Begin your quest for frugal dinner recipes with a $14 bag of frozen breaded chicken tenders or chicken strips from Costco or Sam's Club. They're easy to cook, they won't go bad and your family will enjoy these five delicious dinners! Of course, your wallet will enjoy the price!
I call these frugal recipes, but they're really just dinner ideas. Sometimes all you need is a little inspiration to get a delicious dinner on the table.
Easy Chicken Parmesan – No deep fryer required!
- 4 frozen breaded chicken tenders or chicken strips
- 1, 16 oz. box of spaghetti or whatever pasta you happen to have
- 1 cup grated Italian cheese blend OR grated Mozzarella OR 4 slices of provolone
- 1, 24 oz. jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
- Prepare chicken tenders or chicken strips according to package directions.
- Once the chicken is in the oven, prepare the pasta and drain.
- Warm the spaghetti sauce.
- To serve: put pasta on each plate, top with cooked chicken, top with cheese and then sauce.
Chicken Wrap – Craving McDonald's Chicken Tender Snack Wrap? Eat in, not out with this frugalicious and fast recipe!
- Frozen breaded chicken tenders or chicken strips, use 1 per snack wrap
- Tortillas (fajita size)
- Mexican blend cheese
- Shredded lettuce
- Ranch dressing
- Bake chicken tenders or chicken strips according to package directions.
- Place the cooked chicken tender in a warm tortilla.
- Top with cheese, lettuce and ranch dressing
Chicken Sandwich – How about Chick-Fil-A for dinner tonight at a fraction of the cost?
- Frozen breaded chicken tenders or chicken strips, use 1 per sandwich
- Hamburger buns
- Dill pickle slices
- Honey Mustard
- Bake chicken tenders or chicken strips according to package directions.
- Toast buns.
- Add 1 chicken tender or chicken strip to each sandwich, cutting in half if needed.
- Top with a pickle slice
- Top it off with your own homemade honey mustard ( whisk together 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tablespoons mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper).
Wafflewich – It’s a breakfast, it’s a dinner…it’s a Wafflewich (Waffle Sandwich), and kids love ‘em! Serve my Chicken Waffle Sandwich with a fruit salad for fun dinner! Not to brag, but…The Wafflewich was one of 10 finalists in the 2012 Mr. Food Ultimate Weeknight Meal Contest!
- Bacon (1 slice of bacon per Wafflewich)
- Frozen breaded chicken tenders or chicken strips (1 per Wafflewich)
- Waffles (frozen or homemade) (2 waffles per Wafflewich)
- Syrup
- Cook bacon (I’m a fan of mess-free oven cooked bacon: place bacon on foil lined baking sheet, bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until crisp, drain on paper towels)
- Prepare chicken tenders or chicken strips according to package directions
- Make homemade waffles or toast frozen waffles.
- Place 1 slice of bacon on a waffle.
- Top with 1 cooked chicken tender or chicken strip, drizzle with syrup and top with the other waffle.
- Enjoy your Wafflewich!
Chicken Parmesan Pizza –
- 1, 10 oz. frozen garlic bread (not slices)
- 4 frozen breaded chicken tenders or chicken strips
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce (our personal favorite…Newman's Own Tomato Basil)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Prepare garlic bread according to package instructions.
- Prepare chicken tenders or chicken strips according to package instructions.
- Spread sauce on cooked bread, top with cooked chicken and cheese.
- Heat in 400° oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving. P.S. – kitchen scissors are the best for cutting pizza!
Do you have any favorite frugal dinner ideas using frozen breaded chicken tenders or chicken strips?
