Dinnertime is when the whole family comes together to relax and talk about their day. But it can also be stressful if, like many families around the country, one of your diners is a bit fussy when it comes to food.
One way to make mealtimes more interesting to children is to get them involved in the process of making their own food and here at Viners, we’ve got two delicious meal ideas for you to try!
Chicken Fajitas
Fajitas are an easy way for kids to get hands-on with their food, allowing them to experiment with different flavour combinations to find out exactly what they like.
Ingredients
- Chicken mini-fillets
- Cheddar cheese
- Flour or corn tortillas
- Red pepper
- Green pepper
- Yellow pepper
- Red onion
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Mild salsa
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
Method
- Slice the peppers into half-centimetre slices, chop the onion and add to a saucepan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly until the peppers and onions begin to soften.
- Prepare a grill pan or frying pan for the chicken with a splash of olive oil on a medium-to-high heat. Lay the chicken in the hot pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked.
- While the vegetables and chicken cook, portion out the salsa, guacamole, and sour cream on the table. Grate your cheese into a bowl.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer to a serving plate. Add the cooked vegetables to a serving bowl. Place both on the dining table with the condiments, cheese, and tortillas.
- Dinner is served! Allow your family to pick and choose their own ingredients to make the perfect fajita, helping them if they need it.
Top Tip: You can substitute chicken for steak if you have some in your fridge!
Baguette Pizza
The beauty of these homemade pizzas is that they’re a great excuse to use the last few bits of meat and veg in the fridge, and you can even use any leftover chicken (or steak), peppers and cheese from the fajitas!
Ingredients
- 1 fresh French baguette
- Mozzarella, sliced
- A selection of fresh veg, finely chopped (tomato, sweetcorn, mushroom, pepper, onion. etc)
- A selection of cooked meat, thinly sliced (ham, pepperoni, cooked bacon, cooked chicken, etc)
- Leftover cheddar cheese, grated
- Tomato pizza sauce (or BBQ sauce as an alternative)
- Mixed leaf salad
Method
- Prepare your toppings on the kitchen counter in individual bowls or ramekins, and turn on the grill.
- Slice the baguette into 10cm (4 inches) sections and slice each section in half down the middle.
- Help your child spread a layer of tomato sauce to use as a base on their pizza, and layer on mozzarella slices.
- Invite your child to select 3-4 of their favourite ingredients to add to their pizza. Once these are added, sprinkle the pizza with grated cheese.
- Place each pizza on a baking tray and grill until the cheese begins to bubble and the crust of the bread starts to toast. Remove before they burn.
- Transfer the pizzas to a large serving plate and place in the centre of the table with the mixed leave salad and enjoy!
