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    • Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes -->This collection of easy chicken dinner recipes features some of our favorite family dishes, perfect for making a healthy, delicious home cooked meal on a busy night! Getting a healthy, home cooked meal on the table every night can be challenging. Particularly with the demands of work, school, activities and social obligations, well, it can be the last thing we want to do at the end of the day. So I’ve got tons of easy chicken recipes at my disposal that I turn to when I need to whip something up for us on one of those busy weeknights. (Or even busy weekends – dinners can be tough then, too!) And this collection of easy chicken dinner recipes has some that we make over and over again. It includes everything from skillet chicken dinners to slow cooker chicken recipes, one-pot chicken pastas, soups and salads with chicken, chicken burgers and meatballs, sheet pan chicken dinners and easy chicken casseroles. Are you looking for fast as well as easy? Me too. I’ve got collections of chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, faster still, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Or if you want to browse them all, my quick chicken recipes…
      • Easy Chicken Recipes with Few IngredientsThese easy chicken recipes with few ingredients include some great healthy lunch and dinner options, all made with 5 or fewer ingredients! I am all about the EASY when it comes to cooking. I don’t like to fuss much over my food and I certainly don’t like to spend a ton of time in the kitchen at the end of a long day. Easy chicken dinner recipes and healthy lunch recipes with chicken are much more my style. (As are chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, faster yet, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Cause life.) Speaking of life, a million trips to the grocery store also aren’t fun during a busy week. (Especially with little ones in tow!) So I’ve got these go-to easy chicken recipes with few ingredients that help me keep dinnertime simple. And my sanity intact. In fact, one of the first cookbooks I bought on my own, at a used bookstore in Washington, D.C., where I lived for a few years after college, was titled 3-ingredient recipes. I was pretty new to cooking and thought, I think I can handle that. My cooking skills have improved, but I still go for the simple chicken recipes…
      • Quick Chicken RecipesThis collection of quick chicken recipes features some of our favorite family dinners and go-to lunches, all ready in 30 minutes or less! From chicken skillet dinners to one-pot pastas, salads to burgers, you’re sure to find some new favorites! If you know me, you know I am ALL about the quick and easy recipes. I love making all of our homemade meals and home cooked dinners, but like you, I’ve also got a hundred other things to juggle and so keeping things simple in the kitchen is a must. And these quick chicken recipes include all of my chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, even faster, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Sanity savers for sure. Busy weeknights have nothing on us! A few of our favorites from these quick chicken recipes: Healthy chicken Alfredo with broccoli Creamy chipotle chicken 20-minute chicken and tortellini soup with kale Skillet salsa chicken Easy creamy chicken This collection also has some healthy lunch recipes with chicken for mixing up your lunch routine. (It doesn’t include my slow cooker chicken recipes though, since those aren’t ready in 30 minutes. But they can be super quick to prep in the morning and then…
        • Chicken Recipes in Under 15 MinutesThese easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes are perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight! From one-pot wonders to salads, chicken skillets to tacos, you’re sure to find some new fast favorites! You know those nights when you walk in the door and need dinner pronto?! Like, 5 minutes ago? That’s when I turn to these quick and easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. I can make a healthy, home cooked meal for my family and be sitting down to enjoy it in no time. Cause plenty of evenings, 15 minutes is often all the time I have – or want to spend – on dinner. I’m not alone on that, right?! You can browse below but I thought I’d highlight a couple that I make over and over again. A few of our favorite easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes: 15-minute honey garlic chicken (gets rave reviews!) Southwest chicken skillet dinner (pile on your favorite toppings!) Quick chicken curry (perfect with rice and peas) One-pot low-carb leftover chicken recipe with spinach (my dad’s go-to recipe) This collection also includes some healthy lunch options that are quick to put together — like the Asian chicken mason jar…
        • Chicken Recipes in Under 30 MinutesThese easy chicken recipes in under 30 minutes are perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight! From one-pan meals to burgers, one-pot pastas to healthy salads, you’re sure to find some new favorites! Quick, easy and mostly healthy is pretty much the name of the game for dinner at my house. I love a home cooked meal and we eat a ton of chicken, which means I’ve come up with and found a lot of easy chicken recipes over the years. And this collection highlights some of my easy chicken recipes in under 30 minutes, when you want something delicious but need it on the table pretty quickly. Is that every single night for you too? We’ve got everything from skillet chicken dishes to chicken pasta and from soups and salads with chicken to chicken meatballs and burgers. All the chicken love! Many of these recipes use boneless, skinless chicken breasts (though you could substitute chicken thighs if you prefer) while others use ground chicken and some rely on pre-cooked chicken, such as a rotisserie chicken you pick up at the store or some leftover grilled or baked chicken. Lots of these 30 minute chicken dinners are complete meals but…
      • Healthy One-Pot Chicken DinnersHealthy one-pot chicken dinners are such a help on busy days! This collection includes everything from one-pot pastas and skillets to easy slow cooker and sheet pan recipes to help you get an easy, healthy and delicious dinner on the table any night! I am ALL about quick and easy meals. I cook our dinner 99% of the time, including on days when work has blown up in my face, or the kids have decided to coordinate their melt-downs, or we’re all just wiped out and hungry. And even though I love to cook, I definitely have those days when I’m just not feeling it. Enter some quick and easy one-pot chicken dinners for the win! These are great to have in your back pocket for busy days, busy weeks or in case of a “kids-are-making-me-crazy” kinda moment. (My husband also loves these meals because he’s on clean-up duty and it’s nice not to have a huge pile of dishes staring you down after dinner!) Many of these dishes are complete meals on their own. Others are low-carb as written, but can easily be paired with some rice, pasta, bread or potatoes to bulk them up a bit. Here are…
      • Slow Cooker Chicken RecipesThese hands-off slow cooker chicken recipes will put your slow cooker to work and have you coming home to a delicious, healthy dinner that’s ready to go! Some days, you just need someone else to make you dinner. I’m not talking takeout or delivery or a restaurant dinner. I’m talking about your crock pot or slow cooker. I find it supremely satisfying to go about my day, knowing that a delicious home cooked dinner is cooking up at home for me. I can play with the kids, take them to practices, run errands or just relax with a book and breathe easy. These slow cooker chicken recipes mean there is just one less thing to do in the evening and that’s a great thing on a busy day! This collection includes slow cooker recipes for boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well as chicken thighs (though you can usually sub either one). And many of these take just minutes to prep in the morning! 👍 Here’s a few of our favorite slow cooker chicken recipes: Slow cooker balsamic chicken Slow cooker bistro chicken thighs Slow cooker apricot chicken Crock pot Mediterranean chicken Slow cooker teriyaki chicken And be sure to check…
    • Easy Vegetarian RecipesEasy vegetarian recipes include main-dish meals that are hearty and satisfying and can stand alone for lunch or dinner (with a few savory breakfast options as well). Everything from one-pot veggie pastas to stuffed squash to chili to veggie burgers and hearty grain bowls and salads, there are meatless options here for everyone! I am a veggie lover through and through. 💚💚💚 I adore getting in as many vegetables as I can, throughout the day really, and I often make easy vegetarian dinners a couple of times a week. (Hello meatless Monday, I’m looking at you!) So over the years, I’ve created tons of great veggie-based meals that can stand on their own for lunch or dinner and be hearty and satisfying. And that are also mostly quick and easy, because I work as a health and nutrition editor and we’ve got a busy family so cooking on a weeknight needs to be low-key. My one-pot vegetarian spaghetti has been a hugely popular recipe here on the blog and you guys can’t seem to get enough of my grain bowls and salads. I know the feeling. 😉 I wanted to round up some of these in an easy-to-browse category that features…
    • Healthy Oatmeal RecipesA collection of healthy oatmeal recipes, including sweet and savory breakfast and brunch options as well as delicious, wholesome snacks and desserts. We are pretty much oatmeal fanatics in my house. ALL of us adore oatmeal and it’s a rare day that we’re not making or eating something with oats or oatmeal in it at some point during the day. And I mean all four of us – my husband, myself and our kids (currently ages 6 and 4). Our go-to 3-minute microwave oatmeal is a morning staple for my husband and a weekly staple for the kids and me. My kids eat overnight oatmeal jars at least twice a week for breakfast and we often have baked oatmeal another morning of the week. For school lunches or afternoon snack, we can be found munching on some no-bake cookie or energy balls with oats, oatmeal cookies of some variety or if they’ve asked nicely, I’ll make a batch of granola and we all just shovel handful after handful until it’s gone. Want to know some of our very favorites of the group below? OK, I’ll share! Our family’s favorite healthy oatmeal recipes: Healthy chocolate chip muffins Overnight oatmeal jars, 3…
    • Healthy Muffin RecipesA collection of easy, kid-friendly healthy muffin recipes for all times of day: breakfast, school lunch, snacking, dinner and dessert! We are BIG muffin lovers in this house, at all times of day! My kiddos love them for breakfast, brunch, school lunch, afternoon snack and sometimes even savory muffins at dinner. Muffins all the time! I’ve made thousands of healthy muffin recipes over the years and I love sharing them with you! There are plenty to browse below and plenty more I plan to add! (You can sign up for my newsletter so you never miss a recipe. You’ll also get my FREE e-book of easy weeknight dinners.) Wondering where to start? Spinach banana mini muffins and whole wheat pumpkin muffins are some of our constant favorites. Healthy peanut butter and jelly muffins are fun for lunch and easy cheesy cornbread muffins are great for a quick + easy dinner side, especially with soup or chili! And if you’re in the mood for a little chocolate (I know I always am!) you can’t go wrong with my healthy chocolate chip muffins. Hope you find some new favorite healthy muffin recipes! XO, Kathryn
    • Healthy DessertsThis collection of healthy desserts features everything from lightened up cookie bars and brownies to cakes, muffins and breads to no-bake energy bites. It’s the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying on track with healthy choices! Healthy desserts are kind-of my jam. I like a dessert that gives back. One that has redeeming qualities. A sweet treat that’s going to treat me right. But of course, it also needs to be delicious so I actually satisfy those sweet cravings! The healthier dessert recipes you’ll find below are some of our go-to treats that are perfect for a healthier late-night option and many of which are great for offering kids a wholesome, but fun, treat for an after-school snack or tucked in their lunch box. Most of these recipes are whole grain and naturally sweetened, others are recipe makeovers that are lower in sugar and/or butter. A majority of them contain chocolate. 🍫❤️ And ALL are easy to make. (You can also check out my healthy muffin recipes and my entire category of sweets & desserts if you want more.) Here’s a few of our favorite healthy desserts: Healthy chocolate chip muffins Healthier no bake cookie bars No…
    • Healthy Fall BakingThese healthy fall baking favorites include everything from muffins and baked oatmeal to snacks to cookies and cakes. These fall recipes are whole grain and most are naturally sweetened for a wholesome, delicious treat at breakfast, snack, school lunch or dessert! Does anyone else get the baking bug when the cooler weather starts to roll in during autumn? I know I do! I get excited for all the apple baking projects, pumpkin baking projects and even getting ready for all the holiday baking to come! 🍎🎃 The spices, the warmth, the aroma of having something in the oven is just part of the season for me. Plus the love that comes from a homemade baked good – it just can’t be beat! ❤️ And y’all know my style is definitely a healthier version of baking. I use whole grains and most of my recipes are naturally sweetened. I try to lighten things up where possible and keep to mostly wholesome treats, maybe with a little indulgence here and there! 😉 Wondering where to start? Here are some of our healthy fall baking favorites: Chocolate chip apple cake Pumpkin baked oatmeal with chocolate chips Whole wheat pumpkin applesauce bread Easy healthy…
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17 Healthy Pool Dinners

Published on June 6, 2018 Last Modified: May 19, 2022 By Kathryn Doherty

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Check out these 17 ideas for healthy pool dinners (or lunches) that are easy and portable and perfect for summer evenings! Everything from pasta salads to sliders to sandwiches and wraps to snack boards, plus tons of recipes to try. You’ll be set for a delicious summer of fun!Check out these 17 ideas for healthy pool dinners (or lunches) that are easy and portable and perfect for summer evenings! Everything from pasta salads to sliders to sandwiches and wraps to snack boards, plus tons of recipes to try. You’ll be set for a delicious summer of fun! #summerdinners #pooldinners #healthysummerrecipes | www.familyfoodonthetable.com

Today I’m celebrating the end of school, the start of summer and the long afternoons spent at the pool that are stretched out before me. ☀️🏊‍♀️💦

(I try to really savor these first few weeks of summer when it seems like the warm weather and fun days with the kids will last for ages because come August, I feel like I’ve got whiplash from how fast it all flew by!)

And this year, I’m gonna be prepared with some healthy pool dinners I can pack for us.

We are finally done with the days of napping and having to go home midday to give the kids a rest.

They’re a bit older (7 and almost 5) and we can probably have some full days at the pool on the weekends when my husband and I aren’t working.

I also like to take off on Friday afternoon and head over with them and have my husband meet us after work. And I hate having to pack up and come home so early just to get a decent dinner.

Quinoa chicken spinach salad with mandarin oranges, walnuts and a honey-lime vinaigrette -- a flavorful main dish salad that’s ready in just 20 minutes! | www.familyfoodonthetable.com

Cause you know how I feel about homemade food. (ALL the feels, in case you are new to this blog and didn’t know!) I’m not big on the concession stand and I want to pack us up something delicious to take with instead.

So I created this list and round-up of recipes for some easy, make-ahead and portable healthy pool dinners we can pack and take to the pool with us.

They don’t require reheating and they are complete lunches or dinners that will fill you up without weighing you down. We are eating in our bathing suits after all! 👙

So without further ado, I bring you my list of ideas and below that you’ll find links to some specific recipes that would be great for eating at the pool. And of course, these are also all appropriate for packing up to take as beach dinners or for eating at the park.

(And if you’re all in the summer vibes like me, also check out these 10 easy no-recipe summer dinner ideas for easy dinners you can just throw together last minute any night.)

3-ingredient slow cooker pulled pork | FamilyFoodontheTable.com

17 ideas for healthy pool dinners:

  1. Grain bowls – quinoa/farro/barley with chicken/beans/tofu and veggies and a dressing or sauce packed separately for topping the grain bowls with
  2. Grilled chicken for serving on burger buns or sliders or in wraps with your favorite toppings
  3. Chopped (lettuce) salad — chicken or vegetarian, dressing on the side
  4. Pasta salad — such as a BLT pasta salad, chicken orzo salad, Caprese pasta salad, tortellini salad, etc.
  5. Quinoa salad — Mediterranean, Asian, Italian style, etc.
  6. Chicken salad for sandwiches, wraps or as a salad with some leafy lettuce (or make tuna salad or egg salad)
  7. Roasted veggie or chicken wraps or roll-ups
  8. Make-ahead baked sliders — such as buffalo chicken, pesto chicken, ham and cheese, etc.
  9. Snack board dinner — hummus or dips with crackers, cheese, rotisserie chicken or deli meats, chopped veggies, nuts, dried fruit, etc.
  10. Chicken and veggie plate with Ranch or other dressings for dipping (can add a loaf of bakery bread for a carb on the side)
  11. Mason jar salads — layered in a mason jar for easy transport
  12. Spring rolls or egg rolls with a sauce for dipping (or make the mix and bring mini phyllo shells to stuff and snack on all night)
  13. Cold taco salad served with tortilla chips
  14. Cold grilled cheese or panini sandwiches, with chips or pretzels and crudités and dip
  15. Quiche – great at room temperature
  16. Kabobs – make ahead and serve cold with ketchup or a dip (and don’t forget fruit kabobs for a fun dessert!)
  17. Finally, if you have a thermos to keep food warm, you could also pack some mac and cheese, chili or keep taco meat warm to serve with chips or flour tortillas

So there you have it! Tons of ideas to last you through the summer. And if you want to check out some specific recipes for these ideas, I’ve got you covered!

Easy chicken roll ups with cream cheese and veggies - great for lunch, appetizers or tailgating

Recipes for healthy pool dinners (or lunches)

WRAPS & SLIDERS

  • Slow cooker pulled pork (for sandwiches or sliders)
  • Healthy slow cooker buffalo chicken (for sliders)
  • Spicy chicken patties (for wraps, salads, sliders or dipping)
  • Baked southwestern egg rolls
  • Easy chicken roll-ups with cream cheese and veggies
  • Roasted veggie wrap with pesto and goat cheese

BOWLS

  • BBQ chicken quinoa salad bowls
  • Quinoa chicken spinach salad with honey lime vinaigrette
  • Cold barley salad with chicken and creamy pesto
  • Chicken quinoa salad with salsa hummus
  • Farro and roasted vegetable grain bowl

GRAIN/PASTA SALADS

  • Mediterranean quinoa salad (can add chicken)
  • Lemony orzo chicken salad
  • Southwestern orzo salad (can add chicken)
  • Classic spaghetti salad

SALADS

  • Southwestern chopped salad
  • Asian chicken chopped salad
  • Mediterranean chopped salad
  • Basil chicken salad with walnuts (can serve as a sandwich or wrap)
  • Tuna spinach salad (can serve as a sandwich or wrap)
  • Pesto chicken salad (can serve as a sandwich or wrap)
  • Curried egg salad (can serve as a sandwich or wrap)
  • Smashed edamame salad (can serve as a sandwich or wrap)
  • Southwestern mason jar salad
  • Asian chicken mason jar salad

I hope you have an amazing summer!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. You may also want to check out my chicken recipes in under 15 minutes if you’re heading home from the pool and want to make a super fast dinner!

Check out these 17 ideas for healthy pool dinners (or lunches) that are easy and portable and perfect for summer evenings! Everything from pasta salads to sliders to sandwiches and wraps to snack boards, plus tons of recipes to try. You’ll be set for a delicious summer of fun! #summerdinners #pooldinners #healthysummerrecipes | www.familyfoodonthetable.com

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Filed Under: Cooking resources, Main dishes, Resources, Salads, Summer

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Comments

  1. Julie @ Running in a Skirt says

    June 6, 2018 at 8:46 AM

    These all look and sound amazing! I love the salads you picked. Your kids are lucky to get this kind of food at the pool! I’m pretty sure I got peanut butter sandwiches as a kid- lol!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      June 8, 2018 at 6:55 AM

      Haha, I’m sure we’ll have those nights too! But I needed a good collection of healthy go-to ideas to draw from this summer. You know I gotta have my veggies 😊

      Reply
  2. Erin @ Suburban Simplicity says

    June 11, 2018 at 9:01 PM

    Oh, my gosh! Love all these options! Wish I had a pool so I could eat them poolside. Guess they’ll be patio meal for me! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      June 12, 2018 at 1:04 PM

      Pool nights, picnics, potlucks, just backyard firefly catching and star gazing – these will work for so many summer occasions!

      Reply
  3. Kristen says

    June 12, 2018 at 7:24 AM

    I love the age when you can spend the whole day at the pool. And whole nothings beats a pb and j once in a blue moon at the pool…these are the kind of meals I want to be eating.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      June 12, 2018 at 1:08 PM

      Haha, that’ll be my back-up if I haven’t prepped in advance! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Suzanne Hanks says

    May 21, 2019 at 1:09 PM

    This is an amazing set of recipes. I live in AZ and I am always looking for good summer and picnic meals…because these summer days are all year around for me. This is one of the best collections I have found. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      May 22, 2019 at 7:08 AM

      Oh yay! I’m so happy to hear this is helpful Suzanne! 😊

      Reply

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