On your busiest WFH days, it can be tough to find the time to cook a proper meal. Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. I’m going to share my favorite quick 30 minute meals that you can whip up even on your busiest of days.
25 Quick and Healthy 30 Minute Meals You Can Make on Your Busiest WFH Days
1. Garlic Butter Chicken with Zucchini and Corn
Zesty garlic chicken with sauteed zucchini and corn. This meal is cooked in a single pan (this one is my favorite) and is ready in just 30 minutes. Top with fresh cilantro and enjoy with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The best part? This dish is low-cal, so you can devour it guilt-free.
2. Quick Veggie Lo Mein
Looking for a quick vegetarian meal? You’ll love this quick veggie lo mein, which features a delicious sauce, lo mein noodles and veggies. This dish is ready in just 25 minutes and is cooked in a cast iron skillet for quick, even cooking.
3. Greek Chicken and Lemon Rice
I love quick 30 minute meals that are cooked in a single pan and don’t require a ton of prep work. This Greek chicken and lemon rice recipe is so delicious and easy to make – especially if you happen to have some leftover rice. While this recipe calls for chickpeas, you can use any type of bean you wish or skip it altogether.
4. Cilantro-Lime Honey Chicken Bowls with Peach Salsa and Rice
A delicious dish featuring tangy cilantro-lime chicken, homemade peach salsa and cooked rice. For this dish to be ready in just 30 minutes, you’ll need to use cooked rice or white rice that cooks in just 15-20 minutes. The salsa is quick and easy to make and gives the dish so much flavor.
Serve with fresh lime slices and top with fresh cilantro.
Related: Quick and Easy Teriyaki Chicken Meal Prep Recipe
5. Ground Turkey Teriyaki Stir Fry
Ground turkey is a great alternative to ground beef – it’s leaner and easier to digest. But it also cooks quickly, so it’s the perfect choice for busy WFH days. The homemade teriyaki sauce is delicious and surprisingly easy to make. The stir fry features ground turkey, broccoli, carrots and onion. We like to serve this with rice, but you can eat it as-is if you’re going low-carb.
6. Greek Chicken Bowl
Quick 30 minute meals don’t have to be boring, and this Greek chicken bowl is proof of that. Chicken breast and quinoa mix with a Mediterranean-inspired dressing of honey, lemon zest and herbs. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, olives and feta cheese for a satisfying, healthy meal.
7. 20-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken
Tender chicken breasts cooked in an aromatic honey, garlic sauce. I love this recipe because it’s super simple, and chances are, you have most of the ingredients already. Serve it with rice or quinoa, or you could mix it in with a big, fresh salad. The chicken itself takes just 20 minutes to cook.
8. Healthy Chipotle Steak Bowls
Marinated steak served with all of your favorite veggies – bell peppers, onion, corn, black beans and tomatoes. The steak marinates for 10-20 minutes and cooks up in just 10 minutes. Cook the rice at the same time, and you’ll have a full, healthy meal in the snap of a finger.
9. Chicken with Peaches
A one-pan meal that’s subtly sweet and easy to prepare. Seasoned chicken thighs are cooked with fresh peaches, honey, lemon and butter. If you want to cut back on fat, use chicken breasts instead. Everything cooks in the same skillet, and you can serve it with whatever you want – salad, cooked rice, quinoa or just on its own.
10. Creamy Chicken Orzo with Mushroom and Spinach
Juicy chicken thighs with creamy orzo and mushrooms. The orzo cooks in a heavy-cream and broth-based sauce with fresh spinach. Add your favorite mushrooms. The chicken takes just 10 minutes to cook. I love to add sundried tomatoes to this dish, and depending on the day, we’ll use chicken breast instead.
11. Greek Shrimp with Orzo and Feta
Another delicious one-pan meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes. A flavorful Greek orzo topped with seasoned shrimp and feta. Most of your time will be spent putting ingredients together – super easy. The orzo and shrimp will cook quickly, so you’re ready to eat in no time.
12. Honey Sriracha Ground Chicken Protein Bowls
Looking for quick 30 minute meals that are high in protein? You’ll love this recipe. It features tender ground chicken with broccoli florets and a spicy sriracha sauce. Serve with rice or add to a salad to enjoy a balanced meal any time of the day.
13. Easy Salmon Patties and Lemon Garlic Sauce
Easy, delicious salmon patties topped with a delectable lemon-garlic sauce. Canned salmon makes it easy to make these patties. The sauce is super simple, with mayo, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and fresh parsley.
14. Greek Orzo Red Pepper Tomato Feta Orzo
A super quick and flavorful orzo with roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs. Top with a homemade dressing with champagne vinegar, honey, shallots, garlic and olive oil.
15. Chicken Avocado Wrap
Wraps are one of my favorites recently because they’re so easy to make. You’ll fill this wrap with chicken breast slices, avocado, lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, salt and pepper and ranch dressing.
It’s as simple as cooking the chicken and assembling the tortilla wraps.
Related: 25 Surprising Instant Pot Recipes That Prove It Can Cook (Almost) Everything
16. Mediterranean Lunch Bowl
Ten minutes is all it takes to make this lunch bowl. I’ll break this up into two sections:
- First, you’ll prep a salad with cubed cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, parsley and spring onions.
- Next, for the bowl, you’ll add olives, chickpeas, tzatziki, hummus, cooked quinoa and black pepper.
If you want something a little lighter that still tastes amazing, you can’t miss this recipe.
17. Simple Lemon Orzo Salad
Orzo is so good. Add in red bell peppers, cucumbers, feta cheese, red onion, garlic cloves, parsley, basil, lemon zest and juice, sea salt and cracked pepper, and you have a fantastic salad.
And you can store the salad for about five days, so it’s a good option if you food prep.
18. Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Boneless chicken breast, bacon, jalapenos, mayonnaise, green onions, onion and garlic powder, salt and avocado oil are the only ingredients you need to make this spicy, jalapeno popper chicken salad.
It’s a tasty dish that’s easy to make and good for you.
If you swap out the mayonnaise with a healthier alternative, you can also cut the calories back quite a bit.
19. Artichoke Soup
Quick 30 minute meals don’t need to be as hearty as some of the meat-filled options on the list. Tuscan-inspired, this soup is creamy, lemony and ready in half an hour. A Dutch oven is recommended.
You’ll even find options to make your soup less “chunky” if you like.
20. Pesto Chicken and Rice
Thirty minutes and you’ll be biting into this pesto heaven. Boneless chicken breasts, Italian seasoning, olive oil, shallots, black pepper, minced garlic, roasted red peppers, jasmine rice, chicken broth, pesto, Parm cheese and basil are all you need for this super-simple recipe.
Related: Cut Your Cooking Time in Half With These Genius Speed-Cooking Hacks!
21. Carne Asada Bowls
If you’re a fan of steak, you’ll love this recipe. You’ll start by prepping rice before seasoning and cooking the steak. Rub the steak with olive oil, seasoning and then cook for about three minutes on each side in a skillet. Warm up some veggies and prep your bowls. It’s a simple, healthy recipe with greens, meat and healthy carbs.
22. Satay Chicken Rice Bowls
Asian-inspired, this main dish is 565 calories per serving, but it’s a flavorful dish in part due to the peanut sauce blend. You’ll cook up boneless chicken breasts, learn how to make a peanut sauce and also be given a few garnish options, such as Thai chiles or unsalted peanuts.
23. Bang Bang Salmon Bite Bowls
Salmon is so good for you, but be sure to splurge on a higher quality salmon. Perfect for lunch or dinner, you’ll first prep the salmon with olive oil, salt, black pepper, paprika and any sides you like. Add your homemade bang bang sauce and bake.
24. Spicy Thai Quinoa Bowl
The nutty flavor of quinoa and its protein content really adds to the authentic Thai taste. You’ll begin by cooking the quinoa and then start making your Thai sauce with chili sauce, coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice, rice vinegar and a few other ingredients that you’ll need to whisk together.
Coat the quinoa in the sauce and that’s it.
25. 15-minute Beef and Mushrooms
Quick and healthy in just 15 minutes? I never have an excuse not to cook again. Nutrient-rich and delish, you’ll be cooking up antioxidant-filled mushrooms, garlic, lean ground beef, zucchini, cilantro and herbs and spices.
Add in tomato paste and olive oil, and you’ll be left with a good-for-you meal that is under 400 calories per serving and has 35 grams of protein.
