So I got this nice note from a reader the other day:
I have to tell you I did my first real deconstructed meal the other night where I was not catering to the kids. It was so easy, such an epiphany! My husband and I made Chicken Tikka Masala with browned cauliflower and frozen peas in it. Before adding the (jarred) sauce, I loaded up plates with juicy sauteed chicken chunks and browned cauliflower and added some grapes and they Gobbled. It. Up. I had hot dogs at the ready but was feeling very sad about it. So this was amazing!! Thank you! — Jennie T.
Chicken Tikka Masala! That is some brave new territory, and it made me think that we’ve covered the DALS Top 10 Quick Meals [1], Top 10 Side Dishes [2], Top 10 Ways to Use a Rotisserie Chicken [3], and even Abby’s Top 10 Reads [4] last summer — so I think it’s high time we rounded up our favorite Deconstructed Dinners for the family table. Break it down now:
1. Tortilla Soup [5] (Which also has a nice definition of Deconstructed Dinner for those of you completely in the dark here)
2. Chinese Chicken and Broccoli [6] (like Jennie T., just save a few of the unsauced chicken chunks for kids who might object to the hoisin)
3. Chili-Rubbed Chicken with Mexican Salad [7], shown above (related: Burrito Bowl [8])
4. Steakhouse Steak Salad [9]with (or without!) Horseradish Dressing
5. Fish in Parchment Paper (Part 1 [10] and Part 2 [11]) to be filed under “Oldie but Goodie.”
6. Orrechiette with Sausage and Broccoli [12] (the classic)
7. Kale Cobb Salad [13] (hold the Easter egg dye)
8. Chicken Orzo Soup, shown above, page 290 Dinner: A Love Story [14] (When Abby was a soup-o-thrope, I used to pluck the tender shredded chicken from this and lightly pat it with a paper towel before serving it to her with lightly dried carrots and a mound of orzo. What can I say? I really wanted her to like my favorite soup.)
9. Spicy Peanut Noodles (it’s just “plain pasta with a side of crispy snow peas” to the kids if you serve the peanut sauce on the side), page 261 Dinner: A Love Story [14]
10. Quinoa with Spinach, Egg, & Sriracha [15] (No matter how much I deconstruct and disguise this, my kids will not touch, but you might have better luck.)
Don’t see your favorite? What is it?