If you know me well you know that one of my favorite words is “cheap”… not in the sense that I like low quality things. I’m actually quite the opposite. I tend to like very high quality things (food, clothing, jewelry, vacations) but I do my best to acquire these things at cheaper prices than most people would pay.

My approach to food is no different. I love dining out at high quality and highly recommended restaurants. But I’ll be honest. I can’t afford to eat out every night and honestly, I don’t think I’d want to. I like cooking way to much and after a long day of work, it’s sometimes nice to just chill at home.

I think most people are like me. People want food that tastes a good as possible, as quickly as possible, and as cheaply as possible. I want to start sharing some recipes that I’ve found that have allowed me to do just that!

As I’m writing this post, I’m sitting here eating a meal that I’ve made TWICE (yes, I said it, twice) in the last week. The Sheet Pan Chicken and Mushrooms with Parsley Sauce recipe by Food & Wine has been my favorite and I wanted to share this meal and recipe with you. I have a few suggestions for how to make this recipe as quickly and cheaply as possible and the best side dishes to pair it with.

This recipe is delicious and it really is easy. The parsley sauce combined with the roasted lemons is a match made in heaven…. And yes, you heard that right. you CAN eat roasted lemons. Skin and all. Just make sure you slice them thin and remove any seeds.

I’ve been blessed to live in a town where I have an abundance of grocery stores that are all pretty close together. My husband and I try to stick to a strict budget of about $70 a week for ALL our groceries. We eat at home at least 5 nights a week and I bring my lunch to work from home as well…. All that to say is that we have quite a few meals to make with a relatively small budget. I have to take advantage of all the stores in the area to create delicious meals without going over budget. I’d honestly rather save money on food and put some of our savings in our vacation fund.

For this recipe we did our shopping at Nam Dae Mun Farmers Market in Smyrna, Georgia. I warn you, you can get some great deals here but the shopping experience is always an… experience. But again, for me, it’s worth it for the savings.

I spent $8.13 plus tax for most of the recipe ingredients (I had garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar in my pantry).

• 6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs: $3.95
• 1 Bunch of Parsley: $0.69
• 16 oz of White Mushrooms: $2.49 (This is cheaper than the mushrooms suggested in the original recipe)
• 1 Lemon: $1.00

Tonight I paired this recipe with mashed potatoes. The first time I made it I served it with Garlic Quinoa and broccoli (we always have quinoa in the pantry and broccoli in the freezer). Regardless, I suggest serving with a carbohydrate  and a green veggie.

My steps for getting this recipe plus two side dishes on the table in less than 45 minutes.

Step 1: Preheat oven AND empty sheet pan to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Place chicken and olive oil on pan and let roast for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Cut mushrooms and lemons while chicken is roasting. Toss with olive oil.

Step 5: Add mushrooms and lemons to pan with chicken and allow to roast for 30 additional minutes.

Step 6: Prepare quinoa as outlined on package. I suggest cooking in chicken broth instead of water.

Step 7. Chop parsley and garlic and mix all ingredients for the sauce.

Step 8: Cook broccoli as desired when there’s just 5 minutes left for the chicken to roast (microwave or stove top with salt and pepper is easiest).

Step 9. Serve and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! To find the recipe for Sheet Pan Chicken and Mushrooms with Parsley Sauce please CLICK HERE.

Enjoy!