What will I cook for dinner? Five store cupboard recipes ready in 30 minutes

If dinner seems out of reach today, don't worry - we've got you covered 

Sweet and sour pork, midweek noodles, 10-minute naan bread pizzas, easy mushroom pasta and Parmesan chicken goujons.

I don't know about you but most weeks, by Thursday the idea of cooking dinner feels like a mountain I am unwilling to climb. Sometimes I'm lucky and can rummage through my freezer for something that I cooked too much of last week, or there are enough leftovers from last night's dinner to tide us over. On nights when I am ill-prepared and completely lacking in motivation, here are five recipes I cling to. They all contain the trifecta of key ingredients for what I need: they are quick, family-friendly and low on washing up. 

Chinese sweet and sour chicken

This Chinese takeaway favourite is quick and easy, making it the perfect midweek meal. Substitute pork, prawns or tofu for chicken if you prefer.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 350g chicken breast, sliced

• 2 level tbsp seasoned cornflour

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 medium sweet green pepper

• 225g tinned pineapple chunks plus the juice

• 1 chicken stock cube

• 300ml water

• 2 tbsp ketchup

• 1 tbsp malt vinegar

• 2 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. Toss the chicken in the cornflour and season wth salt and pepper.

2. Remove the stalk and seeds from the pepper and chop. Drain the pineapple cubes, reserving the juice.

3. Heat the garlic in the oil. Fry the chicken briefly until brown on all sides. Lower the heat and add the chopped pepper and continue cooking over a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

4. Add the pineapple chunks, mushrooms and tomatoes for the last five minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce by dissolving the chicken stock cube in the boiling water. Mix with ketchup, vinegar, honey and soy sauce.

5. Blend the leftover cornflour from the dish with a little of the pineapple juice and add to the mixture.

6. Bring to the boil and cook for three minutes, stirring all the time. Add it to the chicken and stir well.