Cooking one dish is one thing. Getting an entire meal to the table hot and ready at the same time is another! For some cooks, timing may be the most intimidating part of preparing dinner.

The secret is knowing what to start first and taking advantage of the downtime in each recipe. For this meal, I start with the mashed potatoes. While they cook, I prep the carrots and chicken. The carrots and chicken both bake at 400°F, but the carrots need a head start. Once the carrots are turned, the chicken is placed in the oven.

The goal isn’t to rush—it’s to make the recipes work together.

The 60-Minute Dinner Game Plan with time and what to do

Prep time: Crush croutons. Peel potatoes and rinse well. Add chicken broth and water to potatoes. Assemble your ingredients.

60 minutes before dinner:  Preheat oven to 400°F. Place potatoes on the stove and bring to a boil.  While the potatoes come to a boil, whisk together the carrot glaze, reserving 2 TBS. Toss carrots. With the mixture and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Combine croutons with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and pepper. Coat chicken tenders lightly with dressing and press into the crouton mixture. Arrange on parchment lined baking sheet. After potatoes come to a boil, cook for 14 minutes or until fork tender. Drain potatoes and return to the stove to dry out. Follow  recipe directions. Turn off heat, cover, and proceed with the carrots and chicken.

30 minutes before dinner: Place carrots on the lower rack.

20 minutes before dinner: Turn carrots. Spray chicken with avocado oil and place chicken on the middle rack. During the last 2 minutes,  place oven on broil to crisp chicken. Watch carefully. Time to catch your breath and clean the kitchen.

Dinner time! Drizzle the carrots with the remaining glaze and dish it out!                                                         

Awesome Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • ½ Yukon Gold and ½ Russet Potatoes (3 pounds total)
  • 1 container of chicken broth plus water to cover potatoes during cooking
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 whole garlic cloves (optional)
  • 1 stick of butter
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Nature’s Seasoning

Directions

  1. Peel potatoes and cut out bad spots (if any). Cut in quarters or smaller if using larger potatoes. Make sure all are the same size so they cook evenly. Rinse very well to remove starch from the potatoes.
  2. Place potatoes on stove top. Add chicken broth, water to cover, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 garlic cloves (optional).
  3. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook for 12 or more minutes. They should be fork tender. Be sure not to overcook or your potatoes will become starchy.
  4. Drain potatoes in a strainer and return to stove on the lowest setting.
  5. Dry potatoes on stove until no water appears. Stir to ensure they are completely dried.
  6. Cut butter into slices and add to potatoes to begin the melting process.
  7. Remove from heat and add sour cream.
  8. Add salt and Nature’s Season.
  9. Use a hand mixer to blend. Do not overmix. Gradually add whipping cream until you reach your desired consistency.
  • Taste and add additional salt or Nature’s Seasoning if needed. To keep potatoes warm, cover and place on the lowest stovetop setting. 

Roasted Multi-Color Carrots

Ingredients

  • 3 TBS olive oil
  • 3 TBS pure maple syrup
  • 2 TBS Dijon mustard
  • 2 TBS orange juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2 lbs. pack of multicolor carrots

Directions

  1. Wisk together first 6 ingredients and reserve 2 TBS.
  2. Toss carrots with mixture and spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400°F, turning carrots ½ way through baking time.
  4. Transfer carrots to a platter and top with remaining mixture.

Caesar Crouton Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

  • 1½–2 lbs chicken tenders
  • ½ cup Caesar dressing, or enough to lightly coat
  • 2 cups seasoned croutons, crushed
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Avocado Oil Spray

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and lightly spray it with cooking spray.
  2. Put the croutons in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. You want fairly fine crumbs with a few slightly larger pieces for crunch. Mix the crumbs with Parmesan, garlic powder and pepper.
  3. Coat each chicken tender lightly with Caesar dressing, then press it into the crouton mixture. Arrange the tenders on the baking sheet with a little space between them. Spray lightly with avocado oil spray.
  4. Bake chicken tenders for about 18-20 minutes, depending on their thickness. The thickest part should reach 165°F. For a crispier crust, you can give them 1–2 minutes under the broiler at the end—just watch closely because crouton crumbs can brown quickly.

Search for ingredients at FOOD CITY.

 

Simple recipes. Big flavor. Little fuss. Aneisa Rolen shares easy-to-follow recipes with companion videos, making home cooking approachable for every cook.

For more free recipes, visit www.foodfairyprep.com or follow Aneisa Rolen on Instagram or Facebook.

Enjoyed this article? Read more Dishing It Out with Aneisa Rolen.

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