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5 trader joes dinners for $83 (Recipes and Grocery list!)

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5 trader joes dinners for $83 (Recipes and Grocery list!)

It's been a minute since I put together a Trader Joe's guide! But here's a new one for you, and this time it's a little bit of everything: chicken, pasta, and a salad in the mix too. Summer eating is all over the place around here between vacations and pool days, but having a few real dinners feels so good. Same idea as always, five dinners, all made with ingredients you can grab in one trip.

Check your fridge, freezer for what you already have at home then grab the grocery list below! Meal prices reflect the portion used in each recipe. Buying the full grocery list may cost more.

Produce

  • 1 white or yellow onion

  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced

  • 4 garlic cloves

  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped

  • 1/3 cup parsley, chopped

  • 6 small Persian cucumbers

  • 1 to 2 cups sweet potato, diced

  • 2 lemons

  • 14 oz green beans

  • 2 lbs small potatoes

  • 1/4 cup pistachios

  • 1 bag Caesar salad kit

  • 1½ cups frozen broccoli florets

Meat & Poultry

  • 1 pound Italian sausage

  • 1 pound ground chicken

  • 1 pound cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie works)

  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Dairy, Cheese & Refrigerated

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1 cup Parmesan, grated

  • 3 to 4 oz feta, crumbled

  • 8 to 9 oz halloumi

  • 1 can crescent roll dough

  • 8 oz ranch dressing

  • Pantry & Dry Goods

  • 1 jar gochujang paste

  • 3/4 pound pasta

  • 8 small flour tortillas

  • 4 teaspoons TJ Aglio Olio seasoning

  • 1 cup basmati rice

  • 2 cups chicken broth

  • 1 cup quinoa, uncooked

  • 1 can chickpeas, 15 oz

  • 1 jar Alfredo sauce, about 15 oz

Other

Olive oil, salt, and black pepper

Creamy Gochujang Pasta

1. Creamy Gochujang Pasta

If you've been curious about gochujang paste but haven't found the right excuse to bring some home, this is the dish to start with! It's a fermented Korean chili paste, and once it melts into the cream and Parmesan here, you get a sauce that's spicy, a little sweet, and so so good. Nothing about the final dish tastes unfamiliar, so it's an easy, low pressure way to get to know an ingredient that's well worth keeping in your fridge from now on.
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Chicken Caesar Tacos

2. Chicken Caesar Tacos

Chicken caesar tacos are so good! Ground chicken gets smashed thin onto tortillas, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked until the edges crisp up. Then you top them with Caesar salad, straight from the bag. It’s five ingredients, one sheet pan, and about 25 minutes start to finish!
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Creamy Crescent Roll Chicken Alfredo Bake

3. Creamy Crescent Roll Chicken Alfredo Bake

The other night I had one of those random kitchen ideas that I couldn't shake. I was making an Alfredo bake and thinking about how to make it even cozier, and I thought, what if I just threw some crescent rolls on top? That buttery, flaky topping instantly reminded me of the throw-it-all-in-one-dish dinners from the nineties. It totally worked. The crescent coins came out golden and flaky and combined with the creamy chicken Alfredo rice, it was so good. Now I kind of can't stop thinking about it, where else can I sneak crescent rolls?
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Sheet Pan Ranch Chicken and Potatoes

4. Sheet Pan Ranch Chicken and Potatoes

I didn’t really discover how amazing ranch dressing is until a couple of years ago and now I’m obsessed! I especially love using it as a marinade like in this recipe. It adds so much flavor!
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Jennifer Aniston salad

5. Jennifer Aniston salad

This is my latest salad obsession because it is so easy to whip up a simple batch and then you have lunch for the next few days! It's my take on the famous salad, swapping in quinoa and crispy halloumi. It’s also a great salad for hosting or as dinner or even a side. In this recipe I added halloumi which is so salty and delicious.
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