Midweek Meals: Five family friendly dinners ready in under thirty minutes

Beat the dinner rush with our quick and easy meals designed for families on the run 

Quick and easy dinners that are packed with flavour.

Thai-Style chicken noodles with green beans

recipe by:Neven Maguire

Straight-to-wok noodles are a brilliant shortcut if you’re in a hurry and want to save on washing up, perfect to enjoy with chicken and chilli sauce

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla) 

• 2 tbsp clear honey 

• 2 tsp light muscovado sugar 

• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 large shallots, thinly sliced 

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

• 1 fresh long red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced into rings 

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces 

• 200g fine green beans, trimmed and cut in half 

• juice of 1 lime 

• 2 × 150g packets of straight-to-wok noodles 

• 50g fresh bean sprouts, trimmed 

• To garnish:

• fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Place the soy sauce in a small bowl and stir in the fish sauce, honey and sugar. Set aside until needed.

2. Heat a wok until smoking hot. Add the oil and swirl it up the sides, then tip in the shallots, garlic and chilli. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until sizzling.

3. Tip the chicken into the wok and continue to stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until sealed. Drizzle over the soy sauce mixture and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is nicely glazed.

4. Add the green beans to the chicken mixture, then sprinkle over the lime juice and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the green beans are cooked through but still have a little bite. Fold in the noodles and allow to just warm through. Add the bean sprouts and cook for 30 seconds or so to keep them crisp.

5. Arrange in warmed bowls and scatter over the coriander leaves to serve.

Coconut and basil chicken

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This quick coconut and basil chicken is the perfect midweek dinner

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 17 mins

Total Time

 27 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Thai

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 shallots, finely sliced

• 2 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional if cooking for kids)

• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets, cubed

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• 1 tsp agave syrup

• handful of basil leaves, torn

• 300ml coconut milk

• brown or basmati rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat.

2. Add the shallots, leeks, and chilli and cook for about 10 minutes. If the pan gets too dry, add a dash of water.

3. Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.

4. Add the fish sauce, agave syrup, basil and coconut milk to the chicken in the pan. Stir well and cook for 2–3 minutes.

5. Serve piping hot in warmed serving bowls along with some brown or basmati rice.