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Fast and Kid-Friendly Dinner Recipes

Planning an evening out? Need to feed your children before you go? Skip frozen pizzas and TV dinners. Each of these protein-packed, kid-friendly recipes can be made in about 20 minutes or less. And they're so easy that your kids can help!

Cheesy Chicken Bagel Pizzas

Ingredients

2 (4½-inch) bagels, sliced in half
½ cup low-sodium marinara sauce
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken breast
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preparation

1. Lightly toast bagel.
2. Place toasted bagel halves on cookie sheet, cut side facing up.
3. Spread 2 tablespoons of marinara, ¼ cup chicken and ¼ cup cheese on top of each bagel half.
4. Broil until cheese melts, about two minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving (makes four servings): 268 calories; 8 g fat; 47 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 1 g fiber; 516 mg sodium.

Source: myrecipes.com

Apple Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

2 tart apples, sliced
1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
½ cup fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup frozen corn, thawed
½ cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
½ cup onion, diced
¼ teaspoon salt
6 flour tortillas, warmed
Cooking spray
¾ cup lettuce, shredded
¾ cup salsa
6 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients.
  3. Place ¾ cup of the mixture on half of each tortilla. Fold tortilla in half over the filling and secure with toothpicks.
  4. Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Bake filled tortillas until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  5. Carefully turn quesadillas over and bake an additional five minutes.
  6. Discard toothpicks.
  7. Cut each quesadilla into three wedges and serve with lettuce, salsa and sour cream.

Nutrition

Per quesadilla (makes six): 289 calories; 6 g fat; 28 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 18 g protein; 3 g fiber; 629 mg sodium.

Source: tasteofhome.com

Crispy Fish Sticks with Pineapple Ketchup

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 cups cornflakes, crushed
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large egg
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup pineapple, cubed (fresh or canned)
⅓ cup reduced-sugar ketchup
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet. Coat rack with cooking spray.
  3. Place cereal and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish.
  4. In a separate dish, whisk juice and egg.
  5. Sprinkle fish evenly with ¼ teaspoon pepper and salt. Dip fish in egg mixture, then dredge in cereal mixture.
  6. Bake fish on rack until fish is flaky, about 12 minutes.
  7. Blend remaining pepper, pineapple, ketchup and soy sauce in a food processor. Serve sauce with fish sticks.

Nutrition

Per serving (makes four servings): 204 calories; 3.3 g fat; 103 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 2 g fiber; 553 mg sodium.

Source: myrecipes.com