Refreshing Spring Dinner Ideas with Stock

When Spring brings warmer weather, it's time to shift to lighter, refreshing dinner ideas that still pack a punch of flavor. Using stock as a base can add depth and complexity to your dishes without weighing them down. Here are some Spring dinner ideas using stock that are perfect for hot days:

1. Lemon Herb Chicken with Quinoa Salad

Ingredients for Lemon Herb Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, and parsley)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. Marinate chicken breasts in lemon juice, minced garlic, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan and sear chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides.
3. Pour chicken stock into the pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through and tender.
4. Serve the lemon herb chicken hot with a side of quinoa salad.

Ingredients for Quinoa Salad:

• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• Cherry tomatoes, halved
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh herbs (such as mint and parsley), chopped
• Lemon vinaigrette (lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper)

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine cooked quinoa, diced cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and fresh herbs.
2. Drizzle with lemon vinaigrette and toss to coat.
3. Serve the refreshing quinoa salad alongside the lemon herb chicken.

2. Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Herb Rice

Ingredients for Grilled Shrimp Skewers:

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Fresh herbs (such as dill and parsley), chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Wooden skewers, soaked in water

Instructions:

1. Marinate shrimp in minced garlic, lemon zest, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper for about 15-20 minutes.
2. Thread marinated shrimp onto soaked wooden skewers.
3. Preheat grill or grill pan and cook shrimp skewers until pink and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
4. Meanwhile, bring vegetable stock to a boil and cook rice according to package instructions, adding fresh herbs for extra flavor.
5. Serve the grilled shrimp skewers hot with herb-infused rice.

3. Spring Vegetable Stir-Fry with Brown Rice

Ingredients for Spring Vegetable Stir-Fry:

• Assorted Spring vegetables (such as asparagus, snap peas, carrots, and bell peppers), sliced
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh ginger, grated
• Red pepper flakes (optional)
• Cooked brown rice

Instructions:

1. In a wok or large pan, heat sesame oil and sauté minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using) until fragrant.
2. Add sliced Spring vegetables and stir-fry until tender-crisp.
3. Pour in vegetable stock and soy sauce, stirring to combine and coat the vegetables.
4. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the vegetables.
5. Serve the Spring vegetable stir-fry over cooked brown rice.

These Spring dinner ideas using stock are not only light and flavorful but also perfect for enjoying on a warm evening. Whether you're grilling shrimp skewers, making a vibrant stir-fry, or indulging in lemon herb chicken, these dishes will bring the freshness of Spring to your dinner table!