4 Quick, Easy & Cheap 30-Minute Meals for Family Dinners

1. Sauteed chicken

I start by putting about two tablespoons of olive oil in an iron skillet on medium-high heat. Then I add about a teaspoon of salt and about a teaspoon of Italian seasoning and allow that to cook and heat in the oil while I dice up the chicken.

After I put the chicken in the skillet, I season the top of the chicken with another teaspoon of salt and Italian seasoning.

I also like to make green beans with this meal. I add about a tablespoon of bacon grease just to season the green beans. You can use butter as an alternative.

I dice up two potatoes per person, rinse them and dry them really well. It is really important to dry off the potatoes before you cook them in order to get the best result. Add about two tablespoons of olive oil and season the potatoes with salt and pepper. 

I cook the potatoes in the air frier at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. If you don't have an air fryer, I highly recommend you check into them because this has really been a game changer for our family.

I cooked double the amount of chicken needed to use some another day this week. It saves time and extra cleanup.

You'll know that the chicken is done and ready to serve when all of the liquid has cooked out of the pan and all of the chicken has at least a little bit of browning. That's a good indication that it's all done.

I hope that you'll give this sauteed chicken a try. And also, make sure you dry those potatoes. That’ll make them extra crispy.

2. Pimento cheese sandwiches

I'm going to throw together some pimento cheese. I have shredded four cups of cheese. I'm going to add four ounces of cream cheese, and one cup of mayonnaise. Then I add a couple of sprinkles of black pepper and a teaspoon of salt.

Add two tablespoons of sugar and give it a taste. We might need to add a little bit more, but that'll be a good place to start from.

The main ingredient for pimento cheese is diced pimentos. Pimentos, if you're not familiar, are some kind of pepper. Make sure to drain it. You don't want to put the liquid in. I add a four-ounce jar of drained diced pimentos to my cheese mixture and give it another good stir.

Serve your pimento cheese on a slice of bread. If you have never had pimento cheese sandwiches this is something that you really need to try. They are just delicious. Perfect for when you want something light and cool.

3. Chicken Alfredo

For this meal, I’m going to throw together some homemade Alfredo sauce, cook some noodles, and use the extra chicken I made the other night.

Then I'm going to throw together a quick garden salad and we will be ready to eat. I cut up tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and romaine lettuce. I already have some cheese ready so this should take no time at all. 

I've got my noodles cooking. The chicken is already cooked from last night. It’s time to start the alfredo sauce. Start with a half cup of butter and one and a half cups of heavy whipping cream. Let that heat for about three minutes.

The butter should be melted so it's warm and steaming, but not boiling. Add about 1 and a quarter teaspoon of Italian seasoning and two cloves of minced garlic. Stir that in really well. Add a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper. Keep stirring it so that the bottom does not scorch. Stir it for about a minute or so on medium heat.

Let that garlic and Italian seasoning cook into the cream. Put in two cups of shredded parmesan. Then go ahead and dump that chicken in, give it a good stir. Place the sauce on top of the pasta and it’s done.

4. Hamburger patties

Sprinkle your meat with a tablespoon of salt and about two teaspoons of pepper. Use your hands to mix it up really thoroughly. If you like garlic or onion flavor, you can use some garlic powder or onion powder. 

Take about a fistful of hamburger meat and roll it into a ball. Then flatten it between your hands. Put a divot in the center to prevent your burger from swelling in the center when it cooks.

After I get all the patties into the skillets, I like to season them one last time with some salt and pepper. Then I let them cook for about three minutes or so before I flip them. Flip each patty over every two minutes or so until they are completely cooked through. It should take a total of 10 to 12 minutes.

 We’re also going to make a side of corn with this. You can use frozen corn and put about 2 tablespoons of butter and about a teaspoon of salt and just let that boil while the hamburgers are cooking. 

This dinner is really good. I use fresh local ground beef and you really can tell the difference. Support your local farmers. Trust me it is worth it. Search for some locally sourced beef to give it a try.

30-minute meals for family dinners

I hope you enjoyed learning how to make these quick and easy 30-minute family meals. You should definitely give these recipes a try. Take a moment and share your family's favorite meals in the comments section. I would love to hear from you.