Three Cheap and Easy Chicken Dinners

Poor secretaries know that eating out every night takes a big chunk out of your budget. Cooking dinner for yourself is a great way to cut food costs and experiment with the foods you like. I�m always on the look-out for meals that are easy to prepare and cheap to make and these three cheap and easy chicken dinners fit the bill.

There�s a better way to retain the nutrients when you cook green beans, save refrigerator space, and make it much easier on yourself come the big holiday meal.Prepare by mixing all ingredients in a slow cooker and cooking on high for 3-4 hours.Plus, if you are trying to have a stress-free holiday cooking experience, you�re probably preparing the casserole a day in advance. That large casserole dish takes up a lot of room in your refrigerator. And, since it�s flat, there are usually items piled on top of it, further ruining its appeal.* 1 packet of dry onion soup mixCheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole* 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken* 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh)* 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese* Salt and pepper to tasteSteaming is the best method to �par-cook� vegetables before preparing them in other ways. ManPans Cookware was kind enough to furnish a free set of pans for me to play with, and I especially like the steamer insert for their wok.Since we�ve cooked such nice beans, it seems a shame to cover them with canned soup. I can call upon some basic cooking methods and create a roux to thicken simmering milk. The cold roux is added to the hot milk in small increments until the liquid thickens to the consistency I�d like.The best way to cook string beans, save refrigerator space, and give yourself time to actually enjoy your holiday meal this year is to consider steaming and shocking vegetables first.* 2 uncooked chicken breasts* 1 teaspoon of onion salt* 2 cups of chopped, cooked chickenEasy Chicken and Rice CasseroleTwo of the following recipes involve the use of a slow cooker. If you don�t already own one, I highly recommend it. Slow cookers are the ultimate tool for easy preparation. All you have to do is mix up the ingredients, start the cooker and return to a hot and ready meal later on.* 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules* 1 cup of uncooked rice* 1 jar of ready-made alfredo sauce* 1 cup of uncooked long grain rice* 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powderThen, I can add cheddar cheese for Broccoli in Cheese Sauce, or add diced mushrooms and create my own quick white sauce with mushrooms that didn�t come from a can.* 1 box of penne pastaCheap Chicken Alfredo with Penne* 1 small bag of frozen broccoli

Experiment with these recipes to suit them to your individual tastes. If you don�t like alfredo sauce, use marinara or pesto instead. Use different vegetables if you don�t like broccoli or try different styles of pasta. Spice up the recipes with chili powder or crushed red pepper if you like a little zing in your meals. If you have leftovers, stick them in individual serving Tupperware containers to take for lunch the next day. Get creative � play around with these recipes and enjoy creating dishes that taste great and save you money!

Author: Sarah Russell