg whites, sunny side up) or no egg for a balanced and complete breakfast. Use whatever leftover vegetables are in the refrigerator to flavor the rice (or any other grain like quinoa, millets, or faro). It does not have to be one-size-fits-all. Grilled vegetables from takeout are a great addition to any bowl meal.
Another one-pot meal that comes together in under thirty minutes. I have used ground turkey, but ground chicken or any mix of ground beef or pork works just as well. Add some onions, tomato paste, and chili sessions and you get yourself a nutritious pot of turkey chili. There are many versions of pre-mixed chili seasonings as there are chili recipes. I use whatever is on hand and readily available. This is not a traditional chili recipe, but it has the flavor, seasonings, and most of the ingredients common with chili.
Leftover chicken is a big help when I am trying to cobble together a quick lunch or snack. I stash away the leftovers to make sandwiches or wraps in a hurry. I used pita pockets here, but any bread works. This is a quickly put-together meal with an assortment of ingredients. My favorite is definitely ketchup, hummus, and sour cream topped with onions and cucumbers. The measurements are just guidelines, feel free to change the ingredients and condiments with whatever is in the refrigerator. Leftover grilled vegetables or tofu provide a vegetarian option as well.
Coming back from school, carrots and hummus was a snack I would have often because it requires zero preparation, tastes good, and is still very healthy (and carrots are also supposed to improve your eyesight). This recipe is a spin-off version of this popular snack and consists of a sourdough toast with hummus and carrot shavings on top. This recipe is super convenient because it still has the healthy ingredients yet also includes some healthy carbs to make the snack more hearty. I also recommend adding some seasonings for more flavor, a personal favorite of mine is red chili peppers.