Midweek meals: Five quick and tasty lunches to bring to the office this week

Comforting soups, pasta bakes and quiches to keep you going throughout the day

Lunch time ideas

Homemade Chicken Burrito

The secret to this burrito recipe is the spice rub for the chicken

Servings

5

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 1 hours 30 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 50 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 1 medium chicken

• 1 tsp each of salt, dried cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, white pepper 

• 400g cooked rice 

• Cherry vine tomatoes, chopped 

• 1 tin blackbeans, drained 

• 1 red pepper, sliced 

• 4 scallions, chopped 

• Sour cream 

• Baby leaf salad 

• Tortilla wraps 

• Fresh lime or lemon juice 

• Fresh coriander

Method

1. Preheat a fan oven to 170°C. Combine the dried herbs and spices in a small bowl. Place the chicken into a large oven proof dish. Press the spice mixture onto the chicken and rub well so that it coats all the skin. Cover the dish with tin foil (or a lid if you have one).

2. Bake the chicken in the oven for 90 minutes. Take off the tin foil lid for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

3. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and serve with rice, tortilla and all the fresh ingredients. Squeeze a little lime or lemon juice on top before eating.

Cheesy pasta bake

This pasta bake reheats beautifully for an office lunch.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 50 mins

Total Time

 60 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 celery stalk, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs

• 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes

• 500g penne or pasta shape of your choice

• 200g grated cheese

Method

1. In a pan, fry the onion and celery in the olive oil for five minutes before stirring in the garlic and balsamic vinegar and herbs. Bubble for a minute or two until the vinegar has reduced. Add in the tins of cherry tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Cook the pasta in lots of boiling water with salt for seven minutes. Add the pasta into the sauce along with half a cup of pasta water and stir to combine, seasoning with salt and pepper. Top with cheese and pop in the oven for 40 minutes until the pasta is cooked through and the top is crispy and delicious.

3. If portioning your pasta for lunch, wait until it has cooled down, as it is easier to cut.