I don't eat red meat; Roger does, and Ben is a little bit picky. So, there have definitely been nights when I find myself making three different meals. And honestly, I don't have the time or patience to do that every single night.
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I've become quite good at making one basic dinner that works for everyone, and then changing little things at the end. Ben gets his chicken plain or his veggies kept separate, while Roger and I get extra herbs, chili sauce, avo, or whatever makes the meal feel a little bit more grown up.
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And where I can, I'll make my portion a bit lighter. More vegetables, less creamy sauce, whole grain rice, or just a bigger salad on the side. These are the meals I come back to because everyone likes them.
No making one dinner for the adults and then opening a tin for something for the child. And no one standing at the stove cooking three separate meals.
1) Honey-Mustard Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes
Everyone loves a sheet pan dinner. Why? Because everything goes onto one tray, then it goes in the oven, and you walk away, and it's done. Chicken thighs, baby potatoes, carrots, whatever veg you've got, and a really good honey mustard glaze, and your dinner is done.
For Ben, I keep his chicken and potatoes simple and lightly seasoned, and I make sure there's no huge blob of mustard on his portion. He's much more likely to eat it if he can actually identify what's on his plate.
For Roger and me, I'll add the honey mustard glaze generously, plus rosemary or thyme from my garden and a big green salad. I also like adding a squeeze of lemon at the end because I just find it cuts through that sweetness.
I also make the glaze separately. You can brush the adult portions heavily while leaving the child's chicken relatively plain. Same tray but just completely different experience. And if there's chicken left, shred it into a wrap the next day with lettuce and avocado.
2) Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan
When you hear chicken parmesan, it sounds like a dinner that should involve loads of frying pans, right? But I just prefer baking it. You still get that crispy coating, but without standing over a pan of oil, which is gross.
I make smaller chicken pieces for Ben because they're easier for him to eat. And I'll leave one or two with our tomato sauce if he's going through one of those phases where sauce touching his food is absolutely unacceptable. Once his portion is sorted, the adults get tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil.
I like using a good homemade tomato sauce if I have one in the fridge. And then Ben's is served with some potato wedges or pasta, and I give the adults a big rocket salad on the side.
3) Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Peppers
Fajitas are brilliant for families because you don't actually have to make one version of the meal. Everything can be put on the table separately. I cook chicken strips with peppers and onions, but I keep some of the chicken aside for Ben before adding the strongest spices. He can have his chicken with a tortilla, cheese, and maybe cucumber and our avocado.
Roger and I get the proper fajita treatment. Cumin, smoked paprika, chili lime, coriander, and then plenty of sautéed peppers. Ben actually prefers the peppers raw, so I'll give him some raw peppers too.
And I don't mind doing this because I'm not technically making two meals. It's one skillet of chicken with one little portion removed before I season it. Same dinner, just a little bit lighter for myself.
4) Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole
This casserole is one of my sneaky vegetable dinners because broccoli disappears really well into a creamy chicken sauce. Ben is more likely to eat broccoli if it's chopped into tiny pieces rather than presented on his plate as an enormous tree. I also don't overcook it. Soggy broccoli is nobody's friend.
For the adults, I add mature cheddar, a little bit of mustard, and plenty of black pepper. The mustard isn't there to make it taste like mustard. It just makes the cheese sauce taste a bit more interesting, and it gives it more depth. I also like adding a handful of peas or sweet corn if I have them. If I want my portion lighter, I serve mine with a big pile of steamed veggies rather than pasta or rice. Roger can have his with the crispy bread for mopping up the sauce.
This is a good freezer dinner. I freeze individual portions once it's cooled down, and then I thaw them in the fridge and reheat gently so the sauce doesn't split.
5) Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders
A goodie: these buttermilk oven-fried chicken tenders. Ben thinks he's getting chicken takeaway, but he's actually getting a homemade meal, and I know exactly what's gone into it. I marinate the chicken strips in buttermilk, then coat them in seasoned breadcrumbs and bake them until crisp. The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and gives the coating something to cling to. So it is a really important step.
For Ben, I keep the seasoning mild and serve the tenders with his favorite dipping sauce. And then for us, I'll add some paprika, garlic, cayenne, pepper, or even a little bit of parmesan to the coating. It just takes it to the next level. And because they're baked rather than deep-fried, I don't feel so bad about serving them with crispy potatoes, which I normally cook alongside them in the air fryer.
Make extra because cold chicken tenders are so delicious. Slice into a salad the next day. You can also freeze them once they've cooked and reheat them in the air fryer so they crisp up again.
6) Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Roasted Carrots
Chicken thighs are one of my favorite things to cook for a family because they are so forgiving. You can give them a little extra time, and they don't immediately turn into dry chicken. My husband really loves overcooked chicken. So that's what I do with these. I take them way further than they should go. I roast them with garlic, lemon, and herbs, and add carrots to the same tray.
My lemon tree makes this one particularly easy. I can walk outside and pick what I need. And then for Ben, I'll keep his chicken fairly simple and make sure the lemon isn't too intense. He gets the roasted carrots on the side, and I mix them with a little bit of honey. And he's very happy. And then I'll squeeze plenty of lemon over the chicken after cooking and add fresh thyme or rosemary.
A little pan juice spooned over the top makes the whole thing taste much more amazing. The leftovers are amazing, shredded into a wrap or chopped into a salad.
Chicken has been the most popular meat in American households for decades, mostly because it’s the one protein almost nobody at the table actively refuses. It’s mild enough to dress up for adults and simple enough to leave plain for kids, which is exactly why it shows up so often on this list.
7) Chicken Pot Pie with Flaky Puff Pastry
I have a weakness for puff pastry on top of anything. It makes a simple chicken filling look like you've made far more effort than you actually have, which is exactly the kind of cooking I like on a busy night. I use cooked chicken here. Leftover roast chicken works really well. Then add carrots, peas, and creamy sauce.
Ben is happy because everything is soft and familiar, while Raj gets the proper pastry top pie he wants for dinner. I sometimes leave a little section with less sauce if Ben is being particularly fussy. The important bit with puff pastry is: don't put it on while the filling is boiling. Let the filling cool slightly first so the pastry has a fighting chance of puffing rather than turning soggy. I also brush it with beaten egg, and I cut a couple of little slits in the top so steam can escape.
And if I have extra filling, I don't make another pie. I spoon it into ramekins, freeze it without pastry, and then later top with fresh puff pastry before baking. That gives you a much better texture than freezing the whole finished pie. If there's a spoon or two left over after dinner, I'll stir in some cooked rice the next day and bake it with cheese, with a little bit on top. It makes for a completely different meal, and no one even notices they're leftovers.
8) Teriyaki Chicken Bowls with Steamed Rice
My son likes meals where he can see what everything is. Instead of mixing the chicken, rice, and veggies, I put everything into little piles, and then I let him decide what goes where. And then for us, I make the teriyaki chicken a little bit punchier with fresh garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds. I also like to add steamed broccoli, cucumber, and spring onion. Mine gets extra veggies and a smaller portion of rice, while my husband gets the full deal.
A useful trick with teriyaki is to cook the sauce separately until it thickens slightly. Then add the cooked chicken right at the end. If you cook the chicken in a watery sauce for too long, you lose that sticky coating, and it ends up with a boiled chicken situation. And then I'll often cook double the rice because leftover rice is really useful.
The next day I'll turn it into quick chicken fried rice with an egg. My husband loves that for breakfast. And then I add any vegetables in the fridge and a splash of soy sauce. It honestly takes about 10 minutes, and it doesn't feel like last night's dinner.
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For Ben, I keep some chicken aside before adding the stronger sauce. That tiny bit of planning means I'm not making a second dinner.
9) One-Pan Chicken Alfredo with Peas
I'm very lucky because Roger is very easy to impress with pasta. You just have to put chicken, parmesan, and a creamy sauce in front of him, and dinner is basically sorted, and he's happy. I make this one-pot meal because I refuse to wash a saucepan for pasta and another one for sauce when I don't have to.
The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, and it just sucks up all that flavor as it goes. I wouldn't add too much liquid at the beginning. You can always loosen a thick sauce with a splash of milk at the end, but rescuing water alfredo is much harder. I also take the pan off the heat before adding a fine handful of parmesan, so it melts into the sauce rather than becoming stringy.
Ben actually eats peas when they're mixed into creamy pasta, which is one of those little parenting victories I don't question. And then for my portion, I usually add steamed broccoli or rocket on the side and don't go quite heavy on the sauce.
If there's pasta left, I spread it into a small baking dish the next day, add a little grated cheese, and bake it until it's bubbling. It becomes a completely different baked pasta lunch.
10) BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizzas
I make these flatbreads when we're feeling like takeaway, but don't actually feel like ordering takeaway. I use nano flatbreads, spread them with a thin layer of barbecue sauce, and then add shredded chicken, mozzarella, and a little bit of red onion. Ben gets his without the onion, obviously. Once they're baked, I add fresh coriander or rocket to the adult ones.
The trick is getting a crisp base; don't overload the flatbread. Too much sauce and too many toppings make it floppy. I've learned that from past mistakes. I also give the flatbreads a few minutes in the oven before adding the toppings. If they're really thick. I'll sometimes skip some of the cheese and pile mine high with rocket, avo and fresh tomato.
And these are really good for using up small amounts of chicken that you've got left in the fridge. I shred it very finely and then spread it across all of the flatbreads. If there are leftovers, I chop them into little squares and crisp them in the air fryer the next day. They become really delicious crunchy chicken pizza bites for lunch.
11) Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sauce
Chicken enchiladas can work in your favor. Most of the work must be done ahead of time, though. I fill the tortillas with shredded chicken, cheese, and a little bit of corn. Roll them up and then cover them with some green chili sauce.
For kids, I would keep the filling mild and not add any chili directly to their portion. Roger and I get jalapeños, coriander, and hot sauce afterward. One thing I have learned from making enchiladas in the past is: don't drown the tortillas in sauce before baking. You want enough to keep everything moist, but too much makes the tortillas fall apart. I put a thin layer underneath, and most of the sauce covers the top.
Assemble the enchiladas in a freezer-safe dish, but save the final cheese topping until you're ready to bake. Take it out overnight and let it defrost in the fridge, then add fresh cheese. Add fresh cheese and bake until it's hot and bubbling.
Leftover enchilada filling gets a second life in our house as quesadillas. I spread it between tortillas with cheese, toast them in a dry pan, and then cut them into triangles. Ben thinks he's getting a completely new dinner.
Mild sauces with a little tang, like green chile or honey mustard, hit a sweet spot for family cooking. They give the dish enough personality for adults to actually enjoy it, but they stop short of the heat or bite that sends kids running for the milk carton. That’s the real trick behind half the recipes on this list.
12) Maple-Dijon Chicken Drumsticks
Drumsticks and an air fryer are some of my secret weapons for feeding children. Ben can pick up one with his hands, and that makes the food taste more exciting. He finishes absolutely every bit of meat on the bone as well. I taught him that at a young age.
The glaze is just maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, and a little bit of olive oil. I don't like it overly sweet. You want the mustard and garlic to balance the maple. For really good drumsticks, give them space on the tray. If they pack tightly together, they steam instead of roast. I also turn them once during cooking so that the glaze coats absolutely everything.
You can make these in the air fryer too, which is obvious when you're just doing a few. Watch the glaze toward the end, because anything with maple can catch quickly. I serve it with beans, cucumber, some corn, and some hand-cut chips, and then I keep the more grown-up stuff separate.
If we have leftover meat, I pull it from the bone and chop it into a chunky chicken salad with some avo, cucumber, and lettuce the next day. The sweet, musty chicken works really well with my homemade lemon dressing.
13) Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Spinach
This is such a delicious dish. Creamy Tuscan chicken and my best spinach. I cook the chicken pieces until they're really brown and then make a quick sauce with garlic, sun-dried tomato, spinach, and a little bit of cream. Ben gets chicken and whatever plain side he's willing to eat before I add too much strong flavor to the pan.
The important chef tip is not to overcrowd the chicken when browning it. Give each piece room and let it actually colour. That brown layer on the bottom of the pan is what gives your sauce so much more flavor. And if you've even got some mushrooms, you can add it at this time. I also add the spinach right at the end. It only needs a minute or two. Otherwise, it can completely disappear and actually turn bitter.
For my plate, I serve it with lots of veggies. And my husband naturally happily has it with pasta with an extra parmesan. If there's sauce left over, I loosen it with a splash of stock, add chopped leftover chicken and veggies, and use it as a base for a quick, creamy chicken soup. It sounds odd until you try it. It's actually delicious.
14) Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
I'm actually making this tonight for dinner: chicken meatballs and a tomato sauce. I just find it so light and delicious and also incredibly satisfying. I started making them when I wanted something that Ben could eat easily when it's hot, without having to cut up a big piece of chicken each time. They're also a good way of sneaking in extra veggies without making dinner look like a vegetable project.
I grate a little bit of zucchini into the mixture and squeeze it well first. That last part matters. Watery zucchini makes meatballs fall apart fast. And then I bake mine rather than frying them. And then you finish them in tomato sauce.
I've got a whole bunch of cherry tomatoes in the fridge, and that's what my base of the tomato sauce is going to be. If you want more flavor, you can brown them briefly first, but baking is perfectly good for a weeknight. Ben will have his with pasta and small pieces of toast, and Rog likes this with spaghetti and parmesan.
If you make extra, freeze the cooked meatballs in their sauce in individual portions. They're really delicious for those nights when you've forgotten to plan dinner, or you've come home late from somewhere. And leftover meatballs don't have to become spaghetti again. I chop them up, then put them into toasted wraps with salad and a little mozzarella. Then you grill them until crisp. It makes a very good lunch.
15) Slow-Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos
I love anything where the slow cooker does the work while I do something else! Chicken breasts or thighs go in with salsa verde, garlic, cumin, and a squeeze of lime. A few hours later, you shred the chicken, and that's basically dinner sorted. What a dream.
Don't add lots of extra liquid. The chicken releases plenty of moisture as it cooks, I promise. And too much liquid gives you watery taco filling. Once shredded, I leave it for a few minutes so the sauce reduces and clings to the chicken.
And then for Ben, I make a plain chicken portion before adding salsa verde to his tortilla. Then everyone builds their own dinner. Chicken, avo, cucumber, cheese, lettuce, corn. Honestly, whatever is in the fridge. I love mine with loads of coriander and lime. Especially when the coriander is fresh from my garden.
Any leftover chicken gets turned into a crunchy tortilla bowl the next day. I crisp tortilla strips in the oven, add lettuce, chicken, avocado, and corn, then drizzle over lime and yogurt dressing. Same ingredients, completely different dinner.
16) Crispy Chicken Schnitzel with Buttered Noodles
I buy my chicken schnitzels already made. There. I said it. I'm a trade chef, but I also have a child, a house, and other things to do. So I'm very happy to use a good shortcut when it makes sense.
I usually cook the schnitzels in the air fryer because they come out really crisp without needing much oil, and there's far less mess than frying them in a pan. Ben loves them with buttered noodles. And Roger will happily have his with chips on a big salad. I'll usually skip the noodles and have mine with a big green salad with lots of parmesan and lemon.
Don't overcrowd your schnitzels in the air fryer. Give them some space so the hot air can circulate properly. Otherwise, the coating can stay soft rather than crisping up. But to be honest, I haven't really had that problem. A squeeze of lemon over mine makes all the difference, and sometimes I add a little bit of parmesan and fresh herbs if I have them growing in the garden.
If there are any leftovers, I slice them into strips and then turn them into wraps the next day. Ben gets this plain with a little bit of cheese. It's basically a homemade chicken wrap without having to cook another thing.
“Dinner doesn’t have to be two separate meals just because the eaters at the table have two very different standards.”
