If you read my weekly grocery + meal plan post recently, you’ll know that we tend to rotate between some of the same favorite standbys when it comes to weeknight recipes. But that definitely doesn’t have to be boring! These four dishes are some of our go-to weekly dinners—all healthy, flavorful, and meals I actually look forward to on a Tuesday night!
4 Weeknight Recipes We Love
Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas and Sweet Potatoes
We made this on a recent Cooking with Liz and it was an instant hit! You gotta love the ease of a sheet pan dinner and this one is packed with the most amazing flavor.
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/4 cup olive oil plus, more for drizzling
- 2 lemons, juice and zest from 1 + 1 sliced
- 2 tablespoons Harissa seasoning
- 1 tablespoon honey
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 sweet onion, sliced
- 1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 1/3 cup green olives, smashed
- plain greek yogurt and fresh mint or cilantro, for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, lemon zest, harissa seasoning, honey, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat the chicken. Add the sweet potatoes, onions, and chickpeas, and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, along with another pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange everything in an even layer. Add the lemon slices and then transfer to the oven. Roast for 40-45 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are golden.
3. Meanwhile, combine the feta, olives, and a drizzle of olive oil in a bowl.
4. To serve, top the chicken with the feta, olives, and yogurt. Sprinkle with mint or cilantro. Enjoy!
Recipe via Half Baked Harvest.
30 Minute Thai Peanut Ramen
This is one of those weeknight dinners that feels indulgent but is actually super easy and pretty healthy. There’s also an instant pot/slowcooker option here if you prefer to prep everything early and enjoy later.
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
- 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 1-inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 2-4 squares ramen noodles
- juice of 1 lime
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/3 cup fresh basil or cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more for serving
- chopped peanuts and toasted sesame oil, for serving
1. In a large soup pot, combine the chicken broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, peanut butter, and curry paste. Add the chicken, cremini mushrooms, red peppers, ginger, and garlic. Set over medium heat on the stove and bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
2. Once done cooking, shred the chicken.
3. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Stir in the noodles, lime juice, spinach, and cilantro. Let sit 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft.
4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with peanuts and toasted sesame oil. Enjoy!
Recipe via Half Baked Harvest.
Caprese Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Sausage
Another highly requested recipe from Cooking with Liz! Roasted spaghetti squash always tastes soooo good and is pretty close to real pasta if you’re trying to watch your carbs. You can see how I prep the squash for roasting in my “food” highlights on Instagram here.
- 2 spaghetti squash (or 1 per person)
- cherry tomatoes
- basil
- mozzarella cheese
- italian chicken sausage
- EVOO
- oregano
- salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400. Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise with a big knife. Spoon out the seeds and discard. Coat inside of spaghetti squash with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Grab a baking sheet and coat with olive oil. Place the spaghetti squash cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes
2. Take your chicken sausage (we often use precooked but you could also pre-cook raw sausage) and cut it into small pieces. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and brown your chicken sausage. Once it is browned remove from pan and set aside. Next, add olive oil to your pan and add your cherry tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes start to blister then smash some of the tomatoes to create a light sauce (feel free to add more olive oil if necessary!). Season with salt and pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes (optional). Turn off or keep on low until squash is done.
3. Remove squash from oven and use a fork to scrape and create ‘spaghetti’ with the squash. Transfer to a bowl (or use the squash itself!) and top with chicken sausage, tomato sauce, chopped basil and mozzarella cheese.
Antipasto Chopped Salad
This recipe is so easy! Take whatever you have in the fridge, any salad ingredients that you love and mix them all together! Here are a few of our favorite items to include:
- arugula (I prefer arugula or mixed greens)
- salami
- rotisserie chicken
- chickpeas
- olives
- peppers
- cucumber
- pepperoncinis
- mozzarella cheese
- parmesan cheese
Mix up my favorite lemon vinegarette! 1/3 cup olive oil, juice of 1-2 lemons, salt and pepper, mix together and lightly coat salad before tossing!