Are you a student who is tired of taking the same meals every day? Here are some quick healthy meal ideas that will change your life!
Quick Easy Meals For Students Chicken Vegetables With Pasta
A one-dish meal of chicken, vegetables and pasta in tomato sauce – a quick, easy-to-make meal that is satisfying, healthy and economical.
Students and bachelors ideally seek dishes that are tasty, quick to make and economical. This dish takes only 15 to 20 minutes to cook and could not be easier. Low-fat, low-sodium and ready in moments – ideal for a satisfying meal when you are short of time. Make enough for two at the same time and have some ready in the fridge to reheat when you are especially short of time.
The picture shows the dish prepared with fresh vegetables (baby carrots, zucchini and a stalk of celery cut into thin strips) but a very quick version can be prepared using canned mixed vegetables and ready cooked pasta. The recipes for both versions are given below.
Chicken & Vegetables with Pasta – with Canned Mixed Vegetables
For two people:
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
8oz of chicken breast sliced or cut into ¾” cubes
1 14oz can of no salt added mixed vegetables
1 6oz can of no salt added tomato paste
12oz of water
¼ teaspoon of basil or mixed herbs
½ tsp of onion powder
½ tsp of garlic powder
Black pepper
7-8oz of cooked pasta- Heat the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan.
- Brown the chicken lightly on all sides.
- Add the mixed vegetables and the tomato paste. Refill the tomato can with water and add it to the dish. Repeat.
- Sprinkle on the herbs and the onion and garlic powder. Add pepper to taste.
- Stir until the sauce is blended and leave over a LOW heat to infuse for 10 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta. Mix together well until heated thoroughly and serve or store in a container in the fridge to be reheated in the microwave at a later date.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Without the Parmesan, the above dish contains 100mg of cholesterol and 150mg of sodium per serving (2). 2 tsp (1oz / 5g) of Parmesan contains approx. 100mg of sodium and 5mg of cholesterol.
Note
If you have no cooked pasta available, the pasta can be cooked in the same pan as the rest of the ingredients. After browning the chicken and blending in the tomato paste and water, add the pasta and 12oz of low-sodium chicken stock (or a further 12oz of water and half a chicken bouillon cube: this will add around 200mg more of sodium to each serving but still be well within the recommended daily intake). Bring the dish to the boil and then simmer for approx. 15 minutes until the pasta is still chewy but not tough. Add the vegetables and cook for 2-3 moments to heat through.
Chicken & Vegetables with Pasta – with Fresh Vegetables
For two people:
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
8oz of chicken breast sliced or cut into ¾” cubes
1 stalk of celery, cut into 2” lengths and then lengthways into narrow strips
6oz of baby carrots
6oz of zucchini (courgettes), sliced
1 6oz can of no salt added tomato paste
12oz of water
7-8oz of dry pasta
12oz of low-sodium chicken stock or 12oz of water plus ½ chicken bouillon cube
¼ teaspoon of basil or mixed herbs
½ tsp of onion powder
½ tsp of garlic powder
Black pepper- Brown the chicken lightly on all sides.
- Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring the vegetables constantly. Add the 6oz of tomato sauce and 12 oz of water. Blend in the herbs, onion and garlic powder and season with pepper.
- Add the dry pasta and the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat and simmer the dish for 15 minutes until the pasta and the vegetables are cooked.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
