Meg's Meal Planning

chicken

Chicken drumsticks

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Easy and healthy chicken drumsticks seasoned and seared in a cast iron skillet and then baked in the oven.

Another dinner win with the cast iron! If you don’t own one by now, please go purchase one and then come back to this recipe. If you haven’t figured out yet, I love cooking with my cast iron…just look at all my other yummy blog posts!

This chicken is no exception. The cast iron is able to elevate a simple chicken dish by searing the outside and allowing it to finish baking all in the same pan.

Healthy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
 
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Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 lb chicken drumsticks
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp seasoned salt from Penzey's Spices
  • ½ tsp Italian seaoning
  • ½ tsp roasted garlic spice from Penzey's Spices
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Rub chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with all spices.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
  4. Place chicken in skillet and brown each side for a couple minutes.
  5. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes.

 

 

Grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, tomato panini 

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Another great summer classic is the fabulous combination of fresh mozzarella and tomato! Try this easy recipe for a quick weeknight dinner!


My tomato plants are in the garden and hopefully soon I’ll be using fresh homegrown tomatoes! This recipe is as easy as they come! You can grill the chicken outside on the grill or, like me, use a panini press (or George Foreman Grill). I like using the panini press because while the chicken is cooking you can prep all the other ingredients, all three of them! If you’re looking for other quick dinner ideas, click here to read about 12 easy dinner ideas!

Grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, tomato panini
 
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Another great summer classic is the fabulous combination of fresh mozzarella and tomato! Try this easy recipe for a quick weeknight dinner!
Author:
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 1 loaf fresh panini bread
  • 4 chicken tender strips
  • 4 slices fresh mozzarella
  • 1 large tomato, washed and sliced
  • Handful fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. Preheat panini press. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and olive oil, both sides.
  2. Cook on panini press about 5 mintues or until no longer pink inside.
  3. Cut two sections off the panini bread and then cut in half length wise. Drizzle olive oil on inside of bread and cook on panini press until each half starts to brown.
  4. Remove from grill and layer with cooked chicken, tomato slices, mozzarella slices. Return to grill and cook 2-3 mintues or until cheese starts to soften and melt.
  5. Remove from grill, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, add basil.

 

 

 

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Grilled chicken mozzarella basil panini

One pan balsamic chicken and roasted vegetables 

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Sweet balsamic chicken and roasted vegetables cooked on the same pan. Which will you love more: the delicious taste, the simple recipe, or the easy clean up? 


One pan balsamic chicken and roasted vegetables

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken tenders
  • 1 head brocolli, washed and trimmed
  • 1 cup baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil 
  • Italian seasoning
  • Roasted garlic seasoning 

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
  2. Arrange brocolli and carrots on a sprayed baking sheet, season with salt, peper, Italian seasoning, olive oil, and roasted garlic seasoning.
  3. Bake for 15 mintues, then remove and flip over.
  4. Meanwhile, while vegetables are roasting, mix balsamic vinegar and Italian salad dressing together in a large bowl. Add chicken and marinate.
  5. Once vegetables are done cooking, move them to the side of the baking sheet and place the chicken down the middle.
  6. Brush the tops of the chicken with the marinade. 
  7. Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
 

BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS 

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Sweet and tangy chicken thighs that are finger lickin’ good! 


BBQ chicken screams summer! There’s nothing I love more than a good bbq on a hot summer day. And what’s better to accompany your corn on the cob and watermelon than finger lickin’ good bbq chicken thighs! 

BBQ chicken thighs


Ingredients

  • 1 package boneless chicken thighs
  • BBQ sauce
  • Salt and pepper

Steps

  1. Preheat grill. 
  2. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Slather BBQ sauce on chicken.
  3. Grill over medium heat 5 mintutes per side.

Chicken and Veggie Wraps

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This is the second meal using the peri-peri chicken and brown rice.  To read about the first recipe using the chicken and rice, click here.  To learn how to make peri-peri chicken sauce, click here.


Since your chicken and rice are already made, this dinner can be made in less than 30 minutes! That includes the prep and cook time for the kale chips! Cook once, eat twice strikes again!

Chicken and Veggie Wraps

Ingredients

  • 1/2 can (15.5 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup left over brown rice
  • 2 large whole wheat tortillas
  • 1-2 fresh kale leaves, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1/2 cup sliced bell pepper
  • 1 left over peri-peri chicken breast, sliced thin
  • Olive oil
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay kale leaves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and bake for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, build your wrap – first place the brown rice in the center of the tortilla. Top it with bell pepper, black beans, grilled chicken, and kale (once done cooking).
  3. Fold the bottom of the tortilla tightly, tucking in the sides.

Meal plan for week of April 2nd 

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Monday – Salmon on top of a kale and quinoa salad


Tuesday – Eggplant parm


Wednesday – Pork tenderloin with roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes. Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper and sear in cast iron skillet. Finish cooking in skillet in oven set at 350 degrees for 45 mins or until internal temperature reaches 145.

Thursday – Stuffed chicken with spinach, feta cheese, and sundried tomatoes 


Friday – Pasta with ground sausage