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Dinner Tonight

Healthy Cooking for a Healthy Texas

Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry

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Take Your Taste Buds on a Trip and Try Thai!

Bring bold, fresh flavor to your kitchen with our Thai Chicken & Vegetable Curry!

Tender chicken, colorful veggies, and a creamy coconut curry sauce come together for a meal that’s both comforting and vibrant.

Packed with nutrients from fresh vegetables, lean protein, and aromatic ingredients like turmeric, ginger, and curry paste, it’s a delicious way to fuel your body and your cravings for something new and exciting.

Quick, flavorful, and better than takeout—dinner just got a passport!


Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry
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Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry
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Instructions
  1. In a large sauté pan over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and immediately turn the heat to medium. Stir every so often and cook until the onions until they are softened and beginning to brown at the edges (about 5 minutes).
  2. Place the chicken in a large bowl and season with salt.
  3. Add the curry powder, turmeric, and Thai red curry paste to the onions and stir until onions are coated  in the spices (about 1 minute). Add the chicken pieces to the pan, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and encourage stir-frying. Cook thoroughly (about 5-7 minutes) until chicken is cooked through and temps at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use tongs to remove chicken and transfer to a plate.
  4. Add the bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and mushroom into the pan and sauté (about 5-6 minutes).
  5. Add the tomatoes and stir until they just begin to soften (about 1 minute). Add the can of coconut milk. Fill up the empty can of coconut milk with water and add to the pan. Add the fish sauce and brown sugar and bring to a simmer.
  6. Add the chicken pieces back into the pan and stir to coat evenly. Add chopped cilantro and spinach into the pan and stir to combine all ingredients.
  7. Spoon rice into bowls (if serving over rice). Top with chicken and sauce, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

Grab and Go Meal Ideas

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Check out these grab-and-go meal ideas that are quick, portable, and still satisfying-perfect for busy days, lunchboxes, or events:

Wraps & Sandwiches

  • Turkey & Spinach Wrap (with hummus or cream cheese)
  • Chicken Caesar Wrap
  • PB&J or Nut Butter & Banana Sandwich
  • Egg Salad or Tuna Salad Sandwich
  • Caprese Sandwich (mozzarella, tomato, pesto)

Salad Jars (just shake and eat!)

  • Greek Salad Jar (chickpeas, cucumber, tomato, olives, feta)
  • Taco Salad Jar (ground beef or beans, corn, lettuce, salsa, cheese)
  • Pasta Salad with Chicken & Veggies

Muffin-Tin Meals

  • Mini Frittatas or Egg Muffins
  • Meatloaf Muffins
  • Mac & Cheese Cups
  • Oatmeal Cups (sweet or savory)

Protein Boxes

  • Hard-boiled Eggs, Cheese Cubes, Crackers, Fruit
  • Deli Meat Roll-ups, Veggie Sticks, Hummus
  • Mini Quesadillas, Salsa, Apple Slices

Bowls (Cold or Reheat)

  • Chicken & Rice Bowl
  • Quinoa, Roasted Veggies & Feta Bowl
  • Asian Noodle Salad with Edamame

Handheld Options

  • Homemade Hot Pockets or Calzones
  • Mini Pizza Bites (on English muffins or tortillas)
  • Stuffed Pita with Hummus, Veggies, Chicken

Breakfast-On-the-Go

  • Breakfast Burritos
  • Yogurt Parfaits in Jars
  • Overnight Oats
  • Bagels with Cream Cheese & Smoked Salmon

No Cook Meal Ideas

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Living a busy student life with limited time to cook? No worries! The Dinner Tonight team can help. Whether you’re cramming for finals or juggling classes and work, you still deserve tasty, nutritious meals that don’t require a stove. Check out this list of 15 no-cook meals ideas that are quick, budget-friendly, healthy, and dorm-approved.

Savory & Satisfying

  1. Hummus & Veggie Wraps-Whole wheat tortilla, hummus, spinach, shredded carrots, cucumber slices.
  2. Tuna Salad Lettuce Cups-Canned tuna mixed with mayo or Greek yogurt, served in romaine leaves.
  3. Caprese Sandwich-Fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, basil, and balsamic glaze on ciabatta.
  4. Greek Pita Pockets-Stuffed with hummus, olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and feta.
  5. Avocado Toast-Mashed avocado on whole grain bread with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.

Bowls & Salads

  1. Chickpea Salad Bowl-Canned chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley, lemon juice.
  2. Mexican Black Bean Bowl-Black beans, corn, salsa, avocado, and tortilla chips.
  3. Asian Peanut Noodle Salad-Pre-cooked rice noodles, shredded carrots, cabbage, and peanut sauce.
  4. Fruit & Cottage Cheese Bowl-Cottage cheese topped with pineapple, berries, or peaches.
  5. Quinoa & Edamame Salad-Pre-cooked quinoa, edamame, bell peppers, sesame dressing.

Quick Snacks & Mini Meals

  1. Cheese & Crackers Plate-Add grapes, nuts, and deli meat for a balanced snack.
  2. Peanut Butter Banana Wrap-Tortilla with peanut butter and banana slices.
  3. Yogurt Parfait-Greek yogurt layered with granola and fresh fruit.
  4. Hard-Boiled Egg Snack Box-Eggs, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and a handful of almonds.
  5. Cold Pasta Salad-Pre-cooked pasta with Italian dressing, olives, and veggies.

Healthier Sandwich

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Sandwiches are a classic for both picnics and easy on-the-go lunches. But some simple tweaks can help you build a healthier sandwich!

Starting with whole grain is a great first step.

USDA MyPlate Guidelines recommend that you make half your grain choices whole grain ones each day, and using whole grain sandwich bread is a fantastic way to get more fiber and other beneficial nutrients in, while giving your body sustainable energy that keeps you satisfied longer and helps stabilize your blood sugar.

Trade deli meats for other lean meat choices

Deli meats are typically high in sodium, saturated fat, and also nitrates and nitrites, which all can contribute to health concerns like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Subbing in lean protein choices, such as roasted or grilled chicken or turkey, is a great way to add some filling protein without the drawbacks. It also gives you the chance to season it the way you prefer and customize your sandwich flavors!

Consider your cheese choice.

Cheese can be a delicious addition to your sandwich, but is another ingredient that can quickly add a larger amount of sodium and saturated fat, even in small servings (just 1 oz of cheddar cheese can contain around 5 oz of saturated fat!). Cheeses that tend to be the highest in sodium include American cheese, feta, parmesan, and blue cheese. It’s important to read labels on low-fat cheeses, because they also often have higher levels of sodium to make up for taste loss with the reduction of fat. Lower fat and sodium cheese choices include ricotta, goat cheese, Swiss cheese, cottage cheese, and fresh mozzarella. Another way to cut the sodium and saturated fat is to use cheese sparingly, more like a garnish than a main sandwich component!

Fill in with fresh vegetables.

Sandwiches are perfect vehicles for a variety of fresh veggies! Adding vegetables to your sandwich makes them more visually appealing, adds fun flavor and crunch, and greatly increases the nutrient density. Consider adding cucumbers, fresh greens, chopped or grated carrots, sliced tomatoes or avocados, red onion rings, etc. to add more interest and nutrition to your sandwich!

Get creative with condiments.

Basic sandwich condiments include mustard and mayo, but you don’t have to stop there! Drizzle some vinegar and oil, make a simple smashed fruit spread, or add fresh herbs to elevate the flavor in a healthy and fun way!

What other ways do you like to customize your sandwich for max nutrition benefit and flavor?

Sandwiches are a classic picnic main dish choice, but there are some things to consider to make them both safe AND delicious!

Time and Temperature.

If you’re using foods that need refrigeration (also called Time/Temperature Control for Safety or TCS foods), remember to take steps to avoid the temperature danger zone (41-135 degrees). This means making a plan to eat them quickly or  keep your cold sandwiches cold (below 41 degrees) if you plan to be out longer than 2 hours with them (or longer than 1 hour if the outside temp is over 90 degrees!).

Packing Materials.

There are lots of options for what to pack your sandwich in. The classic wicker basket is cute for picnic pictures, but doesn’t keep your food properly chilled without some help! Make sure you bring other solutions, like coolers, thermal lunch boxes with ice packs, etc. to help maintain safe temperatures. Plastic sandwich bags and reusable sandwich wraps (like beeswax ones) CAN be washed and used multiple times as long as you make sure they are properly cleaned after each use and not used for containing raw meats, fish, eggs, or other hazardous foods. If you have an especially hefty sandwich, or one with ingredients that tend to fall out, cooking twine or toothpicks can be a handy solution for holding your sandwich together!

Extra Considerations.

Many sandwiches can be prepped in advance and stored safely in the refrigerator. For best quality, it’s recommended to eat them about 3 days after you prepare them. Some sandwich components, especially saucy condiments and some fruits and vegetables with a lot of moisture are best left off until the day you plan to eat them. Pro-tip: to prevent these ingredients from making your bread too soggy, layer these on top of spread cheese, on a bed of greens, or between your meat and cheese slices to add a layer of protection!

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Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Sandwich

Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Sandwich

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Elevate your picnic game with our Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Sandwich this summer! Perfectly portable, and bursting with delicious Mediterranean flavors from the balsamic strawberries, fresh basil, and ricotta, this sandwich also packs a serious nutrition punch.

With an impressive 29 grams of satisfying protein and 2 grams of filling fiber (7% of your daily value), this sandwich also gives you 10% of your recommended daily value of both iron and calcium.

Pack it along for your next picnic or give it a try to add a touch of gourmet to your lunch break!

Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Sandwich
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Servings
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Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Sandwich
Votes: 0
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Servings
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Servings
1 sandwich
Ingredients
Servings: sandwich
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Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, combine sliced strawberries with the balsamic vinegar, and chopped fresh basil. Stir to combine well, then set aside.
  2. Toast slices of whole grain French bread, then layout on a plate or cutting board. Spread ricotta cheese on one side of each bread slice.
  3. On one slice of bread, add spinach and red leaf lettuce on top of spread Ricotta. Layer grilled chicken on top of spinach and lettuce.
  4. On the other slice of bread, spoon Balsamic strawberries on top of the Ricotta side, taking care not to add too much of the Balsamic liquid (so the sandwich isn’t too soggy).
  5. Lay the berry and ricotta slice on top of the chicken and spinach slice, pressing sandwich layers together to combine well. Enjoy immediately or tie with cooking twine to hold sandwich together to pack on the go!
Recipe Notes